CIOs of technology companies have stated that they want to see the characteristics and skills of a PM among their employees. Based on a study by Computer Economics, the desire to obtain Project Managers remains constant or increasing, in the same way the efficiency that companies with formal project offices (PMOs) and that have institutionalized a good management structure is evident Projects.
Now, are the general characteristics of an IT project manager different from those of another colleague working in another industry? In principle, the answer is NO, the skills of an IT PM are based on the same characteristics that are necessary for that position in any other industry, although we should still highlight some differences.
First of all, when we talk about IT, what are we referring to? Undoubtedly to the management of projects developed in the computer industry. But the IT industry has evolved so much in recent times, that those simple letters "Information Technology" perfectly encompass projects as different and complex as software development, the implementation of an ERP or canning, the installation of a networking infrastructure, the development of a Data Warehouse, any development based on Web, the maintenance of a legacy software, a reengineering or BPM project, or a combined integration project that includes both software, hardware, networks and services for example. All these projects, even though they may be part of what are called IT projects, each have their own particularities,complexities and very different and diverse knowledge (implementing a Data Warehouse is not the same as doing Web development, even though the two may be complementary).
Secondly, when we talk about Project Manager, we mention the person responsible for achieving the project's objectives. PMI project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the application and integration of project management processes from initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closure. Understanding and applying what are called “good practices” is not sufficient on its own for effective project management. This requires that the project management team understand and use the knowledge and skills corresponding to at least five areas of expertise:
Fundamentals of Project Management (generally those described in the PMBOK® Guide) that include: Definition of the project life cycle, The five Project Management Process Groups, and the nine Knowledge Areas.
Knowledge, rules and regulations of the project itself, in the case of IT the development or engineering of software or some specific type of engineering, knowledge of contracting, development of new products, knowledge of industries or services, technological knowledge, etc.
Understanding of the project environment, all projects are planned and implemented in a social, economic and environmental context and have desired and / or unwanted positive and negative impacts. The project team must consider the project in the context of its cultural, social, international, political and physical environment.
General management knowledge and skills that provides the foundation for developing project management skills and is often essential to the project manager. In any project, skills related to a large number of general Management topics may be required.
And finally the so-called "Interpersonal Skills" that include:
- Effective communication. Information exchange Influence on the organization. Ability to "get things done" Leadership. Develop a vision and strategy, and motivate people to achieve that vision and strategy. Motivation. Encourage people to achieve high levels of performance and overcome obstacles to change Negotiation and conflict management. Consult with others to agree or reach agreements with them Problem solving. Combination of problem definition, identification and analysis of alternatives, and decision making Competencies of a PM IT
So far the requirements and qualities of the PM are the same for any type of industry, but as IT is the most outstanding industry in terms of innovation and complexities, it requires the PM to be aware of certain technical knowledge, the use of other tools and even processes, to be effective in the implementation of projects. The need to be up to date with technological changes, the fact that we are working with a team of professionals often called self-managed teams, the complexity of projects, the demand for "time to market" and the appearance of so-called "methodologies agile ”, are the aspects that mark the most outstanding differences between IT PMs with the rest.
Apart from these considerations, there will always be capacities called "soft" or "art" and "hard" or "science" capacities defined by the PMBOK knowledge areas. The PM needs a mixture of both, on the one hand to lead (art) that requires a strong capacity for communication, vision, use of interpersonal skills, motivation, etc., and on the other hand to manage (science) that requires directing and knowing the methodology to be applied, its tools and a strong capacity for analysis and problem solving. As a summary, the competences of a PM IT can be grouped into:
People Skills: The most important of a PM's skills is his ability to communicate with others including the work group, the client, the sponsor, the stakeholders and his own boss. Here natural leadership skills, persuasion, active listening, negotiation skills, assertiveness, emotional intelligence, empathy and motivation play a fundamental role for the success of the project. The new version of the PMBOK® now includes a separate (very brief) annex on the project manager's "interpersonal skills", also applicable to a PM IT. The PM who works on IT projects generally has a very particular working group in terms of their needs, knowledge and behaviors,Usually we are talking about experienced professionals and it is very common to work with “high performance” teams where the role of the PM should be more of a facilitator than a manager, trying to get their people to obtain the necessary resources, and eliminating obstacles or problems. when they show up. In adaptive or agile methodologies, much importance is given to this aspect. Another important skill is that of leading virtual groups, an aspect that nowadays is given a lot in practice such as the famous 24-hour projects or “follow the sun”. The geographical and hourly dispersion in the projects makes them very difficult, and even more so if an agile methodology has been chosen where face-to-face communication is essential.When we come across projects of this type, we should have special strategies to know how to handle them since we are not in direct contact with everyone, nor can we control them 24 hours a day. Spam management must be higher, we will have to apply remote control techniques, and communications and technologies become a vital factor. Web 2.0 in all its variants is a “must” in these cases and it uses the use of many tools and techniques that it offers us for a better implementation and control of the project.0 in all its variants is a “must” in these cases and we resort to the use of many tools and techniques that it offers us for a better implementation and control of the project.0 in all its variants is a “must” in these cases and we resort to the use of many tools and techniques that it offers us for a better implementation and control of the project.
Methodology and Processes: A project manager should follow and adhere to a formal methodology and processes for the implementation of a project. At this point, knowledge of the PMBOK® and its processes and areas of knowledge are essential, being clear about which Software Development Life Cycle to follow (SDLC) will be iterative, incremental, spiral, waterfall, etc., the organization's own processes and procedures., the processes and standards to be used in product quality control (audits, inspections, tests, formal prior technical reviews, etc.), the measurement metrics to be applied, the periodic reports and controls to be carried out and published, and in general all quantitative project management methods.A PM IT must also apply knowledge acquired from other sources and specialized IT bibliography that complements said guide such as SWEBOK®, software development and testing processes, knowing about quality standards (ISO, CMMI, ITIL, etc.) and any other specific methodology related to the project itself (for example Methodology for the implementation of a Data Warehouse). It is at this point that the differences with project management from other industries manifests itself more openly. New methodologies for project management (Scrum, Crystal, RUP, XP, etc.) emerged to carry out projects with very particular characteristics, which according to their followers, could not be carried out with traditional methodologies (PMBOK).A detailed explanation on agile methodologies and their difference with the traditional one of PMI is covered in a separate article due to the importance and controversies on the subject.
Technological Knowledge: Knowledge of the technology on which the project will work, both software and hardware, provides the IT PM with an additional plus. The question I am always asked is how much one should know about it. There is no single answer, in my opinion it will depend on the client, type of project and duration. For example, a short web development project would require strong technological knowledge since there is not enough time to acquire it on the go. In other cases, especially longer projects, knowledge of the business would prevail a little more than technological knowledge. We are not saying here that the PM must be a technological expert (for this he will have the appropriate personnel) but he should have sufficient experience to be able to dialogue with the client and his group,know basic concepts about Hardware (ex: differences between blade or rackable servers), Software (ex: operating systems, object oriented languages, databases, etc.), Networks and Telecommunications. It is always important and useful to know what we are going to manage and to be aware of the latest technological advances if we are working as a PM in the IT industry.
The PM and his working group
Regardless of these characteristics that you must have or improve if you are an IT PM, you will agree with me that in almost all projects you will find two types of fundamental resources / roles in addition to the classic analysts, programmers, testers, etc.. They are usually featured on all projects. One is the business analyst or SME of the client's business aspects, for example a telcos specialist, a finance specialist, a specialist in the retail or manufacturing business, etc. This person is the most important link between the project's business objective and the technical characteristics of its implementation. It is the one that will work primarily on the collection and understanding of the requirements and part of the analysis and design of the solution.This person is the one who dialogues not only with the users but also with the sponsor and top management to clearly understand how they work, what their processes are and their needs. Business analysts have their own language and even their own BOK (see IIBA's BABOK for a very interesting and comprehensive guide).
On the other hand we are going to meet the System Architect or Technical Leader who is the brain that will design and lead the development of the project from a technical point of view. It is the SME of the aspects of technology, architecture, hardware and software and they also have their own language and their own BOK's (SWEBOK, EABOK, SEBOK, etc). He will define design models, data objects, databases, interfaces and modules, etc. in short, the technical architecture on which our project will be based. The project whose business and needs solution is well known by the Business Analyst, is then reflected in a systems architecture model that is well known to the Systems Architect. Being this way, it is frequent that the Sponsor and the top Management speak directly with them in many cases,leaving aside his participation as PM. The problem will be that you must always make it clear that the accountability of the project is yours as PM. The PM is the one who must make the final decisions, negotiate and in some way lead the entire working group, letting the client know that although there are resources with greater knowledge than himself, the total understanding of the project and the success or failure will be his entire responsibility.full understanding of the project and success or failure will be your sole responsibility.full understanding of the project and success or failure will be your sole responsibility.
Delivery vs. You go out
In my Project Management courses in general I always point out the differences that exist between these two departments and the problems that they entail. It is interesting to observe (at least in my personal experience) how IT organizations of all sizes organize the sales area separately from the service area. These departmental silos can in some cases cause serious problems. Departments that are supposed to work together and in harmony to grow the organization have little or no communication between them. When synergy falls, cost and inefficiency increase. This is very common in the IT industry among sales and delivery or service departments, which although in practice have different functions, could not function in isolation or independently.Sales needs the PM to carry out the project and keep the customer satisfied, the PM needs sales to get projects to manage. The discord or misunderstanding of these functions can cause: • Low quality of the product or service
- Damage to the relationship with the Customer Focus on promises of quick sales without measuring consequences No joint involvement of both teams in the pre-sale Little communication between the departments
To avoid these kinds of problems and many more, marketing and service professionals (PM's) need to embrace the skills of the most skilled people on both sides. Project managers and sales should be competent to work in teams, guaranteeing the success of the project and ensuring customer satisfaction.
PMs can learn about business insights, interpersonal skills, and communications that are very important virtues in all vendors, while PMs can learn about insights into project methodologies, timelines, risks, and scoping. This will strongly depend on the organization and top management that encourage this relationship, as well as on each individual in particular who should understand that both have strengths and weaknesses. PMs as sales people should positively challenge each other and understand the importance of each other's professional and personal development.As a result of good synergy, the organization will have a sales department that understands the complexity of project implementation and PM's with a time-to-market and customer relationship mentality.
The Ideal IT Project Manager
Organizations often enter a dilemma when they have to recruit an IT project manager. Should they be looking for someone with technical skills or someone with dazzling interpersonal power? On this there is a whole debate and in general the decision is very particular depending on the company, the type of project and that is sought as relevant in the profile of the project manager.
In general, most people who are technology experts do not want to manage people, rather, they want to get their hands on programming, engineering, analysis or research. A typical or traditional project manager, by contrast, wants to see projects completed to completion, regardless of the technology that is involved.
Project managers, by their very nature, must have good communication skills. Until recently, many companies did not require high-level technical skills in them. In fact there are plenty of jobs for project managers that don't necessarily require technical training. (business roles). While it is important for IT managers to have sufficient basic knowledge of IT processes and technology, they must above all be able to manage people. They have to make sure that team members can do what is needed of them and lead them properly.
On the other hand, there are those who think that organizations should not even consider hiring someone who has no IT experience. An IT project manager who does not have the necessary technical capacity can pose a huge risk to the organization. The project manager, who is challenged by technology, is at the mercy of his resources (developers, programmers, architects) to oversee the most sophisticated aspects of a project, a situation that can significantly undermine his authority. Failure to fully understand the technical requirements of a project can lead to project failure. For those who think like this, the fact that the candidate has previously transited a technical base position and then taken a more managerial position, would be the ideal situation.
Often times all of this comes down to who you are hiring. There are two types of people or departments and they tend to have radically different views on what an ideal candidate is. Line managers, who are directly responsible for the work, tend to be much more interested in a person with past achievements, experience, track record, and where they were able to demonstrate leadership and project success. On the other hand, human resources departments tend to be more inclined to search for IT skills that are easier to identify in CVs, which can create a chasm between the type of project manager that best suits the position and what is perceived as impressive on paper.
Although the department that has the internal need for an IT project manager is ultimately responsible and generally places greater value on technological knowledge compared to interpersonal skills, because in most organizations, human resources are An important part of the hiring process, candidates must be able to pass on their worth to someone in that department, who is also interested in the candidate's psychological and social profile. In the end, it all results in a complicated equation where ideal candidates are increasingly difficult to find.
Ultimately it should be kept in mind that while technical skills can be learned in the classroom and on the job, no amount of education can prepare a candidate to transition from a strictly technical position to a more managerial role.
