Some lessons in project management don’t come from textbooks—they come from moments like this:
You start a well-funded, well-intentioned Salesforce SMS marketing initiative… only to realize you forgot to budget for a full-time project manager.
Cue record scratch.
Enter: The fractional PM.
This is the story of how a part-time project manager, a superhero business analyst, and a solid cadence of communication helped us finish a project on time, within budget, and surprisingly… without chaos.
The “Oops” Moment
You’d think a project with a six-figure software license would have line items for all key roles.
Spoiler: It didn’t.
The team kicked off without a dedicated full-time PM, assuming someone could “just manage the timeline on the side.” (Spoiler again: no.)
Realization hit shortly after kickoff, when meetings started piling up, requirements got murky, and accountability was… fuzzy at best.
Enter: The Fractional PM
Rather than panic (or overspend), the team brought in a fractional project manager.
A fractional PM is like having a sharp, seasoned PM on retainer. Instead of 40 hours/week, they work 15–25 focused hours—prioritizing what matters most.
Think of it like hiring a Michelin-star chef just to cook dinner, not clean your pantry.
Power in the Partnership: PM + BA = Dream Team
Here’s where things clicked: the BA (business analyst) stepped up as the SME (Subject Matter Expert), helping drive decisions and fill gaps during the PM’s offline hours.
They didn’t work in silos—they tagged in and out like pro wrestlers.
- The PM owned the timeline, risk, stakeholder communication, and critical path.
- The BA ensured the solution aligned with business goals and handled day-to-day clarification.
This wasn’t just delegation—it was trust.
How We Kept the Wheels Turning
It wasn’t magic. It was structure. Here’s the cadence that made it work:
🗓 Weekly Team Meetings
Everyone knew what was on deck, blockers were cleared, and priorities were realigned.
📨 Stakeholder Updates (Emails + Live Touchpoints)
No one had to wonder “What’s the status?”—because the answer was in their inbox every Friday.
🧪 User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
New to project lingo? UAT is when real users test the system before it goes live. It’s like a dress rehearsal—catch the flubs before opening night.
📞 Regular PM + BA Syncs
Even though the PM wasn’t around full time, they were never out of the loop. Daily Slack messages, weekly check-ins, and shared notes kept everyone aligned.
The Outcome: On Time, On Budget, On Point
Yes, it worked.
Despite the shaky start, the team:
- Launched the SMS marketing feature in Salesforce
- Stayed on budget
- Hit every major milestone
… and no one burned out in the process.
Why This Model Works (and When It Doesn’t)
✅ It works when:
- The PM is strategic and knows how to prioritize time
- The BA is empowered and skilled
- Communication is frequent and clear
- Leadership supports the model and doesn’t micromanage
🚫 It won’t work if:
- You expect part-time hours to carry full-time chaos
- The BA is expected to lead without support
- There’s no structure or cadence
Final Thoughts: Don’t Fear the Fractional
Not every project needs a 40-hour/week PM.
What it does need is clarity, ownership, and the right people in the right seats—even if one of those seats is only half-warmed.
Sometimes, less really is more—as long as it’s smartly managed.