Have I forgotten something? Project management, a critical thinking approach.
Have I forgotten something?
Project management, a critical thinking approach.
“it has generally been seenthat there is no explicit
theory of projectmanagement”
Koskela & Howell (2002)
“it is either conceded that there is no theory of project management, or it reflects the opinion that the theoretical is not significant from the point of view of project management”Koskela & Howell (2002)
“Indeed it is the poverty of current theory that explains theother problems of projectmanagement, such as frequentproject failures”Morris (1994)
Common cause of project failure
• Lack of client involvement• Unrealistic timescales/budgets• Requirements definitions• Scope creep• Change control• Systems http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/cp0015.pdf
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/projectfailures/uk-prison-it-massive-and-spectacular-failure/2353
“an explicit theory is thecrucial single most importantissue for the future of theProject management profession”Koskela & Howell (2002)
So that’s what I forgot……….
A theory
Is there a single Project Management theory?
There are lots of theories in project Management
• Aggregate planning• Theory of Constraints• Costing theory• Planning theory (CPM/CPA/PERT/GERT)• Quality theory (TQM)
Maybe not, but there is a process
Stages of a process
• Project Initiation • Project Control • Project Closure
Each stage has a number of steps
Project initiation
• Step 01: Project Kick Off • Step 02: Project Objective & Scope • Step 03: Project Schedule and Budgeting • Step 04: Stage Schedule and Budgeting • Step 05: Project Organization • Step 06: Project Control Procedures • Step 07: Business Case • Step 08: Project Initiation Stage Assessment
The next stage
Project Control
• Step 01: Stage Kick Off • Step 02: Project Board Meetings • Step 03: Quality Control • Step 04: Progress Control • Step 05: Change Control • Step 06: Issues Management • Step 07: Exception Situation • Step 08: Stage End Assessment
The final stage
Project Closure
• Step 01: Final Product Evaluation • Step 02: Project Completion • Step 03: Process Improvement
Each step further breaks down in the procedure
Lockyer & Gordon suggest 4 phases
• And there are even more complicated process models, 5, 6, 8 phases
Conception
Development
Realisation
Termination
Developing successful project management systems
Comments from the discussion forum
Voltaire reminds us that;
“Common sense is not that common”
What is the missing link?
If there is no single theory of project management but there are a number of concepts and models which are used in the project management process, how do we pull them together to make coherent sense?
Is Critical Thinking the answer?
?
What is Critical Thinking?
The likes of Plato, Socrates & Aristotle (350BC)thought it was about exploring concepts andtheories as things weren’t all they appeared onthe surface.
There are lots of concepts and models in projectmanagement, does this suggest it is what we do with them that matters?
What is Critical Thinking?
Dewey suggests it is the suspension ofjudgement and healthy scepticism
Ennis is more of the opinion that it involves reflexive thinking, say things another way, rethink the outcomes
Its about understand the elements of your decisions
Why do we need critical thinking?
To help reduce project failures caused by;
• Assumptions• Dependency• Risk • The way we do things – a mind set
There are many other areas where we don’t thinkcritically
Problems of thinking critically
Time and pressure to complete a project;
• “Hands on” project managers• Not having a helicopter• I’m the project manager!• Follow the process, no need to debate!
Think now and save time & cost
• Identifying difficulties and problems early• The “what if” approach, scenario planning• Developing options• Being ready for the future• No surprises (at least reduce them)
Critical Thinking approaches
Borrowed from Six Sigma (Motorola 1986)
• Ask “Why” 5 times• A way of reducing defects & improving quality• Looks at the root cause of problems
But is this enough?
More Critical Thinking approaches
Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling (The Elephant’s child)
“I keep six honest serving-men(They taught me all I knew);Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who”
Perhaps provides a more critical approach
Critical thinkers do…….
• Ask pertinent questions• Assess arguments for value and objectivity• Have curiosity• Like to find new solutions• Define things clearly• Examine their beliefs & assumptions• Listen carefully and give feedback
Critical thinkers can…..
• Suspend judgement• Look for evidence to support assumptions• Adjust opinion• Look for proof• Examine problems closely• Reject incorrect information• Know critical thinking is a lifelong process
Critical thinking in project management
• Not a system, more a way of life• A “cultural” change• Consider all options, even those that don’t
look viable on the surface• Discovering what we didn’t know• Make informed justifiable decisions
Had I forgotten anything?
My conclusions;
I don’t think so, it wasn’t there in the first place!
Is critical thinking the missing theory?
It will definitely improve the management of projects used in conjunction with the current tools and processes
Thank you for listening
Any questions?