I've heard a lot of people knocking the PMI recently and especially the PMBOK as being a waste of time and now I've even seen a website which seems to throw obscentities at PMI eg the site.... www.pmsucks.blogspot.com
What do others think is PMI and the BOK as bad as everybody says or is it worth joining? Saving Changes...
I may be jaded by my PMP but I believe that as an organization PMI does a great job ensuring that project managers around the world have a common frame work for executing projects.
Is the PMBOK the used in total by every PMP on every project, every day; probably not. But does it provide the foundation for best practices; certainly.
In managing global project; I rest assured that when dealing PMPs in other countries with different cultures and practices; that we at least have a foundation from which we can begin project related work.
Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dave, I agree with Mr. Kastner. PMI has done a great deal to advocate project management as a profession, advance project management as a strategic best practice, and to document standards and approaches to ensure return on investment. Yes, there are some that "knock" PMI and often if not always their insights and criticisms are or have some degree of validity. All things considered, like Mr. Kastner, I am of the opinion that PMI "...does a great job.... and provides a foundation from which we can begin..." Cheers. -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
Dave, personally I would avoid the PMI like the plague, save your time and money (and sanity). PMI is a case of the blind leading the blind and even worse the PMI seems to attract a certain type of person i.e. the mindless bureaucrat who is more interested in following PMBOK and filling in project management templates than actually doing projects.
In my experience PMI/PMP types generally haven’t been anywhere near a major project and so instead of having knowledge about how projects are really done(through thoughtful, skilful action which is relevant to the situation at hand) instead they put their emphasis on the bureaucratic rationalisations of competent action - i.e. the dreaded PMBOK. Don’t be taken in by the instructions given in PMBOK which are sure to lead you astray, if you want to learn about project management, go talk to someone in your organisation who is very experienced in projects. If you do have a good chat with some-one with that depth of experience you will be surprised by how much contempt they have for PMI, PMBOK and similar “canned” methods or "life cycles". Experience of doing real projects quickly teaches that the approaches espoused by PMI and the like are completely impractical.
By the way, here is what Donald Schon (highly respected professor at MIT) has to say on the subject: of “knowledge” such as that in PMBOK: “professional knowledge is mismatched to the changing situations of professional practice – the complexity, uncertainty, instability, uniqueness and value conflicts which are increasingly perceived as central to the world of professional practice”, he also mentions the “inadequacy of established management theory and technique to deal with the increasingly critical task of managing complexity” (taken from his book “The Reflective Practitioner” page 14).
Eric, if not PMI, what professional organization do you recommend for PMs to join for the purposes of contributing to the advancement of project management, staying on top of leading developments in the field, and networking with others of similar skills and interest? Saving Changes...
Anonymous, I wouldn't recommend any. They are all modern day flat earth societies. But what I would say to anyone who joins/goes along is to maintain their skepticism and not to be credulous. What is peddled by all these groups amounts to the same thing: snake oil. It might be convincing but it is very very wrong. You will see very few proper academics at such gatherings. Generally the only type of academics involved are those who are peddling the dumbed down "MBA type" knowledge. Such MBA type knowledge is a standing joke in academic circles and the reasons are transparent to anyone with an ounce of critical thinking ability. For example read any proper academic literature (say from the field of Organizational Theory) and you will find notions such as "best practice", "methods" and management by "maxim" being demolished wholesale. Anyone with any academic research training will similarly have been taught the nature of competent practice and how it cannot be based in the types of “knowledge” favored by PMI and the like. Overall, Project Management as currently peddled is an elaborate hoax; peddled by the stupid and the greedy to the gullible. Consider this: Project Management has become increasingly widespread in recent years, yet is there any evidence of improved management practices? (See the Chaos Reports in the IT field for example.) Why not? - Because PM doesn’t do what it says on the tin. In fact implementing PM generally has the opposite effect to those desired or at least serious and deleterious side-effects. These aren’t just my opinions, read for example Donald Schon (referenced below).
Also, think on this. PMI publishes the "Project Management Journal", its ranking as a journal has never lifted off the bottom, it is considered a very poor quality journal. As an example see here: http://www.cs.iit.edu/~xli/CS-Journals-Rank.htm. Within that page the "Project Management Journal” isn’t ranked as “Premium”, not “Leading”, nor even “Reputable”. In fact it is in the “Other” category, reflecting its very low quality. No serious academic would publish in it because it would damage their reputation – that is how much of a joke it is considered. To draw an analogy the PMI’s advice to use PMBOK processes would be roughly equivalent to the British Medical Association telling doctors to perform exorcisms or cut open patients skulls to release demons. Although such advice seems crazy to us now it was convincing to the people of that era, just as PMBOK seems convincing to many people in today’s era. In the future people will react to PMBOK type knowledge as we react to the notion of drilling open someone’s skull to release demons or the notion that God created the earth in seven days.
Overall PMI and the like are a joke. They are not fit to represent anybody or anything. Anyone with any level of project experience or education should be able to see straight through them. The problem is that PMI is run by business interests, not to support the “profession” but to grow large, make money and give power to its organizers - simple as that. And by the way these organizers include some academics (who should know better or at least should strive to get PMI to raise its game ). These academics are involved because they are complicit with the PMI in selling profitable training, books etc.
To answer your question, if you want to learn about Project Management read some decent books from the academic disciplines which comment on it e.g. organizational theory or the like NOT the Project Management comics. Network with people who are doing projects well. NOT with the clowns who hang out at PMI and the like. Lobby the PMI and similar groups to raise their game above the present dumbing down and grubby commercialism and to hold them accountable. PMI are laughing all the way to the bank – at their members expense.
“you and I both know that most executives love change -- they love it! -- only so long it doesn't disturb the status quo. What they really love (but can't admit) is being able to act like they're on top of the latest management trends -- think MBWA, think TQM, think Reengineering -- without having to do anything new or different.
That's why I'm proud to announce our new "Global Lean Transformation Center for Excellence in Innovation and Growth." [this could equally read Project Management] With this program, we will continue Bilgewater's proud (and profitable) tradition of helping clients to feel as if they've achieved meaningful transformation without the pain and bother of actual change.
Eric, where can I find more information on your new "Global Lean Transformation Center for Excellence in Innovation and Growth" and what is Bilgewater? Saving Changes...
And I think Bilgewater is a cunning fluid for easily parting fools from their money.... Saving Changes...
Andy JordanPresident| Roffensian Consulting S.A.Cherry Grove, AB, Canada
At the risk of dragging this topic back to the original question......... I have made no secret in other threads here that I think the PMP has limitations, but I think the PMI is to be congratulated on what it has done for the industry. There are a lot of different aspects to this discussion and I think that they are being confused. I wish I knew how to paragraph posts because this might be hard to read, but let me try.
PMI as an organization has done a wonderful job of promoting the industry and is a catalyst for a lot of worthwhile symposiums / discussions etc - everything from the SIGs to the congresses. It is also driving thought leadership in the industry through things like OPM3. It is only one view, and people can be free to disagree, but at least it fosters debate.
PMBOK is evolving and continues to improve with each iteration. Inevitably it involves compromise and some elements are more relevant to situations / industries than others, but let's remember what it is - a tool. If a PM is only going to have one tool in their toolbelt then their success will be limited - just like a carpenter who only owns one saw. The secret is to become familiar with as many processes / methodologies as possible and blend and adapt them to the current situation.
PMP - well, as I've said before, I don't consider it to be key when I'm hiring, looking back to my comments on PMBOK, my concern is that it is based on a methodology that isn't terribly relevant to my situation. That said, it is a standard that is recognized, it is hugely worthwhile to PMs who don't yet have a large portfolio of successful projects behind them, and it does ensure that everyone speaks the same language.
I would be extremely wary of anyone who considers that PMI is all that there is in the world of project management, it clearly isn't, but similarly to discount it / ignore it is similarly shortsighted. Saving Changes...
I would say that PMI is destroying Project Management by making it a cosmic joke and drowning out any debate, not fostering it. I would also describe OPM3 as leadership in breathtaking ignorance and cynical manipulation not “thought leadership”. Why do I say these things which seem completely contrary to “common sense”? Simple. The ideas and “knowledge” which PMI and PMBOK are based on are supported on a particular worldview or “paradigm” known within philosophy as “positivism”. Unfortunately this is completely the wrong paradigm on which to build knowledge of a subject such as Project Management. Because PMI have done such a complete job of convincing people that their paradigm is the “correct” one dissenting voices (such as mine) literally CANNOT be heard (or more likely understood) because they seem so counterintuitive to those brought up (“brainwashed”?) in the positivist mould. Why have PMI adopted this paradigm? Because of the roots of the profession (engineering projects etc) and the “zeitgeist” ie the prevailing spirit of our times. Not to mention that it is easier to gain control and power (and so make money) through the methods they adopt.
What the hell does all that mean? An analogy with the church in the 1500s might help. The church like any organisation wants to spread its message, survive and grow. It spreads its “word” through texts (bible = PMBOK). In order to spread the knowledge easily to the man in the street the knowledge has to be dumbed down (eg complex spiritual truths become allegorical stories or “miracles” etc). Now some people don’t agree with the Church, they tell the church that the sun is at the centre of the universe (eg Galileo) or that there is no god. These people are supporters of science. The church doesn’t like that so it quashes any dissent because these challenges are challenges to its power. PMI is acting in exactly the same fashion. The church tries to suppress science and truth and the PMI tries to suppress more sophisticated and worthwhile theories of project management because dissent will endanger its power and hegemonic position. Simple as that. The brainwashed “people” (PMI members) are unable to accept any explanations of the universe (ie. scientific explanations) which do not involved “god” (similarly PMI members talk only in terms of process, CMM, etc which have become their gods).
Don’t just take my word for it.. here is what the new editor of the PM Journal has to say in a subtle sideswipe at the PMI:
“It is often convenient, and lucrative to reinforce accepted belief systems, built on many centuries of thinking based on the positivist paradigm. Positivism has lead in some cases to over-simplification - one problem equals one solution – and in many cases has obviated against recognition of the complexity and of the relativity of the world.” And he also makes the following point which I would apply directly to OPM3: “most of the literature, seems, from my perspective, to be a real barrier to effective understanding and communication of the true nature of project management, leading to nonsense, to a dynamic a fad, where hype, advocacy of his own practice is the rule, reinforced by a lack of critical thinking by the practitioners, who complacently accept seemingly reasonable answers, even if they lead to major failures”.
