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A mixed audience level presentation explaining why an enterprise should consider an enterprise wide IT project management methodology. It does not cover actual methodologies.
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PM Methodologies IPrinciples and Approach
OR: How we know what isn’t so
Dirk Swart – Cornell University
Just do it.
Summary – Read this book
Project Management is about prediction and prevention, not
recognition and reaction
A lot of project management is about managing risk while still being productive.
This means finding the sweet spot in process complexity
In any economic endeavour there are winners and losers.
Consistency trumps brilliance + death march
Ed Yourdon said this. I think he still does.
The value of using a project management methodology does not only accrue those executing
the project
Value – predictability, certainty, repeatability, confidence, etc, is spread out. Which is as it should be. But it means PMs need to be policy entrepreneurs. This has a cost.
I believe that it is easier to hide costs related to people than costs
related to hardware + software
So people costs get hidden quite frequently.
A lot of people cost is opportunity cost.
Methodologies
They can be good to great. They are frequently perceived as « the beatings will continue until morale improves «
Let’s change that impression.
.
A systematic study of methods, or analysis of methods, rules and postulates.
methodology: Tailored plan + skills necessary to effect the plan
Methodology: Attempt to centralize thinking (because people aren’t
smart enough to think for themselves)
Peopleware, p114.
methodology
Methodology
Methodologies are sold on a long list of benefits. And they DO have benefits. But they have problems too – especially with creative knowledge workers. A lot of hidden benefits accrue through the ‘self-healing’ property of small-m methodologies
Hidden Benefits
Hidden Pitfalls
Methodology
The point here is, don’t force people through statute. Convince them through benefits of training, tools and peer reviews of what is best (which naturally trends to convergence). This is more than re-naming – it is a consensus based collaborative approach.
Convergence of method
"A good deal of strategic planning is like a ritual rain dance. It has no effect on the weather, but those who engage in it think it does. Moreover, much of
the advice is directed at improving the dancing, not the weather.”
Next: Choosing a Methodology
If we all agree one is needed, how to we create an appropriate methodology in a way which retains stakeholder buy-in? How do we cross the gap between when we roll it out and when we see benefits?.
Some useful links
• Ohio State IT: http://cio.osu.edu/planit/ PM at Cornell: http://projectmanagement.cornell.edu/ General PM site: http://www.gantthead.com/
The brain has no executive
I’m told it’s more accurate to say that the brain has no unitary executive controller for higher order functions.