People, Planet, Profits & Projects

To us, Information Technology organizations have always been on the leading edge of project management.  It could be that IT is more disciplined than other departments within an organization.  We don’t mean in a bad way that others are not disciplined; they are in their own way.  But like the healthcare industry, IT lives on technology, procedures and processes, which makes it easier to adopt the more formal process and procedures of structured project management.

Couple that with the fact that IT uses a lot of organizational resources; costs of power, heating and cooling, as well as its effects on human resources, has a huge influence on the ability of people to be efficient with their work, and you find that IT projects greatly affect sustainability.  One of the major projects undertaken by IT departments is computer virtualization.  Because most of today’s computers are designed to run a single operating system and a single application, most computers are underutilized.  Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single hardware platform.  In other words, a single hardware platform can run different operating systems and different applications.  For simplicity, and it is anything but, a single hardware system could run a PC environment with all of its applications, as well as a MAC environment with all of its applications.   

So how does it work?  There is software available from various manufacturers that allow a single computer hardware system to be virtualized so that each virtual machine can run its own operating system, as described above, and look like its running on its own hardware system.  Each virtual machine is a “stand-alone” so that there are no conflicts between systems.  VMware, one of the more popular virtualization software, “works by inserting a thin layer of software directly on the computer hardware or on a host operating system. This contains a virtual machine monitor or “hypervisor” that allocates hardware resources dynamically and transparently. Multiple operating systems run concurrently on a single physical computer and share hardware resources with each other. By encapsulating an entire machine, including CPU, memory, operating system, and network devices, a virtual machine is completely compatible with all standard x86 operating systems, applications, and device drivers. You can safely run several operating systems and applications at the same time on a single computer, with each having access to the resources it needs when it needs them.” 

So what does that have to do with sustainability, or Green IT?  It probably seems obvious to you, and you’re right, it will allow you to get rid of multiple hardware platforms that use power, heating and cooling, saving all those resources, without affecting the way people work.  We’ll talk about server virtualization another time.

As a member of the US TAG, US Technical Advisory Group, for ISO 21500, EarthPM receives various correspondences from the organization.   Project Managers, who are not familiar with ISO 21500, should avail themselves.   ISO 21500 is the proposed standards for project management or as they put “guidance on project management.”   But this blog posting is not about ISO 21500, but rather was inspired by the delivery of the “ISO Code of Conduct for Technical Committees.”  Without going into detail, the code provides guidance to committee members to: (1) work of the net benefit of the international community, (2) uphold the principle of consensus, transparency, and impartiality, (3) agree to a clear purpose, (4) participate actively, (5) escalate and resolve disputes, (6) behave ethically (our emphasis) and further states act in good faith and with due care and diligence, and (7) respect others in meeting.  These are seven excellent responsibilities not just for committee members, but for project managers and we can resonate with them.

And, it got us thinking about ethics and sustainability.  To us, behaving ethically and sustainability (protecting scarce resources including environmental resources) cannot be separated.  So, we looked at the Project Management Institute’s (PMI®) Code of Ethics and Personal Conduct.  It currently contains two references to the environment:

“3.1 Respect is our duty to show a high regard for ourselves, others, and the resources entrusted to us. Resources entrusted to us may include people, money, reputation, the safety of others, and natural or environmental resources.

2.2.1 We make decisions and take actions based on the best interests of society, public safety, and the environment.”

We think that there should be more.  Therefore, we are proposing some changes to the next edition of the PMBOK as well as changes to the Code of Ethics and Personal Conduct.  Those changes to include the folowing:

• Our commitment to sustainability means that we will take efforts on our projects (considering both the project itself and its product) to help eliminate or reduce:
• the buildup of compounds and chemicals in the earth’s biosphere
• the progressive physical degradation and destruction of nature and natural processes
• conditions that undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs (for example unsafe working conditions and not enough pay to live on)

 As you probably note, this wording comes from The Natural Step, an organization that we feel is a leader in sustainability.  We welcome your comments on this addition to the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, as well as the other changes we are proposing to the next edition of the PMBOK.  Please join the conversation at EarthPM.

Freshly returned from the keynote address at the PMSA (Project Management South Africa) conference, "The Good in Green", we found that South Africa's project managers have a mature and considered view of project management.

One example is this article, from the PMSA magazine "The Project Manager", which questions the very definition of project success. Does it have to do only with scope, schedule, and budget?  Or - as we have been saying - should success include the success of the steady-state, ongoing use of the product of the project?

Although not strictly about sustainability, the article does correctly point out that a project is part of an endeavor of an organization, and success should be viewed in this larger context.

So- consider a highway project which goes over budget because it chose to use a paving material which (although more expensive) provides drivers with a 15% increase in gas mileage.  Is this project a failure? 

We think not. 

Have a look at the article and think about it.  We think you'll agree that it's at least worth considering this longer-term view.

Here's the full link to the article.

http://www.theprojectmanager.co.za/index.php/Other/the-elusive-concept-of-project-success.html

We're interested in your views on project success.  How much should project managers consider long-term operations as they seek to deliver the product on-time, under budget, and within scope?

But don't answer until you've read Terry Deacon's article.

We’ve been “hawking” the word greenality where ever and whenever we can.  It is not just because we coined the word in our book, Green Project Management, but because the concept’s suffix is so important to our world, the world project management.  Also, it connects to a list of “ity” words that affect our world.  And, as bloggers, we are “word”, not necessarily “wordy,” people, and it is so much fun to play with words. 

When we think about greenality, “degree to which an organization considers the green (sustainable) aspects of a project throughout the project life cycle and beyond,” we also think about its influence by those other “ity” words.  Here are some of the connections;

• The most obvious is to sustainability, defined in a myriad of ways, including; the Brundtland definition “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” and from Getting Green Done “being in business forever.” 
• How about longevity?  While not an “ity”, we, as project managers, are concerned with legacy, our own and the projects.  The project, being a unique, temporary endeavor probably won’t have longevity, but the product of the project might.  How the project is perceived, how it is run, how the product performs for instance, results in the project’s, and our, legacy.  That leads us to a couple of other “ity” words.
• If greenality is not considered when making important project decisions, whether in the planning phase, execution phase or any other phase when a project decision has to be made, there could be a proclivity, culpability, vulnerability or susceptibility toward, for or to increased project risks.  There could be an immediate penalty (almost an ity) from regulatory agencies or public backlash from stakeholders.  Because of the possible issues arising there could be an inclination toward project failure rather than success.
• Since greenality considers the sustainability aspects throughout the project and beyond, we need to add maintainability.  We must think about the handoff to operations and whether or not the product of the project is maintainable.
• A combination of the above issues may compromise the project manager’s ability to lead the project team because more and more individuals are looking to work for organizations that are more corporately socially responsible.  Team members are looking to do the right thing and look to the project manager for direction.
• There is quality.  We all know how that affects the project and the project’s processes.  Poor quality, like poor greenality has its own rewards; rework, scrape, fines, loss of credibility and confidence in the market place, etc.
• How about responsibility and accountability?  Those are good words when it comes to thinking about greenality and are linked back to susceptibility and vulnerability for sure.  If we are left vulnerable and susceptible to regulatory issues and public backlash, then who is responsible and particularly, accountable?

We could go on to the point of absurdity, but you get the picture.  “ity” is just a way to remember that greenality is connected to the world of project management in more ways than we can capture here.  But know that we can live in the intersection between green (sustainability) and project management and continue to show a great deal of creativity and productivity when managing our projects.  And, if you so desire, please feel free to add your thoughts here and to infinity, Buzz.

                                                                                        .

No sweat.  More inspiration. That's what you'll find here at P, P, P, & P.

We'd like to draw your attention to an editorial in the 13-Aug-11 Cape Cod Times.

In the opinion piece, entitled "Looking To The Skies", the editors discuss the Dennis Union Church - a 173-year-old building on Cape Cod, and its congregation's effort to get air conditioning into their building.

From the editorial:

"Earlier this year, the church was one of four religious groups in New England to receive an Energy Star label, recognizing the congregation's "environmental stewardship." In the case of Dennis Union, that stewardship includes photovoltaic panels, lights that shut themselves off automatically, and double-pane glass."

The congregation wanted to install solar panels so as to power the air conditioning.  However, "the congregation discovered it could use solar panels to not only offset the energy to run air conditioning, but to turn a profit as well in the form of electricity sold back into the grid. And, as one congregant pointed out, although not everyone agrees about climate change, everyone likes to save money."

But the Editorial really got us thinking about project managers.  As usual.  Why?

What could a church tell us about project management and sustainabililty?

Well, first of all, this is a good example of a "Green By Definition" project.  (See our book for the 4 distinct categories of projects).  But more importantly, it shows how a group of stakeholders, in this case, a congregation and its leadership, decided to think long-term.  Sustainably.

Perhaps the best line in the editorial is here:

"Perhaps religious organizations that look at history in terms of centuries, rather than days or months, are better suited to understand the concept of a big picture than individuals on their own."

We're not saying that project managers have to run out and join a religious organization and become regular church, mosque, or synagogue goers, but we are saying that the type of thinking exemplified here by Dennis Union Church is more appropriate than you might imagine for a project manager.

Think sustainably, act projectly.

For those of you more interesetd in the actual project, the architecture, and history of the church, see this case study.