Project management by David Moulton

Have I forgotten something?

Project management, a critical thinking approach.

“it has generally been seenthat there is no explicit

theory of projectmanagement”

Koskela & Howell (2002)

“it is either conceded that there is no theory of project management, or it reflects the opinion that the theoretical is not significant from the point of view of project management”Koskela & Howell (2002)

“Indeed it is the poverty of current theory that explains theother problems of projectmanagement, such as frequentproject failures”Morris (1994)

Common cause of project failure

• Lack of client involvement• Unrealistic timescales/budgets• Requirements definitions• Scope creep• Change control• Systems http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/cp0015.pdf

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/projectfailures/uk-prison-it-massive-and-spectacular-failure/2353

“an explicit theory is thecrucial single most importantissue for the future of theProject management profession”Koskela & Howell (2002)

So that’s what I forgot……….

A theory

Is there a single Project Management theory?

There are lots of theories in project Management

• Aggregate planning• Theory of Constraints• Costing theory• Planning theory (CPM/CPA/PERT/GERT)• Quality theory (TQM)

Maybe not, but there is a process

Stages of a process

• Project Initiation • Project Control • Project Closure

Each stage has a number of steps

Project initiation

• Step 01: Project Kick Off • Step 02: Project Objective & Scope • Step 03: Project Schedule and Budgeting • Step 04: Stage Schedule and Budgeting • Step 05: Project Organization • Step 06: Project Control Procedures • Step 07: Business Case • Step 08: Project Initiation Stage Assessment

The next stage

Project Control

• Step 01: Stage Kick Off • Step 02: Project Board Meetings • Step 03: Quality Control • Step 04: Progress Control • Step 05: Change Control • Step 06: Issues Management • Step 07: Exception Situation • Step 08: Stage End Assessment

The final stage

Project Closure

• Step 01: Final Product Evaluation • Step 02: Project Completion • Step 03: Process Improvement

Each step further breaks down in the procedure

Lockyer & Gordon suggest 4 phases

• And there are even more complicated process models, 5, 6, 8 phases

Conception

Development

Realisation

Termination

Developing successful project management systems

Comments from the discussion forum

Voltaire reminds us that;

“Common sense is not that common”

What is the missing link?

If there is no single theory of project management but there are a number of concepts and models which are used in the project management process, how do we pull them together to make coherent sense?

Is Critical Thinking the answer?

?

What is Critical Thinking?

The likes of Plato, Socrates & Aristotle (350BC)thought it was about exploring concepts andtheories as things weren’t all they appeared onthe surface.

There are lots of concepts and models in projectmanagement, does this suggest it is what we do with them that matters?

What is Critical Thinking?

Dewey suggests it is the suspension ofjudgement and healthy scepticism

Ennis is more of the opinion that it involves reflexive thinking, say things another way, rethink the outcomes

Its about understand the elements of your decisions

Why do we need critical thinking?

To help reduce project failures caused by;

• Assumptions• Dependency• Risk • The way we do things – a mind set

There are many other areas where we don’t thinkcritically

Problems of thinking critically

Time and pressure to complete a project;

• “Hands on” project managers• Not having a helicopter• I’m the project manager!• Follow the process, no need to debate!

Think now and save time & cost

• Identifying difficulties and problems early• The “what if” approach, scenario planning• Developing options• Being ready for the future• No surprises (at least reduce them)

Critical Thinking approaches

Borrowed from Six Sigma (Motorola 1986)

• Ask “Why” 5 times• A way of reducing defects & improving quality• Looks at the root cause of problems

But is this enough?

More Critical Thinking approaches

Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling (The Elephant’s child)

“I keep six honest serving-men(They taught me all I knew);Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who”

Perhaps provides a more critical approach

Critical thinkers do…….

• Ask pertinent questions• Assess arguments for value and objectivity• Have curiosity• Like to find new solutions• Define things clearly• Examine their beliefs & assumptions• Listen carefully and give feedback

Critical thinkers can…..

• Suspend judgement• Look for evidence to support assumptions• Adjust opinion• Look for proof• Examine problems closely• Reject incorrect information• Know critical thinking is a lifelong process

Critical thinking in project management

• Not a system, more a way of life• A “cultural” change• Consider all options, even those that don’t

look viable on the surface• Discovering what we didn’t know• Make informed justifiable decisions

Had I forgotten anything?

My conclusions;

I don’t think so, it wasn’t there in the first place!

Is critical thinking the missing theory?

It will definitely improve the management of projects used in conjunction with the current tools and processes

Thank you for listening

Any questions?