Building a Project and Programme Management Profession

Feb. 23, 2011 - PRLog -- Words: Chris Ferguson, Novare Consulting

Projects have been used to deliver change for centuries and yet project failures still prevail today. There are many reasons; people still resist change, sponsors of change don’t understand their role, estimates are wild guesses and often project management is viewed as a job that people do alongside their 'day job'.

If projects are to be taken seriously, there is a compelling need for project management to be treated as a profession in the same way that accounting or engineering are. Training provides the first few stepping stones in developing a firm foundation for a project management career. Practitioners then acquire further skills, experience and confidence as they deliver programmes and projects.

Organisations not only need a combination of training, competency frameworks and a career structure to create a project management profession but they must also cultivate a culture that welcomes projects and managers who embrace change. When people oppose change there is a far greater burden placed on the project manager to deal with this and in turn deliver successful projects.

Project Managers have to be excellent communicators, resilient yet diplomatic and collaborate with those impacted by change to reach a solution. Advanced training or developing these softer skills through mentoring and coaching programmes is just one way to increase the professionalism of a project manager.

Best practice project management methods, processes and tools are all areas which can help combat project failure levels. Ensuring "fit for purpose" methods for example, there are some excellent examples of best practice methodologies from PRINCE2® (PRojects IN a Controlled Environment) and MSP™ (Managing Successful Programmes). However, processes for managing projects and decision making work best when they fit with the organisation’s own business structure and culture. Having the flexibility to adjust project management processes for different levels of risk and complexity in projects is crucial if they are to be well used.

Project managers also need to have good quality information in time to make decisions about their projects. A strong commercial focus and a good grasp of the business outcomes and the benefits of their projects are key aspects of improving the business performance.

These skill sets are crucial to the modern project manager’s arsenal. The killer combination of project management theory with the softer skills required to manage the people aspects and the business acumen to successfully deliver projects in, what is often complex and political environments.

It is important then that the provider an individual or company chooses as their training partner must combine these elements. Building a professional project management organisation must include practical development, training, coaching and continual support to build a sustainable, mature and successful project management practice. Packaged correctly, the approach can strengthen the business performance of projects and help to embed the profession of project management within an organisation.

The drive to improve project management standards is ongoing however project management has become a core competency and fixed feature for many organisations. Project management should be treated as a profession and as with many professions; continual learning, development and getting better at what we do will pay dividends as we see project success rates increase.  

Chris Ferguson is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Novare Consulting (on the Arras People Training Directory @ http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/project-management-training-...). He has an extensive background in Project and Programme Management; with experience in delivering integration, rationalisation and business expansion programmes across multiple sectors over the last 30 years. Novare Consulting are accredited to deliver APMG and APM Training. They also design bespoke programme and project management training, frameworks and competency models.

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Project Management Recruitment Specialists, focused on programme management, project management and project support.