What Does Project Manager Do at Each Stage of Software Development Process?

Running your own project involves solving many problems. It is necessary to coordinate the budget, perform operations with documents, look for clients, etc. But if you are planning to launch software or a mobile application, it is unlikely that you will be able to manage all on your own. It is important to enlist the support of a development team that will meet your requirements, ensure clear planning and coordinated team work. All this is done by the project manager. What his/her role in the development process is and what it does at each stage, will be viewed below.

Why project manager is needed

A project manager is a person who manages the development process. He designs and prioritizes, plans the execution of tasks, controls the completion of each stage and the achievement of results. His duties also include control, communication and coordination of actions between specialists, risk management, solving emerging difficulties and problems. 

Theoretically, the project manager is not a technical specialist. However, the experience of many companies in Europe shows that the position of project manager is awarded after several years of development or testing. 

The key responsibility of the project manager is to bring the customer's idea to implementation. At the same time, it is important to act within the agreed time frame, to make a development plan in advance, to gather a team, to ensure that workflows are carried out and feedback is provided between the client and the supplier.

Manager’s contribution into development

The importance of experience and professionalism of the project manager is critical during the development phase. The lack of coordination provided by the project manager leads to increased expenses for solving errors unlike those required in the optimal case. 

New Essential Skills for Project Managers in 2025

The project manager of 2025 needs a broader skill set than ever before:

• AI Collaboration Skills: Ability to work effectively with AI tools for planning, risk assessment, and resource management
• Data Literacy: Capacity to interpret complex analytics and translate them into actionable decisions
• Value-Focused Leadership: Expertise in connecting technical outcomes to business value metrics
• ESG Implementation: Knowledge of sustainability practices in software development
• Hybrid Methodology Mastery: Proficiency in customizing approaches based on project needs rather than dogmatically following a single framework

Read also: What is Role of Business Analyst in IT company

A project manager isn't just managing a development process anymore—they're orchestrating a complex symphony of human talent and AI tools. They design workflows, prioritize features, control resource allocation, and navigate the evolving landscape of risks that threaten project success.

In 2025, the most effective project managers aren't just technical coordinators—they're value architects who balance business outcomes with technological capabilities. Ever wondered why some development teams consistently deliver while others struggle? It often comes down to the caliber of project management guiding them.

A Project Manager's Evolved Contribution to Development

The importance of a skilled project manager has become even more critical in 2025's AI-augmented development environment. Data shows that organizations investing in high-caliber project management report up to 30% faster time-to-market and significantly reduced error resolution costs.hostinger

There are two battles in software development today—creating features users will love and doing it with speed and precision. Your project manager stands at the intersection of both challenges.

Key Actions of Project Managers During Development in 2025

Today's project managers perform these essential functions:

• Implementing AI-powered tracking and predictive analytics to identify bottlenecks before they emerge
• Leveraging agentic AI for automated resource allocation and schedule adjustments
• Maintaining strategic focus while preventing scope creep through data-driven decision making
• Coordinating hybrid teams of human developers and AI coding assistants
• Implementing ESG practices in development to ensure sustainability and ethical considerations
• Utilizing Value Management Office principles to prioritize business impact over mere feature completion
• Integrating low-code/no-code platforms to accelerate development cycles
• Creating team environments that balance wellbeing with productivity metrics

Project Manager Actions at Each Development Stage in 2025

1. Analysis Stage

The modern project manager now partners with AI to conduct deeper requirement analysis, using natural language processing to transform client needs into detailed specifications. They're employing predictive analytics to identify potential roadblocks before development begins, creating a more resilient project foundation.

2. Design Stage

At the design phase, project managers in 2025 facilitate collaboration between human architects and AI design systems. They oversee the creation of system architecture that's not just technically sound but also aligned with ESG principles—energy-efficient, accessible, and built with ethical data practices.

3. Development Stage

During active development, today's project managers deploy hybrid methodologies tailored to each project's unique needs. They're not rigidly Agile or Waterfall—they're pragmatically adaptive. With nearly 75% of new applications leveraging low-code technologies, project managers now coordinate both traditional development and citizen developer initiatives.

4. Testing Stage

Modern testing coordination leverages AI-powered quality assurance that can predict failure points before they manifest. Project managers now focus on balancing automated testing with targeted human review, ensuring both speed and depth in the quality assurance process.

5. Deployment Stage

The 2025 deployment process is more complex, with project managers orchestrating multi-cloud environments and ensuring security compliance through Zero Trust frameworks. With 76% of organizations implementing Zero Trust but only 35% fully deploying it, project managers play a crucial role in security implementation.

6. Maintenance Stage

System maintenance has evolved into continuous improvement, with project managers now overseeing AI-driven monitoring systems that can detect and sometimes auto-remediate issues before users notice them. They also manage the ethical implications of autonomous system decisions, ensuring human oversight remains appropriate.

The Future of Project Management in Software Development

Software Development Hub provides services for writing mobile applications, web products and software for various fields. Competent implementation of client's ideas is possible due to expertise of technical specialists, whose work is coordinated by an experienced project manager. 

In the coming years, we'll see project managers increasingly leverage agentic AI—systems that can autonomously execute complex tasks like resource reallocation and even basic stakeholder communications. By 2029, agentic AI is expected to resolve 80% of routine project issues, freeing managers to focus on higher-value activities.

You've built amazing software teams—but are they equipped with the project management evolution needed for 2025's challenges? The gap between traditional project tools and today's delivery demands continues to widen, with organizations embracing AI-driven project management seeing 22.3% greater operational efficiency.

Software Development Hub provides cutting-edge project management capabilities alongside our development services, ensuring your projects benefit from the latest methodologies and AI-augmented tools that define success in 2025.

Categories