When working with an engineering group, the technical details can quickly become more complicated than my level of understanding. What is the best approach for monitoring the technical issues without micromanaging or without learning to be a programmer? Saving Changes...
What level of concern should you have when dealing with engineers? 1. Will (whatever they talk about) meet requirements? 2. Will (whatever they talk about) result in meeting the schedule? 3. Will (whatever they talk about) have benefits to the customer in business terms?
Basically, these questions, and I am sure a few more, will be all that matter to you as the PM.
Your challenge is perhaps your interest in engineering and that natural tendency draws you down into the discussions and concerns.
I have had a tendency to do the same thing being a former engineer. I had to set my focus to Schedule, Dependencies, dependent interfaces (people), hours worked, hours to be worked and % complete. The questions above, (1 thru 3) also help keep the engineers from digressing into unneccesary technical sessions.
Check your natural interest and see if that is what keeps you into the depths of how rather then when and how much.
Hope it helps. Saving Changes...
RAJESH K LProject Manager, PMP| Bharat Electronics, Bengaluru, IndiaBengaluru, Karnataka, India
"If they have moving sidewalks in the future, when you get on them, I think you should have to assume sort of a walking shape so as not to frighten the dogs."
