Lyndon SmilingProgram Manager| Lockheed MartinCorpus Christi, Tx, United States
I recently attended a local PMI chapter meeting that had a panel that was answering questions from the group. The local chapter is dominated by professionals from the oil and gas industry and the panel was comprised entirely of oil and gas project managers. One statement that was made by one of the panelist has stuck with me and I would like to get some other opinions on it. She said "to be a good project manager, the person must be an engineer or technical expert in the field, regardless of the field. In other words, a PM from the aerospace industry could never successfully manage an oil/gas project because they were not an oil/gas engineer or technical expert and vice versa." Saving Changes...
Hartman HollimanPrincipal| Impact AdvisorsJackson, Ms, United States
Disagree! That's what separates a project manager from a business analyst. Having industry knowledge is certainly helpful and perhaps allows for some efficiency, but it is not required. Understanding processes, being able to facilitate conversations, and applying appropriate levels of rigor will get to the same end result.
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1 reply by Lyndon Smiling
Oct 11, 2016 2:27 PM
Lyndon Smiling
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I couldn't agree more. While I am managing projects in the Aerospace industry, I have no idea what is required to overhaul an aircraft. However, I know what is required to get the project done on time and on budget with regulatory required quality specs. I depend on my technicians for the technical info, my quality reps for the regulatory and FAA requirements and so on. Mostly I rely on the OPA and environmental factors to get the job done.
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Lots of examples around the world that could demostrate that is not true. Including myself (hehehehe). But lot of ambiguity inside the statement. The question is: what is the criteria to calify a project manager as "good" or "bad"?. Which is the definition used to say that somebody is a "project manager"? Saving Changes...
I m also confused about it. I see lot of jobs of project manager but almost each job requires technical trade skills along with project management skills.
For example for a software project manager, specific projects in specific language like java also required.
When I see job boards of project manager , it seems the requirement is of skilled technical person with a supplementary skill of project management Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
That is the big problem in the whole world @Rizwan. And that´s happend because what those organizations are looking for is a subject matter expert not a project manager. Saving Changes...
I know that Sergio and others strongly disagree with me but I do agree with what that lady said. As PMs are responsible for the outcome of the project they must be able to take technical decisions regarding the project and not just "empower" others to take such decisions.
In real life some companies fully agree with Sergio and consider PMs to be professionals in the field of project management so they don't have to be SMEs as well. These companies consider PMs to be ordinary employees in the project management line of work and also have entry level PM positions.
Other companies however agree with that lady and the PMs are senior subject matter experts who are managing both the operational and the technical aspects of the projects. These companies usually don't have entry level PM positions.
I do agree that SME-PMs may focus too much on the technical side of the project and ignore the non-technical issues related to it, but professional PMs will have less control over the project than their SME colleagues.
Sorry Sergio, I fully understand and respect your opinion, but some organizations don't agree with you and consider that PMs must also be SMEs. On the other hand in almost all the projects on which I have worked (in IT) the PMs were not SMEs and they were doing what you believe a PM should do. :)
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1 reply by Lyndon Smiling
Oct 11, 2016 2:29 PM
Lyndon Smiling
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As a good PM, you should be able to take input from others (the Technical Experts) to make the decisions. This is the reason there is a "team" and not a single person who must know it all.
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Adrian, please, do not apologize. Generally speaking I agree with you and in fact I faced this type of situations lot of times. For example, because my personal work expertise, most of the times I was hired to lead initiatives to implement technologies or process that very few people known besides me. Then, in that case, I got the job because I was an expert plus my project management expertise. For example I lived it in my current job. But if you ask me, and if I review my work live, most of the times I made my job about to get knowledge in the domain I was assigned but I was not the subject matter expert and that gave me the possibility to work in multiple domains and learn a lot. Saving Changes...
AKSHAY JAINPlanning Group Leader| YOKOGAWA, BahrainGwalior, Mp, India
Great technical expert not having management attitude will collapse project if assigned as PM. On the other hand a good PM no technical or domain skill can achieve goals of project. If you have domain knowledge it may help you in mingling with team but end of day numbers matter what ever may be the field. If such discussions are taking place in PMI chapter then this chapter itself is loosing its motive and PMI must check it. Panel involve looks me unfit and surely lacks PM skills. I think you must report to PMI.
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1 reply by Lyndon Smiling
Oct 11, 2016 2:23 PM
Lyndon Smiling
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You make a great point, however I don't think the problem is with the chapter, it is with the willingness of the local PMs to participate in the chapter. Most of the members are in the O&G industry and all were grown from the O&G engineering ranks. If the PMs from other industries i.e. construction, IT, would become more active in the chapter, we would have a better discourse.
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Lyndon SmilingProgram Manager| Lockheed MartinCorpus Christi, Tx, United States
Oct 10, 2016 9:01 AM
Replying to AKSHAY JAIN
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Great technical expert not having management attitude will collapse project if assigned as PM. On the other hand a good PM no technical or domain skill can achieve goals of project. If you have domain knowledge it may help you in mingling with team but end of day numbers matter what ever may be the field. If such discussions are taking place in PMI chapter then this chapter itself is loosing its motive and PMI must check it. Panel involve looks me unfit and surely lacks PM skills. I think you must report to PMI.
You make a great point, however I don't think the problem is with the chapter, it is with the willingness of the local PMs to participate in the chapter. Most of the members are in the O&G industry and all were grown from the O&G engineering ranks. If the PMs from other industries i.e. construction, IT, would become more active in the chapter, we would have a better discourse. Saving Changes...
