"Is project management more of a science or more of an art form?"
Introduction
Today’s business executives are asking their managers and employees “to do more… with less”. Fewer Project Managers are leading more projects with poor results, the latest Standish Group – Chaos Report shows that only 28% of IT projects succeed. Many believe that the key to Project success in not applying technical management principles, but rather, more artful soft skills such as communication and creativity. (Belzer, 2004).
This case study will present and discuss why the application of soft skills will help today’s stressed-out Project Managers implement successful projects. Not only must projects be deployed on time and within budget, they must ultimately bring value to the stakeholder. Often times relating this information to the project sponsor requires creativity rather than a montage of colorful Gantt charts and graphs.
The truly gifted Project Managers are those that can apply the systematic hard skills in an artful manner by using soft skills. To that end, some systematic or science related management skills will be discussed, along with the soft skills and how they are used together to successfully manage projects.
Scientific Approach
Systematic or “hard” skills such as Gantt Charting or diagramming are just some of the tools Project Managers use to track project activities. While they are important to project success they are not the end all. Successful Project Leaders know the winning formula for combining hard skills with soft skills. A thorough understanding of the technical system to be deployed allows project leaders to break the project down into many smaller tasks. Assigning the staffers with the appropriate technical skill sets requires a manager who knows the technology to be implemented. In this sense, the project leader must be technically savvy. Applying a scientific systematic formula to the project provides for effective and efficient use of resources.
Successful projects, those that deliver value to the organization, use proven Project Life Cycle models such as the standard ISO model. (Greer, 1999). Following a “cookie-cutter” approach such the ISO standard is a very scientific management style which requires discipline from the manager.
While a rigid management style may get line items checked-off, it can sometimes lead to failure as the end-user may be intimidated by the strict discipline. For instance, City Hospital in the U.K. had a disastrous IT deployment of an automated system. A post-study found that while the contractor Oracle, had done the proper step of getting end-users involved in the analysis, the users supplied inaccurate data which was used in the development phase and ended up as flaws in the final product. Various reasons were given for the flawed input such as; hurried users, wrong users and users embarrassed to admit they didn’t understand the system. (Brown, 1998)
Following a strict systematic guideline is sometimes self-defeating. That is, leaders and participants can act to avoid failure but don’t for fear of deviating from the plan. (Brown, 1998).
It’s not just rigid planning that reduces project success, it could be the organizational culture. For example, companies that minimize concurrent active projects have better success than those that always have projects on-going or “in the pipe”. (Worthington, 2001).
Strictly following scientific principles doesn’t equate to instant failure. Studies show that successful projects are directly related to thoroughly documented needs for the project. (Greer, 1999). Organizations that perform scientific risk analysis on the personal, technical, and legal aspects have better project success. (Worthington, 2001).
Up to this point it has been shown that strictly apply hard skills to project management can have both a detrimental effect or help to increase the chance for success. The hard skills are the tools, effective application of these tools requires more than formulas and standards. A flexible and creative mind can apply hard skills to effectively manage complex projects to achieve business objectives and financial success. The following section provides a discussion why project management is more art than science.
Applying Art
The goal of Project Management is to complete projects deemed important to achieving business objectives. Successful project management completes deliverables on time, with in budget, and acceptable to the customer. (Belzer, 2004). In addition to being an expert “juggler” successful project leaders have many artistic skills. Like a painter, talented managers create a detailed picture of the deliverables so the project sponsors can see the finished product. The manager uses both graphics and visual writing skills to describe the project tasks and deliverables.
Communication is the key to project success. (Belzer, 2004). Effective Project Managers are able to communicate both up and down the corporate ladder. In addition, they possess a talent for understanding the corporate culture and the political hierarchy of their organization. Being able to negotiate with corporate political powers allows the project manager to secure the backing for funding and resource allocation.
Successful managers are good leaders, they can communicate and motivate team members while handling the overall responsibility for the project. They also understand organizational and individual dynamics. This skill allows them to assign the right person(s) to the appropriate tasks.
Effective managers are teachers, coaches, and mentors. Their experience has taught them how to manage expectation, communicate, motivate, and solve problems effectively.
Successful Managers are known for being trustworthy. (Belzer, 2004). This attribute enhances their leadership and motivational skills. These managers are extremely flexible and creative. As project tasks change due to scope creep and new requirements they maintain their composure and find solutions to the problems confronted.
Good leaders exhibit other soft and “people” skills such as stress and relationship management skills. All of these intangible qualities used in union with scientific or hard skills help project leaders manage both tasks and people in order to complete project deliverables in a timely manner.
Conclusion
Introduction
Today’s business executives are asking their managers and employees “to do more… with less”. Fewer Project Managers are leading more projects with poor results, the latest Standish Group – Chaos Report shows that only 28% of IT projects succeed. Many believe that the key to Project success in not applying technical management principles, but rather, more artful soft skills such as communication and creativity. (Belzer, 2004).
This case study will present and discuss why the application of soft skills will help today’s stressed-out Project Managers implement successful projects. Not only must projects be deployed on time and within budget, they must ultimately bring value to the stakeholder. Often times relating this information to the project sponsor requires creativity rather than a montage of colorful Gantt charts and graphs.
The truly gifted Project Managers are those that can apply the systematic hard skills in an artful manner by using soft skills. To that end, some systematic or science related management skills will be discussed, along with the soft skills and how they are used together to successfully manage projects.
Scientific Approach
Systematic or “hard” skills such as Gantt Charting or diagramming are just some of the tools Project Managers use to track project activities. While they are important to project success they are not the end all. Successful Project Leaders know the winning formula for combining hard skills with soft skills. A thorough understanding of the technical system to be deployed allows project leaders to break the project down into many smaller tasks. Assigning the staffers with the appropriate technical skill sets requires a manager who knows the technology to be implemented. In this sense, the project leader must be technically savvy. Applying a scientific systematic formula to the project provides for effective and efficient use of resources.
Successful projects, those that deliver value to the organization, use proven Project Life Cycle models such as the standard ISO model. (Greer, 1999). Following a “cookie-cutter” approach such the ISO standard is a very scientific management style which requires discipline from the manager.
While a rigid management style may get line items checked-off, it can sometimes lead to failure as the end-user may be intimidated by the strict discipline. For instance, City Hospital in the U.K. had a disastrous IT deployment of an automated system. A post-study found that while the contractor Oracle, had done the proper step of getting end-users involved in the analysis, the users supplied inaccurate data which was used in the development phase and ended up as flaws in the final product. Various reasons were given for the flawed input such as; hurried users, wrong users and users embarrassed to admit they didn’t understand the system. (Brown, 1998)
Following a strict systematic guideline is sometimes self-defeating. That is, leaders and participants can act to avoid failure but don’t for fear of deviating from the plan. (Brown, 1998).
It’s not just rigid planning that reduces project success, it could be the organizational culture. For example, companies that minimize concurrent active projects have better success than those that always have projects on-going or “in the pipe”. (Worthington, 2001).
Strictly following scientific principles doesn’t equate to instant failure. Studies show that successful projects are directly related to thoroughly documented needs for the project. (Greer, 1999). Organizations that perform scientific risk analysis on the personal, technical, and legal aspects have better project success. (Worthington, 2001).
Up to this point it has been shown that strictly apply hard skills to project management can have both a detrimental effect or help to increase the chance for success. The hard skills are the tools, effective application of these tools requires more than formulas and standards. A flexible and creative mind can apply hard skills to effectively manage complex projects to achieve business objectives and financial success. The following section provides a discussion why project management is more art than science.
Applying Art
The goal of Project Management is to complete projects deemed important to achieving business objectives. Successful project management completes deliverables on time, with in budget, and acceptable to the customer. (Belzer, 2004). In addition to being an expert “juggler” successful project leaders have many artistic skills. Like a painter, talented managers create a detailed picture of the deliverables so the project sponsors can see the finished product. The manager uses both graphics and visual writing skills to describe the project tasks and deliverables.
Communication is the key to project success. (Belzer, 2004). Effective Project Managers are able to communicate both up and down the corporate ladder. In addition, they possess a talent for understanding the corporate culture and the political hierarchy of their organization. Being able to negotiate with corporate political powers allows the project manager to secure the backing for funding and resource allocation.
Successful managers are good leaders, they can communicate and motivate team members while handling the overall responsibility for the project. They also understand organizational and individual dynamics. This skill allows them to assign the right person(s) to the appropriate tasks.
Effective managers are teachers, coaches, and mentors. Their experience has taught them how to manage expectation, communicate, motivate, and solve problems effectively.
Successful Managers are known for being trustworthy. (Belzer, 2004). This attribute enhances their leadership and motivational skills. These managers are extremely flexible and creative. As project tasks change due to scope creep and new requirements they maintain their composure and find solutions to the problems confronted.
Good leaders exhibit other soft and “people” skills such as stress and relationship management skills. All of these intangible qualities used in union with scientific or hard skills help project leaders manage both tasks and people in order to complete project deliverables in a timely manner.
Conclusion
While there is no one scientific formula or personal trait to ensure successful IT project implementations, business executives can lessen the chances of failure by selecting project managers who exhibit artistic and creative attributes.
Project management is more art than science and project leaders who are given the flexibility to use their talents will meet project objectives on time and to the customer’s satisfaction. Creative project leaders excel at communication which is a key ingredient to project success. People skills such as motivation and the ability to understand organization culture are also qualities of successful managers. Good leaders apply artistic traits to scientific tools in order to effectively manage complex projects.
By
James T. Fry
October 22, 2007
Course: ITM533 Module 1 – Fall 2007
Core Prof: Dr. Kurt Diesch
Coor Prof: Dr. Gregory Herbert
Bibliography:
Kate Belzer (2004) Project Management: Still More Art than Science
Andrew D. Brown, Matthew R. Jones (1998) Doomed to failure: narratives of inevitability and conspiracy in a failed IS project. Organization Studies, Winter.
Michael Greer (1999) 14 Key Principles for PM Success. Chapter 6: Planning and Managing Human Performance Technology Projects, "Handbook of Human Performance Technology, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass
Craig Schiff (January, 2004) Maximize Business Performance: Getting Started: The BPM Project Life Cycle
Paul Worthington (2001) Case Study – Developing Project Management Skills in Managing Death March Projects. Working paper, School of Business, Curtin University, Perth, AU
James T. Fry
October 22, 2007
Course: ITM533 Module 1 – Fall 2007
Core Prof: Dr. Kurt Diesch
Coor Prof: Dr. Gregory Herbert
Bibliography:
Kate Belzer (2004) Project Management: Still More Art than Science
Andrew D. Brown, Matthew R. Jones (1998) Doomed to failure: narratives of inevitability and conspiracy in a failed IS project. Organization Studies, Winter.
Michael Greer (1999) 14 Key Principles for PM Success. Chapter 6: Planning and Managing Human Performance Technology Projects, "Handbook of Human Performance Technology, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass
Craig Schiff (January, 2004) Maximize Business Performance: Getting Started: The BPM Project Life Cycle
Paul Worthington (2001) Case Study – Developing Project Management Skills in Managing Death March Projects. Working paper, School of Business, Curtin University, Perth, AU
