PMcrunch

Though I have not heard it made official all indications are that we are in recession. This appears to be not just for the United States but for much, if not most, of the rest of the world. The cause of this recession, of course, is the credit crunch and all issues surrounding that. So the big question is, “What can project and program managers do to cope with this recession?” I have some thoughts, and for reference have tapped into ideas of Jack and Susie Welch.

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There is no doubt about it we are in tough economic times. The current woes on Wall Street are only the most recent evidence of our collective economic difficulties. So the big question is how do project and program mangers cope with these difficult times. Many fear the loss of jobs and extended time away from work. This includes team members, it can include stake holders, it can include the project and program managers themselves. It is this fear that is one of the important keys to coping with difficult times.

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Time off is not just a luxury. It’s a responsibility of leadership for project managers and program managers. Especially in summer, where schedules tend to be a little lighter, it is easier to take some time off and connect with others who also are taking time off. Taking time off helps us personally, as well as our families and social relationships, but it is also a big gain for members of our project team, as everyone appreciates an organization that acknowledges and values time outside of work.

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There has been a tremendous amount of buzz more recently about PMOs, otherwise known as Project Management Offices. Here is what a select group of experts are saying about PMOs today.

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Innovation has a real diseconomy: What is making the organization work now can become at odds with what might make the organization work well, or better in the future. What effect does this have on Project Management, and where can Project Portfolio Management make a difference?

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Daptiv, formerly eProject, has changed its name effective November 12, 2007, reflecting its desire to cast a wider net within the enterprise. The name eProject reflected a strict project management focus, whereas Daptiv – with connotations of fast, adaptive, dynamic, modern, futuristic – leaves behind that more singular focus. In fact, CEO Jeff Pancottine has reported that the new branding reflects the on-demand, flexible style and wide range of uses for the software beyond the scope of traditional Project Portfolio Management (PPM). The capabilities of web services surely figured into this marketing move.

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Engineering analysis is often an input to overall project management. However, in larger organizations, or in consulting firms that service a multitude of customers, the engineering analysis is a project unto itself. This brings to the surface the question, “What is the process for these types of projects, and how does it map to the PMBOK?”

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Schumacher was right on years ago in his seminal book “Small is Beautiful”. The subtitle “as if People Mattered” is very appropriate for this comparison between large and small, as the struggle between large and small continues, and by and large people are treated as more important on smaller projects. In the software development field, Agile is small!

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There is a need for a more fluid approach to project management. As human beings, we have developed as social beings that want to work with a bigger picture and in less compartmentalized situations. Large projects need to find a way to leverage the strengths of small projects, and technology can help.

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Solid architecture is one key ingredient to overall project success. How project managers and architects approach this process has a profound effect on product quality.

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