Preparing project managers to deal with complexity Advanced project management education

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Preparing project managers to deal with
complexity Advanced project management education

• Janice Thomas, PhD
• Program Director, MBA in PM
• Athabasca University
• Thomas Mengel, PhD
• Associate Professor, Leadership Education
• University of New Brunswick

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Overview

• Why do we need Advanced PM Education?
• How do we develop PMs today?
• What do we need to do to prepare PMs for
  complexity??

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Why do we need Advanced PM?
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The Old Model

• Newtonian
• Modern
• World is predictable
• Work is routine
• Estimates are possible
• Standardization improves results
• Minimize change
• Security thru rigor

Control
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Newtonian PM Models
A
B
A project is a team based organizational activity
undertaken to create a unique product or service
within defined schedule, cost and performance
parameters
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However,

• Projects consistently miss objectives
• Anatomy of Major Projects
• Morris Hough 1984
• Chaos, Extreme Chaos
• Standish reports, 1994, 2001, 2002
• Mega Projects and Risk
• Flyvberg et al. 2003

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Newtonian PM Models
A
B
D
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So what do we do

• Increase training and research
• Join Associations
• Build PM0s, move PM up the org
• Increase standardization, codification,
  certification, professionalization
• Move to Agile methods

Resulting in some improvement
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Why isnt it working?

• All these approaches assume that we know how to
  manage projects
• Is this true?
• Doing the same things and expecting different
  results is the definition of insanity
• Albert Einstein
• Might be Newtonian Neurosis
• Doug DeCarlo

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Why do we need Advanced PM?

• Trained and or certified project managers are no
  more successful than accidental project
  managers in todays complex world (Crawford,
  2005)
• Current certification level pm training fails to
  prepare project management students for
  complexity (Crawford, Morris, Thomas and Winter,
  2006)
• Role of complexity, chaos, and uncertainty is
  gaining recognition in both research and practice
  (Ives, 2005)

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The Edge of Chaos

• We live in a world where chaos and order exist
  in tandem,
• where stability is never guaranteed but chaos
  always conforms to a boundary
• Margaret J. Wheatley,
• Leadership and the New Science

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New Model (s)

• Quantum
• Post Modern
• Uncertainty reigns
• Work is Complex, Flexible, Customized, Unique
• Murphys laws rule
• Welcome change
• Security by relaxing controls

Learning
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Quantum PM Models
TPM
A
B
C
Surfing on the edge of chaos
D
A project is a complex adaptive system that
requires learning and responsive adaptation.
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• Quantum
• Values effectiveness
• Deliver desired Results
• Results drive planning
• Correct to whats possible
• Manage relationships
• Employ guidelines and values
• Reward mistakes

• Newtonian
• Values efficiency
• Deliver planned results
• Planning drives results
• Correct to baseline
• Manage tasks
• Employ robust policies and procedures
• Eliminate mistakes

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Which is better?

• It Depends. . .
• On your organizations maturity
• On the type of projects you undertake
• On your people
• 0n the content in which you operate

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What kind of PM do we need to be successful in
this environment?
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How do we develop expertise?
Master
Level of Proficiency
Journeyman
Apprentice
Experience and Training
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Apprentice PMs

• Learn the formulas and
• most projects most of the time knowledge of
  the field
• Focus on know what
• Develop Cognitive Intelligence of PM
• Work within established guidelines
• Practice on simple projects

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Journeyman PMs

• Learn context dependent and independent PM
  knowledge
• Develop know how, know where, know when knowledge
  
• EQ knowledge becomes important
• Refine PM guidelines
• Competently manage systems projects

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Master PMs

• Develop holistic and intuitive approach
• Act as trusted advisers
• Are accountable
• Deliver workable value
• Provide context dependent and appropriate PM
  policies, practices procedures
• Lead complex adaptive projects where the
  traditional rules of PM fall short

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Developing PM Competency
Apprentice Journeyman Master
Level Novice Competent Expert
Nature of Knowledge Context independent Both dependent independent Intuitive, holistic, synthetic
Relation to environment Reactive Relational / Responsive Orientational / Interpretive
Roles Team Leader Project Mgr Project Leader
Knowledge Application Analytical deliberation Analytical Interpretation Intuitive Leaps
Development path Project Exp. Formal Educ. Proj Mgt Exp. Business Skills Advanced PM Requires Giving Back
Master Project Managers
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How Do We Develop Project Managers today?

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How Do We Develop Project Managers today?

• 2004 Study of REP and University Websites
• 6,982 REP programs, 12 universities
• Only 580 REP offerings (8) and 1 university
  program explicitly target advanced (PMP)
  audience
• Most programs emphasize PMBOK Guide and / or
  best practices
• Little evidence of taking complexity theory
  seriously
• Complexity or complex referred to the nature of
  the project not the underlying assumptions

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How Do We Develop Project Managers today?

• 2005 PMI REP Meeting Toronto
• recognizes 85 of REP training is on basics and
  dissemination of best practices
• encourages development of higher level training
  and development material
• focus still on content provision

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How Do We Develop Project Managers today?

• 2007 Study of REP and University Websites
• 12,500 REP programs, 15 universities
• Only 954 REP offerings (8) and 2 university
  programs explicitly target advanced (PMP)
  audience
• Most programs emphasize PMBOK Guide and / or
  best practices
• Little evidence of taking complexity theory
  seriously

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What do we need to do to prepare project managers
for complexity?

• Build programs based on how adults learn and
  develop expertise
• Take into account different types of intelligence
• Learn from the 15 year head start management
  learning and education has in critical and
  complexity education

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How Do Adults Learn?
Stage 1 Having an experience
Experience
Stage 4 Testing the Implications of concepts in
new situations
Stage 2 Reviewing the experience
Reflection
Application
Generalization
Stage 3 Formation of abstract concepts and
generalizations
Based on Kolbs Model of Learning in Adults
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Developing PMs for Uncertainty and Complexity
Mengel Thomas, 2004 building from
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Developing Master PMs Requires

• Accepting new objectives
• Reduced focus on content and analytical skills
• Emphasize developing skills to deal with
  ambiguity, complexity and uncertainty
• Decision making, negotiation, prioritization,
  flexibility, communication, and adaptability
  become key
• Role of Project Manager as Business Manager

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Developing Master PMs Requires

• Covering new content on
• organizational, project and environmental context
  and inter-relationships
• strategy, finance, leadership, networking,
  knowledge management, cross cultural, ethics and
  values
• coping with continuous change, self-organized
  dynamics, virtual and cross cultural comm.
• self-knowledge
• various frames of reference
• skills to build and contribute to
  high-performance teams

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Developing Master PMs Requires

• New methods of delivery
• Flexibly fit with work lives of senior
  practitioners
• Encourage questioning of theory and practice
• Provide opportunity to apply new models to
  educational and practical situations
• Facilitate sharing experience and knowledge with
  peers and instructors
• Enable/require reflective practice as a portion
  of the educational model
• Developing models of co-learning

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Conclusions

• If we need Master PMs, then our development of
  PMs must adapt to provide the skills and
  competencies needed
• Todays educational offerings largely aim at
  transferring know what and know how regarding
  most projects most of the time and best
  practices
• Master PM preparation and training is largely
  left to the individual practitioners

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Master PM programs should

• Go beyond basics of BOKs
• Focus on accomplishment rather than control
• Depend on a sustained transfer of knowledge and
  experience between practitioners and academics
• Focus on developing RPs capable of customizing PM
  practice to context
• Prepare PMs to live with and lead through
  ambiguity, uncertainty, and change

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