Computer engineering, Civil engineering, Materials engineering, Structural engineering, Electronic engineering and Industrial engineering these are some area that a lot of project management gurus came from. Saving Changes...
I can't speak for other environments, but within our organization, most of the PM's are engineers, but that is a result of the construct from years back when actual design work was done in-house. Being an engineer, I can testify that the educational background lends itself naturally to PM, as it relates to problem solving. The bigger issue is that most engineers are typically introverts which is not necessarily a good trait for a leader or PM. Saving Changes...
The construction industry is very set to have an engineer to manage a project, I have also seen Architect.
In one of my first course at university, a firm was presented as having the poorest management expertise all engineer that moved up and up... Since it has changed.
Other industries such as IT doesn't require a programmer to manage a project.
I have asked on many occasion what is it that you want the person to do manage or do engineering?
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Sep 13, 2019 5:50 PM
Adrian Carlogea
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This is not about management vs engineering but about the knowledge you need to manage engineering activities.
When you directly manage engineers it is common sense that you have to be an engineer yourself otherwise you can't direct them as you would not be able to speak their technical language. While you manage engineers you don't have to do engineering yourself. You just give engineers instructions in their technical language but you don't do the work yourself.
A project manager that manages engineering projects but is not an engineer himself does not really manage engineers but instead he is some sort administrator, tracker and facilitator. The role is still important but such a PM is not really in charge of engineers and many critical decisions that impact the success of the project can't be made by him.
The construction industry is very set to have an engineer to manage a project, I have also seen Architect.
In one of my first course at university, a firm was presented as having the poorest management expertise all engineer that moved up and up... Since it has changed.
Other industries such as IT doesn't require a programmer to manage a project.
I have asked on many occasion what is it that you want the person to do manage or do engineering?
This is not about management vs engineering but about the knowledge you need to manage engineering activities.
When you directly manage engineers it is common sense that you have to be an engineer yourself otherwise you can't direct them as you would not be able to speak their technical language. While you manage engineers you don't have to do engineering yourself. You just give engineers instructions in their technical language but you don't do the work yourself.
A project manager that manages engineering projects but is not an engineer himself does not really manage engineers but instead he is some sort administrator, tracker and facilitator. The role is still important but such a PM is not really in charge of engineers and many critical decisions that impact the success of the project can't be made by him. Saving Changes...
Khai Ng.IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUPHanoi, Viet Nam
Simply put, I think the reason is that that the world needs engineers to enable its changing. We have passed through three industrial revolutions and now we are in the fourth revolution. All of these revolutions need engineers and they play important role in enabling changes. The long journey of industrialization have been supporting by many small projects; most of projects are industrial projects with just a few team members; uncontroversially, engineers were best candidates to manage their own works. Then project management came in, engineers continued to manage projects while learning and updating knowledge, skills, tools, techniques of project management; and the result as you see today is most project managers used to be engineers.
Frankly, I believe "you can't manage what you don't know". PM does not only manage project works but also lead team to achieve project goals and objectives. So to be able to manage effectively and to become good leaders, PMs must and should have background knowledge of the field in which projected products belong to. You know about that, right? PMs spends 90% of their time to communicate so without background of engineering, how PMs can communicate precisely, properly address project issues, and fully gain respect and trust from team members as well as other stakeholders. Without background knowledge, PMs just act as project facilitators or coordinators.
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Sep 14, 2019 6:13 AM
Adrian Carlogea
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I strongly agree but in other domains and even in some engineering companies the role of the project manager has changed from that of a leader and manager to that of an individual contributor expert in project management.
This generation of individual contributor project managers don't really manage teams but more or less handle the administrative aspects of the projects including reporting. This is still very important but the impact they have over the success of the project is much more limited.
PMs without an engineering background managing engineering projects can't and don't manage people. This applies for all the other domains.
Saving Changes...
Alok PriyadarshiProject Manager| Tata Consulting Engineers LimitedJamshedpur, Jharkhand, India
Great discussion. Very relevent question and there are different answer with different perspectives. Many of answers are in support. Thank you all for sharing your views. Saving Changes...
Simply put, I think the reason is that that the world needs engineers to enable its changing. We have passed through three industrial revolutions and now we are in the fourth revolution. All of these revolutions need engineers and they play important role in enabling changes. The long journey of industrialization have been supporting by many small projects; most of projects are industrial projects with just a few team members; uncontroversially, engineers were best candidates to manage their own works. Then project management came in, engineers continued to manage projects while learning and updating knowledge, skills, tools, techniques of project management; and the result as you see today is most project managers used to be engineers.
Frankly, I believe "you can't manage what you don't know". PM does not only manage project works but also lead team to achieve project goals and objectives. So to be able to manage effectively and to become good leaders, PMs must and should have background knowledge of the field in which projected products belong to. You know about that, right? PMs spends 90% of their time to communicate so without background of engineering, how PMs can communicate precisely, properly address project issues, and fully gain respect and trust from team members as well as other stakeholders. Without background knowledge, PMs just act as project facilitators or coordinators.
I strongly agree but in other domains and even in some engineering companies the role of the project manager has changed from that of a leader and manager to that of an individual contributor expert in project management.
This generation of individual contributor project managers don't really manage teams but more or less handle the administrative aspects of the projects including reporting. This is still very important but the impact they have over the success of the project is much more limited.
PMs without an engineering background managing engineering projects can't and don't manage people. This applies for all the other domains.
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Sep 14, 2019 6:30 AM
Stéphane Parent
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I've focused on the people for the last thirty-some years. My technical experience, or lack thereof, never was an impediment in getting the best from people.
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Sep 14, 2019 6:13 AM
Replying to Adrian Carlogea
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I strongly agree but in other domains and even in some engineering companies the role of the project manager has changed from that of a leader and manager to that of an individual contributor expert in project management.
This generation of individual contributor project managers don't really manage teams but more or less handle the administrative aspects of the projects including reporting. This is still very important but the impact they have over the success of the project is much more limited.
PMs without an engineering background managing engineering projects can't and don't manage people. This applies for all the other domains.
I've focused on the people for the last thirty-some years. My technical experience, or lack thereof, never was an impediment in getting the best from people.
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Sep 14, 2019 6:49 AM
Adrian Carlogea
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With or without technical knowledge PMs do play a key role in a project and their actions do influence the outcome. Ensuring the work is being properly assigned, decisions are made, proper communication between stakeholders occurs, change requests are raised when needed etc, are PMs activities that don't require technical knowledge and are important.
However when it comes to the people that are actually doing the work things are completely different. The fact that the the team members give their best is not the merit of a non-technical PM, not in a million years.The non-technical PM just ask for status report without giving direction to the team members as he lacks the knowledge to do so.
But even when performing the pure project management activities having a technical background helps a lot and you can do a much better job. A non-technical PM accepts everything the team or the other stakeholders tell him as he does not know better, a PM with technical background can challenge both the team and the other stakeholders raising important issues.
I've focused on the people for the last thirty-some years. My technical experience, or lack thereof, never was an impediment in getting the best from people.
With or without technical knowledge PMs do play a key role in a project and their actions do influence the outcome. Ensuring the work is being properly assigned, decisions are made, proper communication between stakeholders occurs, change requests are raised when needed etc, are PMs activities that don't require technical knowledge and are important.
However when it comes to the people that are actually doing the work things are completely different. The fact that the the team members give their best is not the merit of a non-technical PM, not in a million years.The non-technical PM just ask for status report without giving direction to the team members as he lacks the knowledge to do so.
But even when performing the pure project management activities having a technical background helps a lot and you can do a much better job. A non-technical PM accepts everything the team or the other stakeholders tell him as he does not know better, a PM with technical background can challenge both the team and the other stakeholders raising important issues.
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1 reply by Khai Ng.
Sep 14, 2019 10:31 AM
Khai Ng.
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You are right!. "A PM with technical background can challenge both the team and the other stakeholders raising important issues". Lacking the technical knowledge, PM can't give any useful directions to the team members as well as make necessary decisions. I personally suspect if they can report well or not. Having technical knowledge helps PM to become more confident,more active and effective in communicating, facilitating, and directing.
Saving Changes...
Khai Ng.IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUPHanoi, Viet Nam
Sep 14, 2019 6:49 AM
Replying to Adrian Carlogea
...
With or without technical knowledge PMs do play a key role in a project and their actions do influence the outcome. Ensuring the work is being properly assigned, decisions are made, proper communication between stakeholders occurs, change requests are raised when needed etc, are PMs activities that don't require technical knowledge and are important.
However when it comes to the people that are actually doing the work things are completely different. The fact that the the team members give their best is not the merit of a non-technical PM, not in a million years.The non-technical PM just ask for status report without giving direction to the team members as he lacks the knowledge to do so.
But even when performing the pure project management activities having a technical background helps a lot and you can do a much better job. A non-technical PM accepts everything the team or the other stakeholders tell him as he does not know better, a PM with technical background can challenge both the team and the other stakeholders raising important issues.
You are right!. "A PM with technical background can challenge both the team and the other stakeholders raising important issues". Lacking the technical knowledge, PM can't give any useful directions to the team members as well as make necessary decisions. I personally suspect if they can report well or not. Having technical knowledge helps PM to become more confident,more active and effective in communicating, facilitating, and directing.
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Sep 14, 2019 3:29 PM
Stéphane Parent
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My increase in confidence, communication and leadership has everything to do with my willingness to learn and grow. Nothing to do with my technical knowledge.
I have always been strong technically. It’s not what made me a better project manager. Not by a long shot
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Sep 14, 2019 10:31 AM
Replying to Khai Ng.
...
You are right!. "A PM with technical background can challenge both the team and the other stakeholders raising important issues". Lacking the technical knowledge, PM can't give any useful directions to the team members as well as make necessary decisions. I personally suspect if they can report well or not. Having technical knowledge helps PM to become more confident,more active and effective in communicating, facilitating, and directing.
My increase in confidence, communication and leadership has everything to do with my willingness to learn and grow. Nothing to do with my technical knowledge.
I have always been strong technically. It’s not what made me a better project manager. Not by a long shot Saving Changes...
