George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
What techniques have you used to:
- Increase knowledge in a domain wherein you are already engaged.
- Gain knowledge in a domain wherein you have no experience.
The question of domain knowledge comes up frequently on PMC. Since this is the time of year where we often set goals, I thought it would be helpful for us to share the techniques we have personally used or witnessed that extend our domain knowledge per the question above. Please do not be generalized or theoretical in your response. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Dec 21, 2019 2:14 PM
Replying to George Freeman
...
@Thomas and @Sergio,
Thank you both for your thoughtful replies!
@Sergio, I do NOT believe that a “project manager must be a subject matter expert in domains,” that has never been my belief or practice, nor was my points directed towards that vein of thought. My issue of concern is the statement that “A PM MUST manage a project without being recognized as a domain expert.” The word “must” is an absolute statement that could redirect “next-gen PM’s” from making the proper investment in domain knowledge, or at least confuse them regarding the PMI motivation to do such.
Who determines the level of knowledge wherein one is considered an expert, isn’t it arbitrary? The philosophy that you should NOT be an expert in a domain that you are managing is a strong valid position that works in many, if not most environments. Why can’t the philosophy that I portrayed, that we can manage projects wherein we are considered an expert as long as we do not perform as an expert (i.e., a SME), also be valid?
@Thomas and @Sergio, your career’s are a model for others to follow, and I would enjoy learning more about them and the retrospective lessons you have learned over the decades (I can say decades, as I’m on 39 years).
George
I do not think my career is a model for others to follow. I am saying this seriously and by heart. It's just what I liked it to be and today I am working to find new horizons. That´s what I did from the begining because it bores me to remain working in environments that I know well or I feel they do not represent a challenge for me. The other point is I reinforce this: A PM MUST manage a project without being recognized as a domain expert except for project/program/portfolio domain. it does not mean I am against people that is PM and a SME in the domain or being that is a problem or something like that. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Dec 21, 2019 2:14 PM
Replying to George Freeman
...
@Thomas and @Sergio,
Thank you both for your thoughtful replies!
@Sergio, I do NOT believe that a “project manager must be a subject matter expert in domains,” that has never been my belief or practice, nor was my points directed towards that vein of thought. My issue of concern is the statement that “A PM MUST manage a project without being recognized as a domain expert.” The word “must” is an absolute statement that could redirect “next-gen PM’s” from making the proper investment in domain knowledge, or at least confuse them regarding the PMI motivation to do such.
Who determines the level of knowledge wherein one is considered an expert, isn’t it arbitrary? The philosophy that you should NOT be an expert in a domain that you are managing is a strong valid position that works in many, if not most environments. Why can’t the philosophy that I portrayed, that we can manage projects wherein we are considered an expert as long as we do not perform as an expert (i.e., a SME), also be valid?
@Thomas and @Sergio, your career’s are a model for others to follow, and I would enjoy learning more about them and the retrospective lessons you have learned over the decades (I can say decades, as I’m on 39 years).
George
George
there is no absolute way to have a career. It is fine if you or others (80%) choose to be a PM within one domain.
For me, the choice was driven by the insight that PM is more a people business and that there are some principles that are true everywhere to make things happen and that I am lazy enough to not wanting me control everything.
The best PM is the one whose team did not recognize he was there.
And then, once I grappled these principles, I recognized that I could run any project and in particular the ones nobody has tried before.
It opened the world for me.
...
2 replies by George Freeman and Sergio Luis Conte
Dec 22, 2019 7:16 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
...
"The best PM is the one whose team did not recognize she/he was there.". One of the best phrases I read in the last year. Perhaps because I think the same....I always say that the best PM is like a football referee. If not somthing is going wrong. (I know, "best" is subjetive and will be defined for the organizational culture between other things).
Dec 22, 2019 9:47 AM
George Freeman
...
@Thomas, that is a well-crafted statement/principle that is foundational and powerful – thank you!
A PM who tries to control everything is likely to undermine that which he/she is commissioned to realize – on that, we completely agree. However, I do not believe that having domain knowledge (expert or otherwise) predisposes one to “controlling everything / micromanaging.” To me, domain knowledge provides an awareness of the environment that increases the opportunity for success through interactions and decisions made. Stated differently, PM’s with or without domain knowledge are equally capable of sinking their project through micromanagement.
Any domain (or sub-domain) I work in, I make a concerted effort to obtain architectural awareness. If I execute multiple projects in that domain, then some will view me as an expert, but in either case, the knowledge I have is navigational in its purpose.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Dec 22, 2019 6:29 AM
Replying to Thomas Walenta
...
George
there is no absolute way to have a career. It is fine if you or others (80%) choose to be a PM within one domain.
For me, the choice was driven by the insight that PM is more a people business and that there are some principles that are true everywhere to make things happen and that I am lazy enough to not wanting me control everything.
The best PM is the one whose team did not recognize he was there.
And then, once I grappled these principles, I recognized that I could run any project and in particular the ones nobody has tried before.
It opened the world for me.
"The best PM is the one whose team did not recognize she/he was there.". One of the best phrases I read in the last year. Perhaps because I think the same....I always say that the best PM is like a football referee. If not somthing is going wrong. (I know, "best" is subjetive and will be defined for the organizational culture between other things). Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
Dec 22, 2019 6:29 AM
Replying to Thomas Walenta
...
George
there is no absolute way to have a career. It is fine if you or others (80%) choose to be a PM within one domain.
For me, the choice was driven by the insight that PM is more a people business and that there are some principles that are true everywhere to make things happen and that I am lazy enough to not wanting me control everything.
The best PM is the one whose team did not recognize he was there.
And then, once I grappled these principles, I recognized that I could run any project and in particular the ones nobody has tried before.
It opened the world for me.
@Thomas, that is a well-crafted statement/principle that is foundational and powerful – thank you!
A PM who tries to control everything is likely to undermine that which he/she is commissioned to realize – on that, we completely agree. However, I do not believe that having domain knowledge (expert or otherwise) predisposes one to “controlling everything / micromanaging.” To me, domain knowledge provides an awareness of the environment that increases the opportunity for success through interactions and decisions made. Stated differently, PM’s with or without domain knowledge are equally capable of sinking their project through micromanagement.
Any domain (or sub-domain) I work in, I make a concerted effort to obtain architectural awareness. If I execute multiple projects in that domain, then some will view me as an expert, but in either case, the knowledge I have is navigational in its purpose. Saving Changes...
