Brian Hobbs served as the keynote speaker for the PMO Symposium 2010, and his speech went into great detail regarding the various aspects of project management that are often overlooked, including the many differences between leading groups of students versus those who have been in their fields for a number of years. He says that students are more perceptive to the things they are told and mainly concerned with how they will be evaluated on the information they are told.
It can also be difficult to develop standard practices in regards to PMOs because “standards are based on consensus” and it is difficult to come to one with the variety of ideas and approaches regarding project management. For this reason, it’s important to look at project management through the lens of what it actually is as opposed to what they should be.
However, for the project manager, their job is to help an organization in whatever way they can. For some, this means designing and implementing effective task management strategies designed to maximize productivity among the workforce.
To that end, it’s important for a project manager to have an understanding of the role the organization he is overseeing has in the overall project. Are they data collectors with no conclusions to draw based on that data, or are they also tasked with evaluating the information gathered? The actions of a project manager and how they handle those they oversee will vary depending on this role, so it should be one of the first things established.
The field of project management is ever-changing, and the needs of the clients often dictate the role of the project manager. For this reason, it’s important for those in the industry to not only be up to date with the latest industry practices, but also to establish an effective relationship of communication with all clients. That is why the ability to continue learning in a field where you may have many years of experience is such a valuable skill.
Key Takeaways:
- Project management must be seen for what it is, instead of what it should be.
- Project Managers must know the roles and expectations of their group before beginning any project.
- Field dynamics require that a project manager remain up to speed on the latest industry practices
