Can Project Management Save the World?

Can the framework and procedures of project management by used to tackle the hard problems facing the humanity today?  I think so.  Many of the problems facing the world today are complex with many facets. 

The project management framework provides many tools, techniques and procedures to manage complexity.  One area that I think can be used with some success is a stakeholder matrix.  As with many projects, stakeholders are important and many stakeholders are not readily apparent during the course of planning.  A stakeholder matrix can help to identify stakeholders, their interest in the project, and how the project management team will communicate the project plan to them.

This tool is just one that can be used and if this was used for many of the hard issues, there may be less opposition to the project.

I think that people who are tackling these issues could benefit from some project management training or to have a project management mindset.

Thinking about Poverty

When I think about the many problems that face the world that good program management could solve, one area draws me in.  This area is solving the problem of poverty.  I have been thinking how I could work, using my education, training, and skill to solve the issue of poverty. 

I have a genuine interest in solving this issue.  It is such a large issue that it seems impossible to wrap your arms around it, but I know there are programs that work locally to solve such issues.  Some are more successful than others.  I believe that success can happen in this realm when people take personal responsibility.  It is just like self-directed learning in a way.  Personal responsibility is what it takes to succeed.  But beyond that, it is having a mentor to help navigate this somewhat complex subject. 

I have been thinking about this...look for more in this area in the future.

Getting Back into the Saddle

The hardest thing to do sometimes is to get back into the saddle. As we all start to shake off the COVID-19 delays and return to a somewhat business as usual approach to our projects and programs, we all have to remember the basics of project management don't really change.

Of course some things are easier face to face.  I find negotiations in person are easier after all so much of our communication is non-verbal.  But the truth is that most of my work is done remotely or virtually anyways, so that aspect hasn't really changed.

Sure the vehicle that we use to get things done, might changed, but the methods and end product will be the same. Sometimes I feel that I get things done through sure willpower...lol.

It is past time that we all get back to work and create value for ourselves, our companies, and our clients.  Project Managers are in the value creation business for sure.

Stop Printing and Filing Email

My job as a professional is to add value to the organization.  It is hard sometimes. Sometimes it is hard to even see the value that you add.  Believe me, when you are in the middle of a project it is easy to look over at the guy in the other cubicle and just whisper, "why?"

Why is the question though.  Why does somebody need this project done?  Why do they want this done and not leap ahead to the next technology? Why do we even exist?

There is a technique called the 5 Whys.  It is meant to help an organization discover the root cause of a defect, but it is helpful sometimes to discover the value of a task.

I mostly always feel that every task is important or there would not be someone doing it.  There are tasks that seem to be a self-licking ice cream cone and some that seem to be doomed from the start, but at some point someone thought it was necessary.  Some tasks have outlived their usefulness, like the idea of printing and filing email. It might seem like the thing to do, but it is just a waste in today's modern workplace.

My advice, find ways to add value to your organization and if you think you are not, find out why you are doing it and who you have to convince to stop doing it.  Organizations shouldn't be afraid of changing, they should it embrace it.  For Pete's sake, stop printing and filing emails....

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Program Manager Critical Skills

Continuously Improve Yourself

Project managers need to have a plan to continuously improve themselves.  Technology is changing at a rapid pace.  This rapid pace means the projects we work on change, the means and tools which we use to get work done change, and the people and organizations we serve become more technologically advanced.  Project managers need to have the skills to keep up with this fast pace change.

We all know those people and organizations who have refused to change and update their technical skills and those people and organizations have found themselves left out of the new economy.  I have learned that learning new skills opens up many more opportunities for me as a project manager.  This is important if the project manager is contemplating a job change or industry change.

The good news about this is that many organizations require a certain number of PDUs (Professional Development Units) for a person to maintain their certifications.  I have several certifications (PMP, CM, and SMC) and I am continually on the look out for PDUs that I can use to not only continue my certification, but to upgrade my skills.  Even after multiple decades and hundreds of projects, my skills still need to be upgraded and refreshed.  Anyone who thinks they are done learning, I will tell them they are wrong.

Being a project manager means continually learning and continually upgrading the skills that a project manager needs to face the challenges of the future.