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Author: Hans Jonasson

Only the Certifiable Gets Certified?

Not real sure what that heading means but I liked the sound of it. I get a lot of questions in the classroom about the value of PMI certification. And since it is a big undertaking for most people to get certified, it is a question worth thinking about. Normally I tell people that if you think you may be looking for a job in the near future or if your company puts a great value on it, then it is a no-brainer, just do. However, if neither of those reasons is true, it is a tougher call.

I do hear a lot of practitioners say that being certified does not show that you can run a project. And that is of course true. Just like having a driver’s license does not prove that you know how to drive a car (as proven by the %*!&><# who cut me off on I-75 yesterday!). Still... I do prefer that the other drivers around me have licenses. While it does not prove that they are great at what they are doing, I think it improves my odds. And it shows that they care enough about being behind a steering wheel to try to improve.

So maybe the most important part about becoming certified is that it shows that you are certifiable. In other words, it tells me that you have some level of experience (since you could sit for the exam), it shows that you have some training on the subject of your profession, and it shows that you can answer some basic theoretical questions about your job. And it shows potential customers and employers that you care a bit.

So, next time someone tells you that a PMP exam means nothing, ask if they would use a lawyer who flunked the bar exam. Or a doctor who skipped the medical board review. Would they send their kids to unlicensed daycares? Nothing guarantees competence, certainly a PMP title does not, but success is also not guaranteed by bringing on the guy that runs his project on gut feeling and a fly-by-night approach. PMI’s way is not the only way. There are other ways to run projects. But PMI’s way is “a way,” and not a bad way. It is better than “no way.”  So my recommendation is, if you can get certified, do it; if you can find a mentor, get him or her to support you; if you see an interesting book, read it. In other words, use all means available to improve your skills in your profession. That may be what sets you apart from your competition. And, like it or not, you are in a competition!

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Project Control – Is it just an illusion?

In my last blog I was talking about earned value and my impression that it is not being used very much. I got some good responses to it and it seems like most of you agree. So, when going through the bloggers normal pain of finding the next topic to blog about, I got to thinking. What else in project management sounds good and right in theory, but is not always as pretty in real life? And project control jumped to my mind. One of those terms that sounds clear and scientific, but when you look behind the processes, it is not always pretty. I have been on many projects in my career, and I cannot say that I ever felt totally in control of one.

Now, I agree with the techniques that PMI uses to control projects. Variance analysis, corrective actions, earned value etc., are all ways to help us understand the project. But at the same time there is no doubt in my mind that the most important technique is informal communication with customers, team members, and other stakeholders. And yes, I know that PMI recognizes this communication as well, but since it is hard to clearly define and sometimes is more art than science, it tends to not get the attention it should.

Very few project managers will say in their lessons learned that the project failed because they did not spend enough time updating Microsoft Project, or calculating earned value, or even reviewing trend analysis. The most common cause of failure that I hear people talk about is a lack of communication; communication between organizations, between team members and especially between the project team and the customer.

For me the most important project control technique is the old “MBWA”. Management By Walking Around. In other words, Informal communication, being visible, being accessible. The project manager who sits in the office looking at network diagrams will not have the same feel for the pulse of the project as the project manager who talks to the stakeholders on a regular basis. When you build a personal relationship with the team, the customer and others, you are much more likely to get honest feedback and early warnings. People may not want to tell you in a formal status report that there are some issues on the project, but one on one, once you have built trust they are much more likely to open up.

So project control has a lot of aspects to it, formal metrics are a part of it, but don’t underestimate the value of just walking up to the customer, sitting down and asking; “How are things going?”

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Why so much Talk about Earned Value? Who Uses it?

Earned Value Management, is one of the most taught and discussed topics of project management when it comes to classrooms and articles in magazines. So I figured I better do a blog about it as well. If nothing else, because I need a good topic and what could be better. Almost every project management class I have taught has had a section on Earned Value in it. Together with Charter, Schedule, WBS, and Risk, I would say it is the most lectured on topic.

But it is also true that almost no one in the classes I teach have ever, and probably will never, use it. There are exceptions of course, primarily among defense contractors, but the exceptions are few and far between. So why all the hype? I think there are two main reasons.

First, it is the most well defined project management topic out there. It tends to be exact, it has a lot of formulas, it is viewed as objective and it gives us a lot of details to impress management with. In other words, it makes project management look like science rather than art. In a world where project managers often feel that they don’t have time for a process, that they need to spend more time in soft undefined communication with customers, team members, and other stakeholders. In that world it is nice to have a good formula for SPI and CPI to tell you how you are doing on the project. They can show you that you are doing great even if you know differently.

The second reason is more positive. To do earned value, we need a well defined scope, we need a WBS and a detailed schedule. We must have ways to measure progress and analyze the status of the project. And we need to forecast the future. By using earned value, we put emphasis in all of those areas. So maybe earned value can be viewed as a framework that shows how the different pieces of project management fit together. Even if it is overkill for our project, it still shows the importance of planning, execution and control.

So, the next time that you are sitting in an earned value class, listening to an earned value presentation, or reading an article about it, try to look beyond the dryness of the math; its impracticality in your small project, and the sheer boredom often inherent with EV, AC, PV, CPI, TCPI, and the other terms. There are concepts and portions of earned value that can, and in fact must, be used on any project. And they’re worth talking about!

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Project Management Training in Europe and in the USA. Part 2

Ok, this is the second part of my blog on training in Europe and the USA. I didn’t get much feedback on the first one. I think the timing may have been too short, plus July is often a month when we have other things on our mind rather than project management.

Anyway… the premise of Part 1 is that European training programs are more targeted to high potential candidates and appear to do more to integrate networking and training into the same events. Whether you agree with the stereotypical view that one approach is European while the other is American, I think it is clear that different organizations approach the design of training programs differently. And I think there are pros and cons with each approach.

By targeting high potentials in the organization and providing a more integrated experience with networking time and activities outside of the classroom, the European approach gives more of an “I am special” feeling. The participants are often selected by their managers and they do tend to look at the training as a stepping stone in their career. However, they are sometimes not at the right level for the training. They may be too senior or too junior. After all, the main selection criteria are often not if they need the training, but rather if they are on a certain career path.

The American training system, by having more of an open enrollment approach, gets people who want to be in the class (after all it was their choice) and often these are people who will benefit from the training. But, they don’t feel special, so their general attitude is often that they want to learn but the company will not support their use of what they learned later. On the down side, you tend to get some people who just like to be in the classroom without needing the training.

So how do you decide? My suggestion is that the company offer a basic curriculum, in-house or through educational institutions, where the students can decide if they need the training or not (open enrollment). But that you also offer some “high talent” program where key employees are selected and go through advanced training, customized for your organization. I don’t think this is required for PM101 or any 101 classes. But when you get into advanced leadership topics, it is more important that the right people are there.

What do you think? Please leave your Comments below

Project Management Training in Europe and in the USA. Part 1

This is an experiment for me. I will try a two part blog, and see what type of feedback I get in between the blogs and attempt to incorporate some of that in the second blog. Please let me have your thoughts by posting a comment below.

I am primarily a project management trainer and have been one for about 15 years now. The training market is always impacted by the general economy so I’ve seen a few ups and downs over the years. I’m sure it is no surprise to anyone to see a sharp reduction in PM training right now. Many customers are no longer in business and even more are just concerned about making it through the year. What has surprised me though, is that the difference in the US market versus the European. I am doing more training in Europe than ever, and even though that market is down as well, it seems to be holding up better. Maybe this is because their economy is better, but it may also be that they have a different approach and view on training.

Now, I must preface this by admitting that I am not an expert on European training, so I am basing these observations purely on my own experience and, as always, I welcome other viewpoints.

When doing training in Europe, it is much more likely that the training will be held at a conference center and that the students will actually stay and socialize in the evening. The hours also tend to be a bit longer. This allows for more interaction and networking outside of the classroom, which I have always felt is a key ingredient to any successful training. In addition it seems like the selection process of the students is a much stronger focus. They are often nominated by management; it is often seen as recognition for high potential individuals.

While that sometimes happen in the US as well, it is more common here that you see that course description in the learning system and the students sign up for what they feel like taking. While this may make them more motivated as students, it does not necessarily provide training which is in sync with their work responsibilities. It is also much easier to cut this type of training when budgets must be trimmed.

So…this is my premise as a starting point. In the next blog I will try to explore what I think the impact is of this set up. Both is these training approaches exists in both Europe and USA, so even if you don’t agree with it being European centric or US centric, it is still a difference worth exploring.

What do you think? Remember to post your comments below.


Hans Jonasson, PMP, CBAP, founder of JTC Unlimited, has over 25 years of experience in the areas of project management, business analysis and professional development training. Hans started his career with Volvo LTD in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1980 as a systems analyst/programmer. In 1984 he moved to United States to work on new development projects for EDS and General Motors. He has managed all aspects of software development projects varying from $100,000 to $10 Million for the automotive industry. He has been a Project Management Professional (PMP®) and member of the Project Management Institute (PMI®) since 1996. You can reach me at [email protected] .