Diego CanasProject Coordinator | Civil Engineer | Planning Engineer| -Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
The Project Manager necessarily have to be a technical expert on the subject of the project? (Ex: Only IT professional managing IT project). Or does not that define the PM's ability to manage in another industry/sector?
leave your opinion below. Thank you! Saving Changes...
I agree Mounir, I have an IT degree and just passed my PMP this June. I have yet to land a job, most job postings are asking that the PM have multiple technical disciplines ranging from systems networking to cloud engineering. While I am constantly increasing my technical skills, I'm not quite sure which direction I should be going.
Hi Bonita
Unfortunately, this is the case in organizations that do not understand project management and the community, PMPs, PMI and their chapters are not doing enough to correct this view. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
It is a great discussion. I am learning a lot. @Bonita, I will write about my personal experience trying to add something to your point "I am not sure about direction I should go". For an instant forget about the market demands. The decision is: I will try to be "the best of the best" in a specific niche or I will try to be a generalist. In my case, while I got a Ph D in Software Engineering in one point of my career, I understand that a project manager have to be "agile enough" (to use a new buzzword - hehehe) because organizations creates projects to put strategy into action and strategy is the mean to respond to continues change so projects must have multiple origins and must have multi disciplinary teams assigned. I mean, no matter how good you are technical speaking that is not enough to be a project manager. My personal experience (and I saw others) is it was effective for me because I always got a job including the worst times in my country and the region where I belongs. And by the way, while "my heart" is close to system (system is not a synonim of software system) and I am making research on that field (including making some software programs or testing new technlogies by hand) to take the generalist way was funny to me. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
I would go as far as to say being 'too technical' would be a disadvantage, leaving the individual to remain too far in the weeds, too stuck in one area, and too knowledgeable to ask questions or consider alternative options/direction. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
And @Diego, perhaps you have to take advantage that there are people participating here I always that I always read their comments because the level of knowledge they have. I will do that (hehehehe). If we ask the question what does means to be a technical expert as project manager?. If we take the definition or the PMBOK Guide when the BOK talked about techniques are techniques you can find inside and are related to project management. But when you search the job request those techniques are related to software (for example SQL, Oracle DB, etc) or network or hardware. So, organizations that post this type of request are searching subject matter experts that, as an additional duty, will try to lead the team that are creating the product/service/result. Then they are not searching for a project manager.
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1 reply by Diego Canas
Sep 17, 2017 6:32 PM
Diego Canas
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Hi Sergio!
I'm enjoying it a lot! Having the perception of professionals around the world is being amazing! I would not have imagined it anywhere other than this platform. I'm not online all the time. Your contribution is very relevant.
A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers oversee the project to ensure the desired result is achieved, the most efficient resources are used and the different interests involved are satisfied.
Though if he has remained involved in a specific industry, he might have a better insight of that industry and it would give him an extra edge.
But in general he doesn't necessarily needs to be a technical expert in the industry for whom he is managing project.
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1 reply by Diego Canas
Sep 17, 2017 6:41 PM
Diego Canas
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Hi Najam,
I agree with you!
Thanks for your answer!
Saving Changes...
Tim PodestaDirector of PM/PMO| Former BP- now IndependentPenn, Bucks, United Kingdom
All good points supporting my view that it helps to know the 'language' of the industry sector snd be able to talk to and understand the subject matter expert. It is not necessary to be the subject matter expert
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1 reply by Diego Canas
Sep 17, 2017 6:45 PM
Diego Canas
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Hi Mr. Podesta!
I fully agree.
Thank you so much for your contribution!
Saving Changes...
Diego CanasProject Coordinator | Civil Engineer | Planning Engineer| -Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
I understood what you said @Mounir and I agree with you. I just added saying that in case the project manager is both, something that is possible, the situation would be perfect.
I'm sorry if I said it wrong. English is not my native language. Your contribution is very good! By the way, everyone's contribution here. Saving Changes...
Diego CanasProject Coordinator | Civil Engineer | Planning Engineer| -Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Sep 16, 2017 8:00 PM
Replying to Carlos Tessore
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From mi experience, the level of knowledge on the specific subject a Project manager should have depend on the size of the Project. Big projects usually have the resources to contract subject matter specialists and for that reason manager do not need to have a deep knowledge in the area, his role mainly goes beyond technical matters. In small size projects managers usually need to have a good grasp of the technical matters, since usually there are no resource available to contract specialists.
I had not analyzed the situation with this perspective.
Very interesting!
It's a completely real situation.
Thank you Carlos! Saving Changes...
Diego CanasProject Coordinator | Civil Engineer | Planning Engineer| -Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Sep 16, 2017 7:23 PM
Replying to Bonita Baker
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I agree Mounir, I have an IT degree and just passed my PMP this June. I have yet to land a job, most job postings are asking that the PM have multiple technical disciplines ranging from systems networking to cloud engineering. While I am constantly increasing my technical skills, I'm not quite sure which direction I should be going.
Hi Bonita,
The situation you put here is exactly the question. I realize it here too.
I had a professor with a background in biology, who also managed projects from other sectors. As you complete each project, you will inevitably learn more about the specific subject of the project, gaining more knowledge in the area that is not yours.
Thank you! Saving Changes...
Diego CanasProject Coordinator | Civil Engineer | Planning Engineer| -Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Sep 17, 2017 1:00 AM
Replying to Dr. SAJAL KUMAR GHOSH
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In India it is common practice (in most fields) to hire PMs having sufficient knowledge in the domain area.In my view having an overall idea about the domain along with knowledge of Project Management makes a successful PM.
