---
title: "Talking Tech: NASFT’s Lisa Stefanoff on Stay Focused"
id: "16146"
type: "post"
slug: "talking-tech-nasfts-lisa-stefanoff-on-stay-focused"
published_at: "2013-03-01T09:00:46+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-15T19:45:51+00:00"
url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/01/talking-tech-nasfts-lisa-stefanoff-on-stay-focused/"
markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/01/talking-tech-nasfts-lisa-stefanoff-on-stay-focused.md"
excerpt: "Lisa Stefanoff, chief information technology director at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, on how a project manager drives toward results."
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  - "Project Management"
  - "Team Coordination"
  - "Technology"
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---

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 » Talking Tech: NASFT’s Lisa Stefanoff on Stay Focused

**What is the value of a project manager?**

We’re all busy. Whether in IT or other departments, people are struggling to get it all done, and time is one commodity we can’t create more of. The skilled management of a project, its resources, and timeline will ultimately save money by keeping focus and avoiding scope creep.

> The skilled management of a project, its resources, and timeline will ultimately save money by keeping focus and avoiding scope creep.

At NASFT, we’ve found that when dealing with interdepartmental teams on a mostly IT project, the objectivity and neutrality of a project manager is needed to mediate and mitigate changing specs and moving targets. A skilled technical project manager will rein you in when needed in order to achieve the results you seek.

**What qualities are important in someone managing a tech-related project?**

They need to be well rounded with an understanding of many technologies in order to properly manage the whole project. A good project manager is someone who can interface with all of the resources involved—internal departmental folks and also any tech vendors involved.

**What projects lend themselves well to a project manager?**

It’s difficult to bring in a project manager if the project doesn’t have a very clear beginning, middle, and end. You need clear objectives. And know what the endgame looks like, because if there isn’t clarity on that, there isn’t going to be a clear way to define what has to happen and what the timeline is and what resources are required.

(Handout photo)

[Katie Bascuas](https://associationsnow.com/author/katie-bascuas/)

Katie Bascuas is a former associate editor at Associations Now in Washington, DC.

[More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/katie-bascuas/)

Tags: [#Project Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/project-management/)
 [#Team Coordination](https://associationsnow.com/tag/team-coordination/)
 [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/)

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