PM World Today Letters To The Editor
Letters to the Editor are comments on the Editorials, Viewpoints column or other project management notices that appear in issues of the Project Management World Today.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Kevin Aguanno Comments on The James Bullock article "Top 10 Ways Software Projects are Different"
After first reading James Bullock's article "Top 10 Ways Software Projects are Different" in the September/October 2003 of PM World Today, I thought that he had done an excellent job of describing the tough challenges of
managing software development projects.
I work for a large IT services firm where I manage such projects on a regular basis. Bullock built a very strong case of the need for strong project management skills in these projects, characterized by high levels of uncertainty, abstraction, and change.
Max Wideman's response to the Bullock article in the November/December 2003 issue clearly points out the problems with Bullock's thinking. Software project management is NOT different than managing projects in other areas. As max points out, each of the complexities Bullock mentions is not unique to software development, but rather are shared with other areas of project management application, such as research, new product development, and construction.
Bullock's paper, at first read, appears reasonable to the average reader in software development; however the same complexities appear on other types of projects, in greater or lesser degrees.
Software projects are not different. If software project managers took the time to learn about projects in other industry areas, there would be fewer failed software projects. There are many lessons to be learned from other areas of project management application. Project managers in some of these industries tend to be more mature and more experienced (you won't find any recent graduates managing billion dollar infrastructure construction projects) and have many nuggets of wisdom that software development project managers should mine.
I try to read journals from other industries, where possible, to broaden my perspectives and learn techniques such as value engineering that have great applicability for software development but traditionally are part of the
design/construction industry.
Kevin J.J. Aguanno, PMP�, MAPM Email: aguanno@ca.ibm.comIBM Certified Senior Project Manager
Portals and Content Management Practice,
Application Innovation Services,
IBM Global Services,
IBM Canada Ltd.
managing software development projects.
I work for a large IT services firm where I manage such projects on a regular basis. Bullock built a very strong case of the need for strong project management skills in these projects, characterized by high levels of uncertainty, abstraction, and change.
Max Wideman's response to the Bullock article in the November/December 2003 issue clearly points out the problems with Bullock's thinking. Software project management is NOT different than managing projects in other areas. As max points out, each of the complexities Bullock mentions is not unique to software development, but rather are shared with other areas of project management application, such as research, new product development, and construction.
Bullock's paper, at first read, appears reasonable to the average reader in software development; however the same complexities appear on other types of projects, in greater or lesser degrees.
Software projects are not different. If software project managers took the time to learn about projects in other industry areas, there would be fewer failed software projects. There are many lessons to be learned from other areas of project management application. Project managers in some of these industries tend to be more mature and more experienced (you won't find any recent graduates managing billion dollar infrastructure construction projects) and have many nuggets of wisdom that software development project managers should mine.
I try to read journals from other industries, where possible, to broaden my perspectives and learn techniques such as value engineering that have great applicability for software development but traditionally are part of the
design/construction industry.
Kevin J.J. Aguanno, PMP�, MAPM Email: aguanno@ca.ibm.comIBM Certified Senior Project Manager
Portals and Content Management Practice,
Application Innovation Services,
IBM Global Services,
IBM Canada Ltd.
Sunday, November 09, 2003
Project Management - A Profession or a Capability
A response to an editorial in PMFORUM � Nov-Dec 2003
Project Management � A Profession or a Capability
Nature appears to support a process of cycles. We have seasons of monsoons followed by droughts. We have economic growth followed by recessions. Whenever we have a spurt in the stock market, there is a correction. If centralization is in vogue for organizations, the consultants all recommend a change to decentralization. And so on.
For the past few decades, there has been a strong drive toward the development and recognition of project management as a profession. This has been manifest in the identification and development of a project management body of knowledge, in the explosion in the availability of courses, certificates and certification programs for project management, and the push for the creation of separate organizations (the Central Project Office) within firms to address the needs for project management.
Now that project management has finally come of age and attained the respect that it deserves as a specialty in its own right, it is only normal that some of us question whether this is truly the best direction for project management to take. Frankly, while I fully support and have been personally involved in the drive to build project management as a specific profession, I can understand why there may be some reservations.
The issue has been raised thusly: Should project management be a specific profession or should project management be an area of knowledge that is enjoyed by everyone who is involved in projects?
Oh, if only the latter were possible. I would be filled with such joy. Imagine a world where every engineer, every software designer, every chemist, every procurement specialist, every nuclear physicist, every biologist was fully capable of performing all the functions of project management. I would truly love to see this.
But is this reality? Certainly, we don�t expect project managers to design bridges, write software programs, create new plastics, or perform necropsies on laboratory animals. Clearly, project management is a discipline in its own right. The capabilities contained in this discipline are significant enough to warrant recognition as a separate position. Not every position would be Project Manager. Some may be in project support positions, using project management capabilities as a project coordinator or someone who carries out project management functions in support of a manager who has responsibility for the project.
It would be wonderful if all people responsible for projects, and even those supporting projects, could be proficient in project management. But, frankly, the best that we could hope for is for these people to be �conversant� in project management. The reality is that �proficiency� can only be found in a fully recognized profession.
Is it possible for us to have it both ways? I don�t see why we can�t make every effort to build an �entry-level� proficiency in the non-pm functions. For this, I see a role to be played by the project management professionals. That is to act as mentors to others seeking to increase their project management knowledge and capabilities. Through internal seminars and one-on-one counseling, we can spread the understanding of project management principles and practices and build from �conversant� toward �proficient�.
Furthermore, why can�t we have a reward system that recognizes such proficiencies in non-pm personnel? Many firms actually have built recognition of project management skills and certification into their compensation systems. And certainly, those people who can add project management capabilities to those of their specific discipline will be best positioned to move up the ladder toward senior positions.
Instead of a world where there are either professional project managers or project management carried out by others, why can�t we have it both ways. We surely need to have project management professionals, operating in a project management oriented business structure. But we can also benefit from promoting and supporting the attainment of project management skills among the non-pm disciplines.
The Growth of the PM Body of Knowledge
I must also take issue with the claim that the project management body of knowledge is not growing. When modern project management came into recognition, some four decades ago, it addressed the issues of managing single projects, and was based on a critical path scheduling engine known as CPM. The scheduling engine was later enhanced to consider resources and cost in the process. The project management process later grew to consider the elements of a multi-project environment. Later developments addressed the need to integrate project management functions and data with other aspects of the business, spawning concepts such as Enterprise Resource Planing (ERP) and Professional Services Automation (PSA), Even the basic CPM scheduling engine has been challenged by the Critical Chain process. All of this represents growth and change.
The latest developments include tying projects to strategic objectives and enterprise cash flow, in a process called; Project Portfolio Management. This latest development has grown so much in importance as to justify the offering of several multi-day conferences on PPM.
Yes, project management is still built upon some basic pillars including planning and scheduling, resource planning, cost control and risk management. But why should this change? Would anyone suggest that petroleum engineering move into the future by abandoning hydrocarbons? Hey, Penicillin is over ten years old. Should we take it off of the dispensing list?
Harvey A. Levine
The Project Knowledge Group
http://home.earthlink.net/~halevine
halevine@earthlink.net
Project Management � A Profession or a Capability
Nature appears to support a process of cycles. We have seasons of monsoons followed by droughts. We have economic growth followed by recessions. Whenever we have a spurt in the stock market, there is a correction. If centralization is in vogue for organizations, the consultants all recommend a change to decentralization. And so on.
For the past few decades, there has been a strong drive toward the development and recognition of project management as a profession. This has been manifest in the identification and development of a project management body of knowledge, in the explosion in the availability of courses, certificates and certification programs for project management, and the push for the creation of separate organizations (the Central Project Office) within firms to address the needs for project management.
Now that project management has finally come of age and attained the respect that it deserves as a specialty in its own right, it is only normal that some of us question whether this is truly the best direction for project management to take. Frankly, while I fully support and have been personally involved in the drive to build project management as a specific profession, I can understand why there may be some reservations.
The issue has been raised thusly: Should project management be a specific profession or should project management be an area of knowledge that is enjoyed by everyone who is involved in projects?
Oh, if only the latter were possible. I would be filled with such joy. Imagine a world where every engineer, every software designer, every chemist, every procurement specialist, every nuclear physicist, every biologist was fully capable of performing all the functions of project management. I would truly love to see this.
But is this reality? Certainly, we don�t expect project managers to design bridges, write software programs, create new plastics, or perform necropsies on laboratory animals. Clearly, project management is a discipline in its own right. The capabilities contained in this discipline are significant enough to warrant recognition as a separate position. Not every position would be Project Manager. Some may be in project support positions, using project management capabilities as a project coordinator or someone who carries out project management functions in support of a manager who has responsibility for the project.
It would be wonderful if all people responsible for projects, and even those supporting projects, could be proficient in project management. But, frankly, the best that we could hope for is for these people to be �conversant� in project management. The reality is that �proficiency� can only be found in a fully recognized profession.
Is it possible for us to have it both ways? I don�t see why we can�t make every effort to build an �entry-level� proficiency in the non-pm functions. For this, I see a role to be played by the project management professionals. That is to act as mentors to others seeking to increase their project management knowledge and capabilities. Through internal seminars and one-on-one counseling, we can spread the understanding of project management principles and practices and build from �conversant� toward �proficient�.
Furthermore, why can�t we have a reward system that recognizes such proficiencies in non-pm personnel? Many firms actually have built recognition of project management skills and certification into their compensation systems. And certainly, those people who can add project management capabilities to those of their specific discipline will be best positioned to move up the ladder toward senior positions.
Instead of a world where there are either professional project managers or project management carried out by others, why can�t we have it both ways. We surely need to have project management professionals, operating in a project management oriented business structure. But we can also benefit from promoting and supporting the attainment of project management skills among the non-pm disciplines.
The Growth of the PM Body of Knowledge
I must also take issue with the claim that the project management body of knowledge is not growing. When modern project management came into recognition, some four decades ago, it addressed the issues of managing single projects, and was based on a critical path scheduling engine known as CPM. The scheduling engine was later enhanced to consider resources and cost in the process. The project management process later grew to consider the elements of a multi-project environment. Later developments addressed the need to integrate project management functions and data with other aspects of the business, spawning concepts such as Enterprise Resource Planing (ERP) and Professional Services Automation (PSA), Even the basic CPM scheduling engine has been challenged by the Critical Chain process. All of this represents growth and change.
The latest developments include tying projects to strategic objectives and enterprise cash flow, in a process called; Project Portfolio Management. This latest development has grown so much in importance as to justify the offering of several multi-day conferences on PPM.
Yes, project management is still built upon some basic pillars including planning and scheduling, resource planning, cost control and risk management. But why should this change? Would anyone suggest that petroleum engineering move into the future by abandoning hydrocarbons? Hey, Penicillin is over ten years old. Should we take it off of the dispensing list?
Harvey A. Levine
The Project Knowledge Group
http://home.earthlink.net/~halevine
halevine@earthlink.net
Saturday, November 01, 2003
David Pells On The PM Third Wave
David Pells on the PM Third Wave
David Pells shares with the PMFORUM a recent email exchange that he had with
Vladimir Mikeev a Russian colleague. David writes...
Dear Vladimir,
Thank you for your email and letter.
Second Wave of PM is not yet complete. That is, the growth of PM across industries, organizations and geographic regions must continue until modern PM is embraced by governmental and NGO organizations, and is recognized as a core competence by all executives and project-oriented organizations. This is critical for economic development in less developed countries, and to address major social problems.
Third Wave, as you define it, might now begin with overlap. But it must be based on reality, not just dreams. An understanding of the World of PM can provide a foundation for the Third Wave. In some areas, this is already beginning. For example, where portfolio PM is used to align projects with organizational strategies and goals, then choosing the right projects becomes as important as doing the project right. If the organization's goals are good for society, then PM becomes the enabler, the enabling management "technology" for achieving those goals in the most efficient and effective manner.
Project Management as enabling technology, however, is also an important perspective because PM itself is not the end product, but rather the results of projects are most important. This is why PM must not just be considered a profession but a management technology that every organization and every executive needs for success. PM "Profession" is important to grow PM experts who implement PM, manage large projects, transform organizations. And PM "professionalism" is critical in all applications of project management, in my opinion.
I appreciate your view of the World of Project Management, although I believe technology will play an important role in the future of PM, including achievement of the Third Wave. For example, wearable computers will transform communications. Miniaturization, micro-computing and system-on-chip technology are reducing the size of electronic components so that everything will be mobile. Future energy technology will also continue this trend, further enabling human freedom, independence and creativity. Voice recognition and language translation technology, combined with wireless computing and other integrated technologies, will accellerate the process of cross-culturalization. The challenge will be to understand the impact of various trends, such as globalization vs democratizaion, and to learn how to "ride" these trends in order to achieve the ultimate goals of the Third Wave of PM, that is, to improve the world.
These are lofty goals. But now I see how it can be achieved, not in our lifetime but some day in the future. This Third Wave is a good idea. Thank you,
David Pells
Email: pells@sbc.global.net
David Pells shares with the PMFORUM a recent email exchange that he had with
Vladimir Mikeev a Russian colleague. David writes...
Dear Vladimir,
Thank you for your email and letter.
Second Wave of PM is not yet complete. That is, the growth of PM across industries, organizations and geographic regions must continue until modern PM is embraced by governmental and NGO organizations, and is recognized as a core competence by all executives and project-oriented organizations. This is critical for economic development in less developed countries, and to address major social problems.
Third Wave, as you define it, might now begin with overlap. But it must be based on reality, not just dreams. An understanding of the World of PM can provide a foundation for the Third Wave. In some areas, this is already beginning. For example, where portfolio PM is used to align projects with organizational strategies and goals, then choosing the right projects becomes as important as doing the project right. If the organization's goals are good for society, then PM becomes the enabler, the enabling management "technology" for achieving those goals in the most efficient and effective manner.
Project Management as enabling technology, however, is also an important perspective because PM itself is not the end product, but rather the results of projects are most important. This is why PM must not just be considered a profession but a management technology that every organization and every executive needs for success. PM "Profession" is important to grow PM experts who implement PM, manage large projects, transform organizations. And PM "professionalism" is critical in all applications of project management, in my opinion.
I appreciate your view of the World of Project Management, although I believe technology will play an important role in the future of PM, including achievement of the Third Wave. For example, wearable computers will transform communications. Miniaturization, micro-computing and system-on-chip technology are reducing the size of electronic components so that everything will be mobile. Future energy technology will also continue this trend, further enabling human freedom, independence and creativity. Voice recognition and language translation technology, combined with wireless computing and other integrated technologies, will accellerate the process of cross-culturalization. The challenge will be to understand the impact of various trends, such as globalization vs democratizaion, and to learn how to "ride" these trends in order to achieve the ultimate goals of the Third Wave of PM, that is, to improve the world.
These are lofty goals. But now I see how it can be achieved, not in our lifetime but some day in the future. This Third Wave is a good idea. Thank you,
David Pells
Email: pells@sbc.global.net
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