PM Profile: Gabrielle May

Project managers are a critical part of every development team at Acro Commerce. Get to know the people who coordinate all the magic behind the scenes and ensure project success.

If you need a refresher on what a project manager is, what they do and why they are an integral team member to every project, check out this article: Agile Project Management at Acro Commerce: Driving Success in Ecommerce Development.
 

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Gabrielle May

The basics

• With Acro Commerce since April 2022
• Current projects: Provincial Health Services Authority, Hu-Friedy Group, CAA, California State University - San Bernardino,  Animal Welfare Institute, Viking Pump (IDEX).

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What do you enjoy most about being a Project Manager?

The talented people I work with make this job the most enjoyable and the conception and creation of something new. My role allows me to support and guide my cross-functional team to make a collection of ideas and wants become something tangible and interactive. It’s exciting, challenging and tremendously gratifying. 

What is the greatest challenge a PM can help a client overcome?

Expectations vs Reality - it’s a conversation I can bet on having with every single project. Whether it be the infamous statement “let’s hit the ground running” at a kick-off or the capabilities of the current technology. The team and I will always do our best to be forward-thinking and as innovative as possible, and sometimes there will be a need for flexibility so we hit our goals.

What are some risks people often don't consider when starting a project?

The list can be endless, but here are my top three:

• Pre-existing prototypes
  While this is a fantastic start, with projects that are not starting with a Drupal back end, the design may need amendments to ensure a seamless experience.  
• Foreign code
  While my team is an expert in their field, I highly recommend having a code audit completed to ensure that code standards are followed, and this also flags any discrepancies in the code.
• Waterfall Methodology
  The Waterfall methodology is a linear approach to the development process that flows like a waterfall through all project phases; for example, analysis, design, development, and testing, with each phase completely wrapping up before the next phase begins. I will always suggest that we work with an Agile methodology to prevent scope creep and maintain a clear and defined MVP while approaching a launch.

These are items that I believe should be touched upon with every client. Each can and will very easily consume a developer's time should a complication arise, and we want to ensure that there are no hiccups. Especially with tight timelines!

Just for fun

What is your favourite smell?
Petrichor (the smell after it rains, specifically in the spring/summer)

Who would play you in a movie?
I would hope it would be Julia Roberts OR Rachel McAdams.

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