How Do I Become an Interactive Project Manager?

An interactive project manager works with a team to create websites and applications for the Internet and mobile devices. The role requires both basic project management skills and technical skills in design and application development. To become an interactive project manager, you need to be creative and have experience managing projects, leading a team and working with interactive projects. A bachelor's degree in project management, technology or design is a common requirement, especially if you don't have many years of experience in the field.

If you want to become an interactive project manager, then you usually need to have a bachelor's degree in project management, information technology, web design, application development or technology management. When selecting the courses for your degree, you should take specialty courses in project management, including classes in quality assurance, managerial communications, scope management, budgeting and human resources. Courses in system development, web application programming, website design and graphic design also are helpful. You may need to take some of these courses as electives if you decide to pursue a general information technology degree. A master's degree in project management or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree can be helpful for senior project management positions.

In addition to project management skills, you will need leadership, marketing and design skills to be successful in interactive project management. As a leader for a team of web designers and application developers, you must be able to effectively delegate tasks and use your available resources to create interactive projects that meet your customer's needs and budget. Marketing skills are important for designing applications for use on the web, and you should know how to use web analytics and search engine optimization to achieve the best results. Design skills are critical because of the creativity needed for the job, so you should be familiar with content management programs, web design software, programming languages, social media and the latest mobile technologies.

Employers often require you to have at least three — if not five — years of experience before you can become an interactive project manager. This requirement generally includes experience creating content for the Internet, managing other developers, working with project management teams, using social media and performing quality assurance testing. Although some employers consider experience in various areas of technology, some may require five years of experience specifically in interactive project management. A candidate with many years of experience in the field may be able to become an interactive project manager without having a bachelor's degree.