Tim ArthurRetired| SelfPalm City, Nc, United States
Where do you think PMgt is heading? Is it shifting away from command and control, or getting more deeply established? Do you think the shift away from technical skills will continue?
What do you think is on the radar for project management of tomorrow? Why even ask? Because we know that the future is destined to those that are best prepared for it.
The purpose of this discussion board is to build a mini-knowledge base on this topic so that it helps PMgrs estimate the strategic direction and impacts to their plans.
Tim ArthurRetired| SelfPalm City, Nc, United States
I don't want to come off sounding judgmental, but the most recent "anonymous post" expressed the future of PM in a very articulate way. Very well said!
PMgt has a bright future, but only if and when it is applied well. Saving Changes...
The future of Project Management seems to be focused around managing the people and systems rather than managing the work products. Specifically:
1. Working with people in organized behavior built from process and method standards adopted at the corporate or enterprise level. (Managing the group.) 2. Working with people and systems to create visibility and accountability for how the projects are doing with respect to their state within the processes and methods. (Managing the Project) 3. Working with technology centric teams who are bringing to bare technically superior answers to the product and delivery questions while helping them utilize the methods and processes that create effective teams. (Support the developers and members to effectively utilize their skills.) 4. Working with people who may need to address personal and process change activities to utilize the necessary processes, tools, and systems to be effective. (Personal coaching.)
The effective PM must be able to address the human issues in a growing complex systems environment on projects that continue to require more and more technical expertise by the project members.
I agree with Mr. Kester: "The effective PM must be able to address the human issues in a growing complex systems environment on projects that continue to require more and more technical expertise by the project members. " it's about working with people.
I see a lot written about tools to help the PM manage the quantitative aspects of the job but not nearly as much on the psychology and art of that same job.
Mr. Kester writes: 1. Working with people ...(Managing the group.) 2. Working with people and systems ...Managing the Project 3. Working with technology centric teams ... (Support the developers and members to effectively utilize their skills). 4. Working with people ...(Personal coaching).
It's bringing out the personal coach to rally and challenging the team that I'm seeing more. Leadership in addition to the mgmt. Saving Changes...
Certainly, one would strongly support any proposition that PM is moving in various directions away from a classicly 'technical' project focus. Ironically just yesterday I reviewed an advertisement for a high level PM, saying that "Your knowledge of Gantt Charts" will stand you well in driving projects in this organisation. What a well rounded person specification - I jest!!
I would add that the movement to a people centric view definitely one important trend. The other trend is the move to a business centric view. Leading project managers are increasingly managing major business initiatives and are accountable as much for the delivery of business outcomes as for the technical quality of the deliverable.
So, full support for the concept of the people-focussed project manager, and equal support for the concept of a business-focussed project manager.
Saving Changes...
Tim ArthurRetired| SelfPalm City, Nc, United States
Wow, having Gantt chart know-how qualifies them well? There's a scary thought.
Thanks for the posts. I think you're right - the shift will be towards PMgr excellence, and as such, an ongoing shift from technical and into the business where most of the key business drivers are decided and worked.
BTW, I saw in Baseline (magazine) this month that Howard Dean has an official blogger on his staff. Dean's web presence is an edge for him.
Tim Saving Changes...
Tim ArthurRetired| SelfPalm City, Nc, United States
Adding this update from an email sent to me... this is not my original work:
Well it had to happen sooner or later. Bill Gates at the recent Microsoft CEO Summit described to his audience how blogs could be used a tool for business to communicate with customers. Only seems yesterday nobody had heard of them.
