What are the key skills and competencies for managing AI chatbot projects with external vendors?

1 Communication skills

Communication is vital for any project, but especially for AI chatbot projects, where you need to ensure that your business goals, requirements, and expectations are clearly defined and aligned with the vendor's capabilities, deliverables, and timelines. You also need to establish regular and effective channels of communication with the vendor, such as email, phone, video, or chat, and use them to monitor the progress, resolve issues, and provide feedback. Additionally, you need to communicate with your internal stakeholders, such as users, customers, and senior management, and keep them informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle.

2 Collaboration skills

Collaboration is another key skill for managing AI chatbot projects with external vendors, as you need to work as a team with the vendor and leverage their expertise, experience, and resources. You need to build trust and rapport with the vendor, and foster a culture of mutual respect, transparency, and accountability. You also need to coordinate and integrate the vendor's work with your own processes, systems, and standards, and ensure that the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of both parties are clearly defined and agreed upon. Furthermore, you need to collaborate with the vendor on testing, debugging, and optimizing the chatbot performance and functionality, and solicit their feedback and suggestions for improvement.

3 Quality skills

Quality is another crucial skill for managing AI chatbot projects with external vendors, as you need to ensure that the chatbot meets your quality criteria and delivers the desired outcomes and value for your business and customers. You need to define and measure the quality metrics and indicators for the chatbot, such as accuracy, reliability, usability, security, and compliance, and verify that the vendor adheres to them. You also need to conduct quality assurance and quality control activities, such as reviews, audits, inspections, and validations, and identify and address any quality issues or risks. Moreover, you need to evaluate and report on the quality results and outcomes of the chatbot project, and implement quality improvement actions if needed.

4 Technical skills

Technical skills are also important for managing AI chatbot projects with external vendors, as you need to have a basic understanding of the chatbot technology, architecture, and functionality, and how they fit with your business objectives and needs. You need to be familiar with the chatbot platform, tools, and frameworks that the vendor uses, and how they integrate with your existing systems and infrastructure. You also need to be able to troubleshoot and resolve any technical problems or glitches that may arise during the project, and escalate them to the vendor if necessary. Additionally, you need to be able to update and maintain the chatbot after the project is completed, and leverage the vendor's support and maintenance services if required.

5 Analytical skills

Analytical skills are also essential for managing AI chatbot projects with external vendors, as you need to be able to collect, analyze, and interpret the data and insights that the chatbot generates and provides. You need to be able to use the chatbot analytics tools and dashboards that the vendor offers, and customize them to suit your specific needs and preferences. You also need to be able to measure and evaluate the chatbot performance and impact, such as customer satisfaction, retention, conversion, and revenue, and compare them with your benchmarks and goals. Furthermore, you need to be able to use the chatbot analytics to identify and exploit the opportunities and challenges for improvement and optimization, and communicate them to the vendor and your internal stakeholders.

6 Project management skills

Project management skills are also vital for managing AI chatbot projects with external vendors, as you need to be able to plan, execute, monitor, and control the project effectively and efficiently. You need to be able to define the project scope, objectives, deliverables, milestones, and budget, and align them with the vendor's proposal and contract. You also need to be able to manage the project resources, risks, issues, changes, and dependencies, and ensure that the project is delivered on time, within budget, and according to specifications. Moreover, you need to be able to report on the project status and progress, and communicate them to the vendor and your internal stakeholders.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?