Project Management Methodologies
Are They Really a “Good Thing”?
Tony Crawford
Are Project Management Methodologies really “a good thing” ?
The answer has to be a resounding yes. Project Management methodologies are really just documented best practices – and who can argue with those. In my reviews of projects that fail, invariably a key cause is lack of best practices in the key areas of planning, change management and risk management.
If you look at the criteria for achieving higher levels of maturity in most Capability Maturity Models, having a methodology is a criterion at the earliest level. To improve, you have to follow the methodology consistently, and to achieve the highest level of capability and maturity you have to continuously improve your process. The goal of course, is to consistently deliver what you said you would deliver, successfully and on time - and without good methodologies, this would not be possible. So there should be no debate that methodologies are indeed “a good thing”.
But perhaps a better question is: Can there be too much methodology? I think the answer to that question is also “yes”. I have seen methodologies evolve in several organizations from very little to a maze of methodologies – all mandated for every project, in a futile attempt by senior management to ensure project success – and to the point where rather than helping, they too often inhibit project success.
So where is the balance? What kind or amount of project management methodology is “just right”?
The problem is not the absence of project management methodologies. Indeed, the biggest project failures were with organizations that had the most methodologies. The greater need by project managers and their teams was for easy-to-use methodologies with direct links to recommended tools and templates, and even more importantly, that they also have the insights and understanding of the value of these methodologies to the success of a project and a motivation and desire to apply them.
I offer two simple tests to see if your methodology is “just right”.
- Do you have a methodology that is concise, yet complete, with simple and intuitive supporting tools and templates, that you and other project managers and your project teams actually want and like to use – and do use without coercion?
- Is training given to everyone on the team to ensure they all not only understand the project management processes, but why these processes are so important to project success?
I believe a very successful methodology would be based on just that –
a “Methodology Home Page” summary view of all the steps, with
each step hyperlinked to:
- A very brief description of what is involved in completing that step
- The recommended tool and/or deliverable template for that step
- Some completed examples of deliverables from other projects in your organization for that step
While I have seen some methodologies developed with this intent by several organizations, too often there is no attempt to screen, simplify, consolidate or rationalize the growing content.
Particularly for large and critical projects, to really foster the use of the methodology, I would also recommend that all project team members should take a combined project management/methodology training course at the onset of the project , and discuss, decide and commit at the onset how the methodology would be best applied to their project. This would both reinforce to all team members the importance and value of the methodology, and facilitate its appropriate use.
For those interested in seeing methodologies from other organizations, there are a number of methodologies posted on the Net. Here are some links to some of the better ones I have seen:
Florida’s State Technology Office
- Information Systems Development Methodology
http://eits.myflorida.com/
- Information Systems Development Methodology Quick Reference Guide
New South Wales Dept of Commerce – Office of Information
and Communications Technology
- Project Management Guideline
http://www.oict.nsw.gov.au/content/2.3.21-Project.asp
California Health and Human Services – System Integration
Division
- Project Management Methodology
http://www.bestpractices.cahwnet.gov/ProjectOfficeFunctions.aspx?fid=10&pid=0
New York State Office for Technology
- Project Management Guidebook
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/pmmp/guidebook2/index.htm
Editor's Note: Max Wideman comments...I note that in his article on "Are Project Management Methodologies A Good Thing." Tony Crawford reviews several "methodologies". Several are "Guidelines" and some are dedicated to the management of a particular technology rather to project management. In any case he seems to have missed two important ones: the Guidelines on my web site [!] starting with http://www.maxwideman.com/issacons/iac1032/index.htm and the TenStep method at http://www.tenstep.com/0.0.0TenStepHomepage.htm
About the Author:
Tony
Crawford, PMP is a senior project management consultant, with over 37 years
of experience in virtually all areas of Information Technology, including
program and project management, strategic planning, data center operations,
quality assurance, methodology development and training. In 1999 he established
his consultancy to pursue his passion and interest in program and project
management and he has focused on helping organizations in the successful
delivery of their mission critical projects through project management training,
consulting, team mentoring and project health checks. Contact information:
tony.crawford@alphapm.com,
Web site: www.alphaPM.com