Project Management

Project Management Central

Please login or join to subscribe to this thread

Topics: Aerospace and Defense, Consulting, Information Technology
Is a project manager also a technical expert or is it better to have project manager and a technical project manager?
avatar
Arif PUNJWANI Cybersecurity Project Manager Consultant| IP3 Consulting Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium
Each has their own advantages, so do YOU combine both or work together with a technical expert? Depending on the feedback we all could get a better idea and maybe it depends on the subject area. I look forward to your feedback and thank you in advance!
Sort By:
< 1 ... 2 3 4 5 6 7 >
A technical background is always a benefit for all project managers. It helps to better take actions and improve accountability by the project team.
...
1 reply by Arif PUNJWANI
May 17, 2017 8:16 AM
Arif PUNJWANI
...
Hi Dario, this is certainly true. Thank you for your input.
avatar
haytham mhassan Electrical Engineer| Darmakkah for Engineering Jazan, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
Apr 10, 2017 2:21 PM
Replying to Wade Harshman
...
This question comes up a lot, on this forum. Many of us agree that it's always helpful to have technical knowledge, but whether or not it's "required" is up to the organization and the job description.

Here's another twist: is it better to have a competent project manager with no technical knowledge, or someone with a lot of technical knowledge but no project management background? Again, it depends on the organization and the job description. I have seen very successful project managers who had no domain knowledge when they entered their current field, and I have seen technical leaders who learned how to manage projects.
good point to re-question , but i think the late one description it seems to be have no chance against the first description , we may make it a bit fair as we can say someone with a lot of technical knowledge but with moderate project management background ?
avatar
John Tieso Author, Lecturer in Business Management| The Catholic University of America, Busch School of Business & Economics Arlington, Va, USA
One of the interesting things i have found over the years is that good PMs, working with their teams, SMEs and other technical and stakeholder contributors learn a great deal about the various technical skills as well as hone their managerial skills. That makes them even more valuable over time.

For my most of the projects I worked with, one of the questions by team members was always "How smart do we have to become on this company?", and my answer was usually, "We will know more than they do about their organization when we finish, if we do our work right." I wanted the team to be able to freely converse, and gain knowledge as we worked, not so much that we were going to better educated than the customer, but that we would take away from every project a great deal of information that made us valuable in similar projects in the future.
avatar
Tim Podesta Director of PM/PMO| Former BP- now Independent Penn, Bucks, United Kingdom
Apr 10, 2017 3:48 PM
Replying to Vincent Guerard
...
On large projects I would go for 2 persons. One would manage the project, the other oversee all technical matters. I have see many project succeed in that approach.

Smaller project can be a different choice. My experience is when you put a technical person, when the project start to be behind the get involve in the technical aspect instead of solving the source of the problem.
I agree with this point. I would add that the project manager needs to understand the language of the project if not be a technical expert. My example would be in oil and gas and the PM needs to understand the basics of petroleum engineering - the language of subsurface technology and drilling.
...
1 reply by Arif PUNJWANI
May 17, 2017 8:21 AM
Arif PUNJWANI
...
Hi Tim, I understand your point. When managing a project, sometimes you need to have a basic background (in the domain you are working). Thank you for sharing.
avatar
Arif PUNJWANI Cybersecurity Project Manager Consultant| IP3 Consulting Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium
May 15, 2017 11:38 AM
Replying to Dario Palladino
...
A technical background is always a benefit for all project managers. It helps to better take actions and improve accountability by the project team.
Hi Dario, this is certainly true. Thank you for your input.
avatar
Arif PUNJWANI Cybersecurity Project Manager Consultant| IP3 Consulting Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium
May 17, 2017 2:02 AM
Replying to Tim Podesta
...
I agree with this point. I would add that the project manager needs to understand the language of the project if not be a technical expert. My example would be in oil and gas and the PM needs to understand the basics of petroleum engineering - the language of subsurface technology and drilling.
Hi Tim, I understand your point. When managing a project, sometimes you need to have a basic background (in the domain you are working). Thank you for sharing.
< 1 ... 2 3 4 5 6 7 >

Please login or join to reply

Content ID:
ADVERTISEMENTS

Love can sweep you off your feet and carry you along in a way you've never known before. But the ride always ends, and you end up feeling lonely and bitter. Wait. It's not love I'm describing. I'm thinking of a monorail.

- Jack Handey

ADVERTISEMENT

Sponsors