The Maturing of Project Management
David Pells
Whether project management is a "profession" in the broad sense or not, the PM discipline has been maturing along with what I call the "world of project management", which for me encompasses all of the elements of practices, models, PMBOKs, tools, practitioners, and professional organizations.
The world of PM is at a different level of maturity around the world depending on the geographic location and industry (combined). While theories, models and tools have matured (with few revolutionary changes in recent years), the growth and spread of modern PM around the world has been dramatic and significant. The politics, economies and technologies of the world of PM have seen significant developments (web-based PM collaboration, tools, practices; GPMF, asapm, GPMF, PMI chapters and regions; PM embraced by governmental organizations such as in South Africa; web sites such as the PMFORUM and that of APM). I see these developments as evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but important and positive in any case. At the same time, I believe that there is still a long way to go before modern PM really has the impact that it can have, on organizations, industries, economies and solving global problems.
I see PM as an enabling technology as much as a profession or management discipline. I also see it as a management philosophy, which then can lead to a different perspective on the enterprise, life cycles of products and organizations, approach to problem solving and many other psycho-social-economic endeavors.
Let us stand back and take a different look at the world of PM to see where things might go. Considering the politics of PM, I see growth and changes in professional organizations, but also increasing democracy and self determination. With regard to PM "business" and economics, PMI has been an interesting phenomenon to watch as it became more business-oriented under Virgil Carter. How are organizations and individuals in the world of PM making money or balancing "the business of PM" with "the PM profession"? Regarding PM "technologies", how will the increasing use of hand held devices, voice recognition, language translators, smart homes and offices, wireless technologies, increasing bandwidth from FTTH, new materials, DNA engineering, and other scientific developments and trends affect the PMBOK and practice of PM?
From a social or human factors standpoint, have we really reached the limit in the PMBOK with regard to the people side or PM? For example, are there psychological or psycho-physiological strategies that might enhance organizational performance (or team performance) in project-oriented enterprises, just as such thinking lead to breakthroughs during the industrial revolution? I can think of many other questions about the technology, application or practice of PM in the future that we cannot answer today, but that lead to very exciting possibilities or implications. This is, I think, what has retained my interest in project management, the tremendous potential. But ultimately, the implementation and potential of PM must be considered and understood in the broader context of the trends in all aspects of modern life, that is the broader and longer range technological, economic, political, social and human aspects of the ongoing civilization of the human race.
Are these challenges too great? For individual PM leaders, probably yes. For the PM profession or for the world of PM, I think not. PM professional are very bright, very educated and, by nature, leaders and explorers. I remain optimistic about the possibilities.
About the Author:
David
Pells is a Fellow of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and past member
of the PMI Board of Directors (1995-1997, 2002), Past Chair of the Global
Project Management Forum (1995-1999) and past PMI chapter president and
SIG chair. He won PMI's Person-of-the-Year award in 1998 and PMI's Fellow
award in 1999.
David is currently vice president of Infinite Technology Corporation, a
Texas-based system-on-chip and technology firm, and has over 25 years of
experience on a wide range of programs and projects, including mega-projects
in the transportation and energy sectors. An expert on the subject of high-level
program and project management plans, he has been a speaker at project management
conferences in Austria, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Norway, Russia, South Africa
and the USA.
Email:
pells@sbcglobal.net