A Guru’s Approach to Project Management
November 13th, 2003 by Hal
Project management could use more qualified gurus, if for no other reason but to solidify PM ideas and theories.
That was the opening line of Bob Weinstein's latest Gantthead article, A Guru's Approach to Project Management. Let's here it for Bob Weinstein and Gantthead. Woohoo! Weinstein is a regular columnist for Gantthead as well as an author of a dozen books. This article is a gem. Print or save a copy.
Weinstein interviewed two people he designates as gurus. Dave Schrader is the director of strategy and marketing at Teradata. Bob Sutton is the author of the well-known book Weird Ideas that Work. He calls them both "the real deal." So what does he mean by guru?
Gurus are justifiably praised for their unconventional view of the world. They have the unique capacity of taking theory and applying it, a skill possessed by a select few.
Here's a short summary of the two gurus' take on project management. Read the article for the rest.
Dave Schrader's seven guidelines for good project management
- Perform quarterly reviews.
- Control projects with a management triangle. The three parts of the triangle are features, time, and resources.
- Customer-based staging of delivery is essential.
- The bigger the project, the bigger the risk.
- Highly motivated teams drive projects.
- Provide constant feedback.
- Celebrate!
Bob Sutton: The Process Paradox, Too little or too much process is dysfunctional.
Start out pretending there is a process, yet avoid falling into the trap of thinking that's all there is. Myopic thinking leads to failure. Don't let the process become an end in itself or a formula. Think of it as an initial roadmap that will have to be changed as problems surface. The people who are really good accept this fact of life. They understand project management is never as linear as it seems.
Wish I had said it. Gantthead is becoming a powerful voice independent of the PM professional forums. They take a practical view of the world while still being provocative. This article is just one of many examples of what Gantthead has to offer anyone managing projects.
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