A personal observation by David Pells
Over the last few years, various project management maturity models have received a lot of attention within the PM profession, and throughout the World of Project Management. The Project Management Institute (PMI®) published its long-awaited standard, Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) in 2004. PMI’s OPM3® followed the publication of several other organizational PM maturity models developed by commercial enterprises, which in turn followed PM maturity models developed previously for individual project management professionals. Development of these PM maturity models has paralleled the growing popularity of “enterprise project management” and “project portfolio management” applications and models.
Another subject that has received considerable attention and press in the PM profession is the “Future of Project Management”. Generally what is presented is an extrapolation of existing models and practices, or correlations to trends in technology and society. The existing PM maturity models, in particular, seem to be based on the individual or organizational ability to implement and practice generally accepted PM principles, standards and applications, as they are currently defined. It seems to me that many people in the PM profession are assuming that current “generally accepted” PM principles and practices are complete and mature, perhaps even robust, for planning, managing and completing a majority of the programs and projects in the world. This, it seems to me, is both short sighted and incomplete thinking.
One year ago in an Editorial for the Project Management World Today, I suggested an alternative future for modern project management, a brighter future based on harnessing the transformational power of modern project management. I suggested a new “Third Wave of Project Management”, based on a better understanding of the broader “World of Project Management” and the “transformational power of modern project management.” That editorial was in response to a challenge by David Curling, the Editor of the Project Management World Today, that the world of PM is becoming somewhat boring, that there appear to be few new developments in the PM profession and industry.
Now I see that even my suggestion a year ago regarding a broad new perspective on the World of PM and a Third Wave of Modern Project Management was, in turn, limited in perspective and vision. I believe the PM profession has many “alternative futures”, alternative development scenarios, alternative opportunities for the use of PM in transforming not only individuals and organizations but also the world we live in. In some cases, PM may evolve into a new form of general enterprise management, mixing principles of organizational management with those of project management. In other cases, technologies from previously diverse fields of science may be integrated into exciting new tools and applications. In still other scenarios, I can see theories from psychology, social engineering and political science being integrated into project organizational, communication or change models.
As an example of the above, it is interesting to note the press release that appeared on http://www.pmforum.org, in an August 2004 posting to the Weblog PMCONNECT, entitled “Leading Business Authors Link Military Strategy with PM Principles at BPPM Event.” While we in the PM profession have long promoted the use of PM principles on military and defense programs and projects, is it not also possible that our profession might learn from the long history of military leadership, technology or organizational principles?
In his Viewpoints article entitled “What is Project Management?”, Paul Giammalvo challenges current definitions of project management, suggesting we look for solutions from “the world of Complex Adaptive/Dynamic Systems. This is an interesting concept with some exciting possible outcomes. The UK’s Lancaster University Management School has called for creation of a new research network for international experts to dialogue on the matter of “rethinking project management – developing a new research agenda”. A debate is suggested on “viewing project organizations as information processing systems for making sense of the future.” New paradigms are once again being considered around the World of Project Management.
Some of the concepts and suggestions published in Project Management World Today by Glen Alleman, Ranier Volz and others can also lead to expanding and exploring some Alternative Futures of Modern PM.
I would now like to challenge PM thought leaders and students around the world to consider “alternative futures” for the world of PM. What are the possibilities? What trends might merge in exciting new developments, technologies or applications that might change the world of PM? Perhaps some of these Alternative Futures can be published in future issues of Project Management World Today or on the PMFORUM Website. While I believe that PMI’s Guide to the PMBOK®, the APM’s PMBOK® and other international standards have made a tremendous contribution to the management of projects, I believe there are exciting new options, scenarios and possibilities with great potential that most of us have never considered. I believe those Alternative Futures might dramatically change the PM profession and the World of Project Management in years to come.
David L. Pells
Dallas . Texas . USA
December 2004