Is the concept of having IT projects, with start and end dates, becoming obsolete? Does focusing on product development and value streams mean that, in some areas, projects as we have come to know them will no longer be done? I do NOT think this a yes or no type question, but may lead to some subtle differences in how projects are managed. Especially if the idea of value stream funding versus project funding gets more traction ... Saving Changes...
Unless 100% of projects in a company can be shifted to a product or value-centric model, there are likely to be PMs. Regardless, project management as an integrated set of disciplines will continue to be utilized even if we are talking about products & value streams, it's just that the role of the PM will morph - some might become release engineers, others product owners...
Kiron Saving Changes...
Anish AbrahamPrivacy Program Manager| University of WashingtonAuburn, Wa, United States
With the rise of AI and machine learning, I think we are standing at a stage where machines aren’t only capable of manipulating the processes, but they may become capable of making managerial decisions on our behalf as well. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I would agree with Kiron for sure but not sure I fully agree with Anish. Yes, machines can make some decisions and those could be successful in industries like IT but doubt it will be the same for industries like Construction. Saving Changes...
Al TaylorI.T. Contractor| IndependentWaterloo, Ontario, Canada
good discussion...this should keep the consultants employed:
"CIOs must enable the management of products
(and their value streams) by a single team throughout their life span." Saving Changes...
Vivek BhatiaPrincipal| The Bhatia GroupOakland, Ca, United States
IMO, project *managers* aren't on their way out, but they are rapidly approaching secretarial compensation rates. Product savvy Scrum Masters (aka servant leaders with a deep understanding of the content but know how to influence without requiring authority) is where money will be best for the next 5-10 years.
Those who can transition companies from project mindset/command&control to product centric are poised to make the most money. Saving Changes...
Ashleigh Kennett-SmithICT Project Manager| Australian Red Cross LifebloodAdelaide, South Australia, Australia
Wow. Very interesting. Drawing on Kiron, Rami's and possibly Vivek's comments I'd pose the question "what is an IT project"? I can see how innovation and development activities could morph. But is rolling out infrastructure, services, or version upgrades etc an IT project? Or is it more like a construction project. How do different streams of work interact? Who has priority of resources and budget? Who in the workstreams is responsible for managing inter workstream conflicts, interactions and considerations if the focus is on the product? Smells like a PM to me. Or will this become a higher level business (PMO??) function? Very interesting concept though. I guess the only constant is change!
...
1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Sep 12, 2018 7:58 PM
Rami Kaibni
...
Ashleigh,
Interesting questions but it is difficult to answer them as most are based on a case by case scernario, it is not just a fixed one for all theme.
Sometimes you might have to go hybrid" Use project management and AI just exactly like Agile-Traditional Hybrid models are being used now.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Sep 12, 2018 6:49 PM
Replying to Ashleigh Kennett-Smith
...
Wow. Very interesting. Drawing on Kiron, Rami's and possibly Vivek's comments I'd pose the question "what is an IT project"? I can see how innovation and development activities could morph. But is rolling out infrastructure, services, or version upgrades etc an IT project? Or is it more like a construction project. How do different streams of work interact? Who has priority of resources and budget? Who in the workstreams is responsible for managing inter workstream conflicts, interactions and considerations if the focus is on the product? Smells like a PM to me. Or will this become a higher level business (PMO??) function? Very interesting concept though. I guess the only constant is change!
Ashleigh,
Interesting questions but it is difficult to answer them as most are based on a case by case scernario, it is not just a fixed one for all theme.
Sometimes you might have to go hybrid" Use project management and AI just exactly like Agile-Traditional Hybrid models are being used now. Saving Changes...
Ashleigh Kennett-SmithICT Project Manager| Australian Red Cross LifebloodAdelaide, South Australia, Australia
Thanks Rami. Good point. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out. Saving Changes...
David SchlatterSr Systems Analyst| RGABatavia, NY, United States
i concur with many of the posts, that this is NOT a 100% one way or the other path. The notion that caught my eye was projects not having a defined start and end date, which were two key attributes of a project when i first engaged with the PMI-PMP path.
Even the current PMI definition, https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/...ect-management, "has a defined beginning and end in time" but maybe the phrase after that is what is really key to defining a project? That is, "defined scope and resources". Maybe if some of your projects are value stream funded, then the start and end is essentially, the period of time covered by the budget? Saving Changes...
From a Product perspective, there is a lot of work done by development teams that is a combination of new features and support/maintenance of existing code. In recent efforts around tracking time, it was brought up that releases include both project and maintenance work (which we knew), and that some of the web developer managers don't expect their teams to know the difference (which we did not expect). Other platforms have a more marked distinction between projects and maintenance.
My guess is that companies aren't getting rid of functions performed by project managers, they're just changing how the work is organized and who does it.
Just like Agile has not eliminated waterfall and project managers have not all become scrum masters, not all project managers will be replaced by product managers. Company culture and how (whether or not?) employees are empowered has a strong impact on how work is performed. Some companies will be able to embrace a product and value stream focus. Others will not.
Is there a new PMI credential coming???
...
1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Sep 13, 2018 3:26 PM
Rami Kaibni
...
There might be another coming related to Agile, I am not sure though.
Community Champion
