Project Management Competencies

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Project Management Competencies The PMI
way Chris Cartwright
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Why Competencies ?

• How do you select/train/performance
  manage/classify/reward project managers ?
• History PMP or Reg PM ?
• Gestation of PMC Framework

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Framework?

• The PMC Framework in NOT a standard
• Used by individuals and companies to develop
  project managers
• Not intended for formal Certification

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Why would a company use the PMC Framework?

• PM Mapping amongst peers
• PM Development
• PM Classification
• Project allocation
• Right sizing
• Performance Management
• Profiling capabilities
• Strategic Planning

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PMP or not to PMP?

• Most large organisations are adopting a must be
  certified approach
• Customers are demanding it
• Raises the bar in professionalism

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A definition of Competency

• a competency is a cluster of related knowledge,
  attitudes, skills, and other personal
  characteristics
• That affects a major part of ones job
• That correlates with performance on the job
• That can be measured against standards
• That can be improved via training and development
• That can be broken down into dimensions of
  competence

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Models used for PMC Framework

• AIPM/ANTA PM Competence Standards
• Project Management Body of Knowledge
• Knowledge Areas
• Processes
• PMI Role Delineation Study
• Spencer Model for Personal Behaviours

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Dimensions of Competence
Knowledge
What do you know about project management? Can
normally be tested by an exam
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Dimensions of Competence
Knowledge
Performance
How well can you apply your knowledge in a real
life project? You must be able to provide evidence
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Dimensions of Competence
Knowledge
Performance
Personal

• Who you are while you
• are project managing
• Much more difficult
• to objectively measure
• Feedback from
• Managers, stakeholders
• 360s etc

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PMC - a structured approach

• Unit of Competence based on knowledge areas
• Competency Cluster based on processes
• Elements of competence what needs to
  be done
• Performance criteria what you can
  be seen to have done
• Assessment Guidelines what
  evidence can you provide

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An Example

• Unit of Competence Integration
• Competency Cluster Initiation
• Elements of competence Perform
  Feasibility Study and Analysis
• Performance criteria Perform
  high-level assessment of the
  organizational resources for the project
• Assessment Guidelines The tools
  and techniques utilized for initiating and
  appraising projects

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PM Competency
Knowledge
Performance
Personal
Units (Knowledge Area)
Units (Knowledge Area)
Units
Units (Knowledge Area)
Units (Knowledge Area)
Units
Units (Knowledge Area)
Units (Knowledge Area)
Units
Cluster (Process)
Cluster (Process)
Cluster
Cluster (Process)
Cluster (Process)
Cluster
Cluster (Process)
Cluster (Process)
Cluster
Elements
Elements
Elements
Elements
Elements
Elements
Elements
Elements
Elements
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Performance Criteria
Underpinning Knowledge
Demonstrable Performance
Underpinning Knowledge
Demonstrable Performance
Underpinning Knowledge
Demonstrable Performance
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Hard Competencies

• Knowledge and Performance
• Easy to measure
• Similar structure
• Previous history
• The only difference is how you measure each

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Soft Competency

• Personal Competency
• More difficult to measure
• Based upon the Spencer Model
• Recognised and used globally since the early 90s
• Originally a multi-level model

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Personal Competency

• The PMC Framework provide a basis for guidance to
  develop the instruments required for assessing
  these competencies
• In order to be judged fully competent, as defined
  by the units of competence outlined for this
  dimension of the Framework, a project manager
  would have to be viewed as satisfying the
  performance criteria defining the individual
  elements of competence

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Units of Competence

•          Achievement and Action
•          Helping and Human Service
•          Impact and Influence
•          Managerial
•          Cognitive
•          Personal Effectiveness

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Achievement Action
Element Operates with intensity Affects all
project stakeholders in a positive way Provides
new solutions in planning and delivering
projects Manages projects in an ordered
accurate way Takes initiative when required
Takes accountability for and delivers project
Seeks out new opportunities Ensures
information used is complete and accurate

• Cluster
• Achievement Orientation
• Concern for Order
• Initiative
• Information Seeking

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Achievement Orientation

• Performance Criteria
• 1 Focuses on task(s) and standards of excellence
  set by relevant project stakeholders.
• 2 Strives to do job well, reaching goals set by
  project stakeholders
• 3 Controls project risk proactively
• 4 Sets high performance standards for self
  acting as a role model for team.

Element Operates with intensity to achieve
project goals
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Helping Human Service

• Customer Service Orientation
• Interpersonal Understanding

Represents the client inside the project Takes
initiatives to provide excellent client
service Understands all project
stakeholders Listens and responds to others
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Client Service

• Element
• Represents the client
• inside the project

• Performance Criteria
• 1. Follows through on client inquiries,
• requests, and complaints.
• 2. Maintains clear communications with client
• regarding mutual expectations.
• 3. Monitors client satisfaction. Distributes
  helpful information
• to clients and gives friendly, cheerful service.
• 4. Acts to make things better.
• 5. Takes accountability for client satisfaction
• 6. Provides as much service as possible before
• passing responsibility to another person.
• 7. Remains engaged to ensure clients needs are
  met

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Impact and Influence

• Impact and Influence
• Organisational Awareness
• Relationship Building

Takes appropriate actions to influence others
Influences across projects and organisations
Understands and influences project team members
Understands the organisation Understands the
project Builds and maintains suitable
relationships with project stakeholders Establishe
s and maintains relationships at the right level
inside and outside the organisations
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Relationship Building
Performance Criteria 1 Maintains a network of
relationships, which extends through all
levels of the work unit or project
team. 2 Navigates quickly through network to
gain support to move project forward

• Element
• Builds and maintains suitable relationships with
  project stakeholders

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Managerial

• Teamwork and Cooperation
• Developing Others
• Team Leadership
• Assertiveness and Use of Positional Power

Builds team orientation within the project
Moulds core project stakeholders into a team
Undertakes team-building activities Builds a
project culture where personal development is
encouraged Develops project members to
effectively build this project culture
Demonstrates leadership of the project Leads
the project team Uses assertiveness when
necessary Manages the complete project
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Assertiveness and Use of Positional Power
Performance Criteria 1 Speaks assertively,
firmly saying No to unreasonable requests or
setting limits for others behavior. 2 Demand
s high performance, firmly setting standards
for performance or quality. 3 Insists on
compliance with procedures and policies

• Element
• Uses assertiveness when necessary

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Cognitive
Understands at a suitable level all issues
associated with the project Facilitates
solutions across all issues related to the
project Sees the project in a holistic way

• Analytical Thinking
• Conceptual Thinking

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Conceptual Thinking

• Element
• Sees the project in a holistic way

Performance Criteria 1 Observes discrepancies,
trends, and interrelationships in data or sees
crucial differences between current situation
and past situations. .2 2 Applies complex
concepts (e.g., root-cause analysis, portfolio
analysis, natural selection) or applies
knowledge of past discrepancies, trends, and
relationships to look at different
situations. .3 3 Applies or modifies complex
concepts or methods appropriately. 4
Simplifies complexities by pulling together
ideas, issues, and observations into a single
concept or a clear presentation
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Personal Effectiveness

• Self-Control
• Self-confidence
• Flexibility
• Organisational Commitment

Maintains self-control Creates an environment
of confidence Accepts failure positively
Changes to meet the needs of the project
Changes at the required pace Demonstrates
commitment to the project
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Self Control

• Element
• Maintains self-control

Performance Criteria 1 Responds calmly feels
strong emotions, such as anger or extreme
frustration, but controls these emotions and
continues discussions or other processes
calmly. 2 Uses stress management techniques to
control response, prevent burnout, and deal
with ongoing stress.
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Source

• The material is contained in
• Project Manager Competency Development Framework
• Published by Project Management Institute
• Available at http//www.pmibookstore.org/

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Current State of Play

• PMCDF Published late 2002
• Not recognised as ANSI Standard
• PMI uses knowledge based process
• Competency based Certification growing globally
• PMI does not want to be left behind

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Where to from here?

• PMCDF Update project started
• Yours truly as project manager
• Participants welcome
• Two deliverables
• Research report on current issues with
  Certification
• New Framework updated to include the changes in
  various standards

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The Update Project

• Research Report on global issue end this year
• Framework for team review late 2005
• Framework for SME Review mid 2006
• Framework for Exposure Draft late 2006
• Framework for issuance as ANSI Standard mid 2007

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Knowledge
Performance
Thank you and Questions?