PM Practices May - June 2004
The Art of Project Management: A Competency Model for Project Managers
A major reason projects fail is that organizations typically think of project management as a science, not as an art, according to research from the Boston University Corporate Education Center (BUCEC).
A new competency model developed by the BUCEC considers both the art and science of project management, and could help boost the success rate for corporate projects by helping companies select and develop project managers, according to Mark Gould, BUCEC's Director of Management Development Programs.
BUCEC has also developed a tool that can assess competencies in project managers and compare the results with the skills identified by the competency model.
"The BUCEC's project management curriculum will also be adjusted based on the model to ensure that our clients have all of the skills needed to manage projects successfully," according to Rick Freeman, Chief Business Development Officer at the BUCEC.
Improvements in project management can have a major impact on the economy, since, according to the PMI Fact Book from the Project Management Institute, the U.S. spends $2.3 trillion a year on projects, or about a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. In spite of the important role of projects, only 17.6% of organizations use standardized project management processes throughout their organizations, according to the PM Network.
Failure to use standardized processes that consider both the art and science of project management are a major reason so many projects fail, according to Gould and Freeman. According to research by The Standish Group, only 28% of information technology (IT) projects are completed successfully.
"Even those companies that have well-established project management offices should be able to improve their success rate by using our competency model," Gould said. "The model is designed to help organizations determine the skills their project managers need, and plan training and development to fill any gaps."
BUCEC's model divides project management skills into three major categories - technical, personal, and business and leadership.
The nine technical skills were previously identified by the Project Management Institute and are incorporated into the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®). They include the ability to manage project integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk and procurement.
The other two thirds of the model - personal, and business and leadership - focus on the art. Personal characteristics identified by the model include achievement and action, helping and human services, impact and influence, managerial, cognitive and personal effectiveness. Business and leadership skills include a "big picture" focus, business acumen, organizational savvy and a productive work environment.
The clusters of skills that make up the three categories can be further divided into units, which are then broken into elements and finally into their corresponding performance criteria.
By developing expertise in the art, as well as the science of project management, project managers can increase the success rate for their projects, and will be better able to complete projects on time and on budget, without sacrificing quality. A new competency model developed by the Boston University Corporate Education Center (BUCEC) in conjunction with Fox Consulting, Inc. of Annapolis, Md. can help organizations determine the skills their project managers need, and plan their training and development to fill any gaps.
The characteristics of a successful project manager are consistent, regardless of industry sector, corporate culture or other factors. The model captures the needed technical and personal skills, as well as business and leadership skills needed for project management success. An assessment tool can identify competency gaps, which can be filled by training and development.
The model (pdf) divides project management skills into three categories:
- Technical
- Business and leadership
- Personal
"As much care should be given to the appointment of a project manager for a mission critical project as is given during the hiring process for a key position within the company," according to Freeman. "And yet, most organizations have no process for choosing project managers. They also have little idea what skills and personality traits are needed by project managers to help them succeed. That's why we developed the competency model."
The BUCEC is a Registered Education Provider (REP) of the Project Management Institute (PMI), is a member of PMI's Corporate Council and has been providing project management training for 15 years.
Additional details about the model and how it works are available in a white paper developed by Freeman and Gould, "The Art of Project Management: A Competency Model For Project Managers," which can be ordered through the BUCEC Web site at www.BUTrain.com or by calling 1-800-BUTrain (288-7246).
David P. Kowal, APR
Kowal Communications, Inc.
508-393-7023
kowal@kowal.com
Kathie Stabile
BUCEC
978-649-9731, ext. 241
kstabile@trainingtrack.com