By Cristina Lee, COO, The Tatham Group Phils
If you think managing a project is all about using good techniques and tools, think again. There is a process for managing a project, more than just using tools!
A lot of instances (and I have seen this happen so many times), there is a tendency to start out building a GANTT – and project management software prompts this behavior – without considering the fundamental purpose of the project, or even have any clear idea of how to systematically go about it. In other words, the project management tools drive and manage the project.
It should be the people driving the project. And one can only do this if the thinking process requisite to managing a project is in place. This thinking process is systematic, requires discipline and is akin to following a checklist. In other words, it follows a clear methodology of understanding WHAT the project is all about, WHY you’re doing it, HOW it should be planned and carried out and WHAT type of resources are required. Only after all this information at the initial steps of the process is gathered can one determine whether it’s a GO or NO GO for the project team.
I see a lot of parallels between the Tatham process and project management process in that both must follow a systematic and disciplined approach for the process and the outcome to be effective. Both also have a lot of iterative steps built into the process. And the effectiveness of both processes are developed using best practices and gleaned from years of use and refinements in actual work environments.
Cristina has got it ‘mostly right’. I agree that the parallel between superior process and project management is essential. But process based on best practices needs to be considered very carefully. What is ‘best practice’ for one corporation may be totally wrong for another. What needs to be considered is best ‘fit’. If we use documents such as the PMBOK (PMI best practices) or PRINCE2 as the basis of devising our processes (our project management processes) and then complementing those with the good process practices espoused by the Tatham group (fit, measure, change) then you have the creative opportunity to create a superior process.