I’ve been providing contract PPM services and consulting since the 80’s. I often review the many job-boards to keep an eye on PM postings and rates. It used to be that organizations engaged a PM to manage the full life-cycle of projects, and to bring to bear all of the related PM skills. Such engagements offered compensation appropriate to a broad range of responsibilities and risks.
Recent experience, actually for a few years now, looking at the trend of postings for PM’s (and the eventual actual duties) indicate that many organizations have backed-off of what they expect of PM’s, with an understandable reduction in compensation. In many organizations, the role of PM has been confined to meeting-facilitator and inter-department coordinator. Often, rates are now being offered at what they were 12-15 years ago.
Frequently and maybe most often, the reduction in the scope of the PM’s roles seems to happen mostly in organizations that have been poisoned by disappointments with unsuccessful PMO’s and/or from leadership’s belief that supporting PM practices is too painful; politically, departmentally and culturally. Adding to the challenge is the growing trend to use a combined role – PM/Engineer, PM/BA, PM/Programmer, PM/Architect, PM/Clinician, PM/Administrator, PM/Buyer….
Have you had similar observations, or do you think the adoption of serious project management practices and the perceived value of a PM are what they should be? Saving Changes...
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Pamela PenningtonIT Director| Ride ConnectionPhoenix, Az, United States
My experience has mostly been project manager of IT initiatives - upgrading software, pc replacement and new software development. I am a Software Development Manager, and I'm expected to do project management as part of my job. In this area, I have noticed a trend of IT shops moving toward agile and lean methodology. We are currently doing 'agile light' and I think people got confused regarding where traditional project management fits into agile. In my experience, we still need to do project management to some degree for software projects, defining scope, establishing a tentative timeline and a budget, but because of how agile allows high collaboration early in development, the scope is constantly changing and being tweaked. My CIO constantly tells me not to allow scope creep, but I think scope creep is the whole point of agile - high collaboration, small tweaks up front, so the end result is what they truly want. There is no avoiding some scope creep. Now if we get to the end and they try to add something completely off the wall, it goes in the backlog and we address it during post-prod release plans. That said, I'm a little unsure of my role right now as a project manager. I'm kinda doing it, but not in the traditional sense. I'm guessing this agile/lean trend has something to do with it. Saving Changes...
A common challenge with the use of an Agile approach is that, while the theme is to embrace changes, the impacts of the changes (to scope, quality, time, cost, risk and such) often go unquantified. And, the view of what a ‘change’ is, is often confined to the features/functions of what is being built – with insufficient attention to justification, assumptions, scope and constraints. Too often, over time Agile turns into something similar to taste-testing. When this happens, sticking to what is essential to meet business needs falls prey to a corrupted or undisciplined process. A key help to controlling scope in Agile (when the PM suspects creep) is to have change requests include an assessment to time and costs, and to remind the team of the benefits of the delivery of more (usable and essential) work product. Saving Changes...
I support Pamela's commets. Being involved in SAP Implementation projects for many years, I also experience the change to apply agile practises in my project impacting also my role as "traditional" project manager. I do see a lot of posivite impacts of this change as long as the whole team, stakeholders (including customer) understand the agile mindset and support the different way of planning and project execution. Having said this, the true project management does not dimiish or fade away. In my view it is even more important, however more on the strategic/ tactical project level (less involvement in the operational detailed planning and execution) and being more on a servant leadership role.
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1 reply by Frank Hetherington
Mar 29, 2018 12:54 PM
Frank Hetherington
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Peter, I hear you. I also agree with Pamela’s comments. And your point about a common Agile mindset is very key. Also key is understanding that, for projects like software or product development, there may be necessary components or aspects (beyond the actual software development activities) that are part of the bigger initiative, but are NOT a fit for an Agile or iterative approach (legal, marketing, training, performance, IT integration, release schedules, compliance, political, …). These parts of the initiative need consideration by the Agile team, when considering expansion of features/function, and by management, when assessing scope changes and ultimately delivery dates.
For this thread, the main question I’m posing is more about -- senior leaderships view of the value of project managers and PM practices (for all/any kind of projects). For whatever reasons, is it now common to find organizations where Sr. leadership (and HR heads) see PM’s as playing a more minor or focused role than in years past. A review of online job postings indicate that this may be the case.
I've seen the complexity & size expectations for what a PM should be able to handle increase but I wouldn't say that I've witnessed an overall marginalization in the need for the profession or the role.
If I look at my current client (a large bank), a couple of years back in one of their divisions they did look to set a minimum investment value on projects where a titled PM would be used vs. a lead BA or other type of contributor.
Where I'm seeing the biggest expectation shift is with regards to the degree of domain expertise required by the PM but that might simply be an outcome of the maturation of the technology industry which is where most of my interactions are.
When it comes to agile delivery, small, single pod projects might shift from a PM to a Scrum Master, XP Coach or agile lead of some kind, but the moment you have multiple pods or a hybrid scenario with some waterfall workstreams, the need for a qualified PM becomes compelling.
Kiron
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1 reply by Frank Hetherington
Mar 29, 2018 12:58 PM
Frank Hetherington
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Kiron - Very good points. I agree 100%.
To your point about multiple pods or a hybrid... I'm guessing that very often, the actual scope of most SDLC projects is broader than IT and software teams care to admit.
I support Pamela's commets. Being involved in SAP Implementation projects for many years, I also experience the change to apply agile practises in my project impacting also my role as "traditional" project manager. I do see a lot of posivite impacts of this change as long as the whole team, stakeholders (including customer) understand the agile mindset and support the different way of planning and project execution. Having said this, the true project management does not dimiish or fade away. In my view it is even more important, however more on the strategic/ tactical project level (less involvement in the operational detailed planning and execution) and being more on a servant leadership role.
Peter, I hear you. I also agree with Pamela’s comments. And your point about a common Agile mindset is very key. Also key is understanding that, for projects like software or product development, there may be necessary components or aspects (beyond the actual software development activities) that are part of the bigger initiative, but are NOT a fit for an Agile or iterative approach (legal, marketing, training, performance, IT integration, release schedules, compliance, political, …). These parts of the initiative need consideration by the Agile team, when considering expansion of features/function, and by management, when assessing scope changes and ultimately delivery dates.
For this thread, the main question I’m posing is more about -- senior leaderships view of the value of project managers and PM practices (for all/any kind of projects). For whatever reasons, is it now common to find organizations where Sr. leadership (and HR heads) see PM’s as playing a more minor or focused role than in years past. A review of online job postings indicate that this may be the case. Saving Changes...
I've seen the complexity & size expectations for what a PM should be able to handle increase but I wouldn't say that I've witnessed an overall marginalization in the need for the profession or the role.
If I look at my current client (a large bank), a couple of years back in one of their divisions they did look to set a minimum investment value on projects where a titled PM would be used vs. a lead BA or other type of contributor.
Where I'm seeing the biggest expectation shift is with regards to the degree of domain expertise required by the PM but that might simply be an outcome of the maturation of the technology industry which is where most of my interactions are.
When it comes to agile delivery, small, single pod projects might shift from a PM to a Scrum Master, XP Coach or agile lead of some kind, but the moment you have multiple pods or a hybrid scenario with some waterfall workstreams, the need for a qualified PM becomes compelling.
Kiron
Kiron - Very good points. I agree 100%.
To your point about multiple pods or a hybrid... I'm guessing that very often, the actual scope of most SDLC projects is broader than IT and software teams care to admit. Saving Changes...
The nature of projects will always mean that there is often a blending of PM responsibilities with other roles, but I don't see this as diminishing the value of project management. The rate change I believe would be due to globalization and the lower rates accepted by applicants. I have seen this in Australia where "payscale" for a job is $100K, and yet I know of applicants who will accept $70-$80K. Saving Changes...
I would think that the most PM is divided in smaller group like Agile and Waterfall, and add to that that PM are accepting lower wage. That influence the perception. Some organisation still see great value in PM role and responsability. Saving Changes...
