Table of contents for Q&A Week

1. Project Methodology Madness and Confusion
2. Project Manager Career Questions
3. Career Roadblock?
4. Holy Crap, They Called Me For an Interview!
5. Thinking About Going Back to School?

Back to School - by OakleyOriginals via Flickr

A subscriber to the Project Management Career Newsletter emailed me that he would be going back to school in a few weeks, and asked me for any suggestions or advice.

My Story

I had attended 1 year of vo-tech school right after high school, but dropped out when I moved to Albuquerque, NM for a job. My studies were in electronics technology, and I found that although I was good with electronics, software was much more interesting than electronics hardware to me. I was a computer geek (still am) and was a self-taught programmer. I moved into training and management roles, and got caught in a lot of layoffs too.

Even though I had work experience, it was a struggle to find new jobs. I discovered the formal discipline of project management and found out I had been doing it all wrong, and figured I needed a degree anyway to be competitive. I went back to school for a BS degree in Project Management, I think it was in 2005.

Appreciate

I appreciated the education much more than before. When I was 18, I took out loans and didn’t really feel like I was paying for it. I skipped classes sometimes, etc. This time around, it was a degree I was particularly interested in, and I applied myself to the material as much as I could.

First, I understood the value of the money I was paying (gladly paying) to get this education, and second I understood that the value would come from what I retained and applied, NOT from the piece of paper I’d get at the end or even the grades I received.

Write, Think, and Apply

Starting my blog at pmStudent.com was great for me, because I would write about what I was learning in school and how I could apply it in my day job. I also started frequenting many online forums and reading other blogs on the topic.

I had been a manager and managed some projects in an informal, adhoc manner. Just before going back to school I had taken a job as a developer at the time to get into a company where the environment was good for me to apply project management in a formal way. I was trying to work my way into PM roles wherever I could.

With my management experience I could have gone for a higher paying management position, but I took a deliberate step back so that I could be part of a project team and learn from the inside. 100% of my job was defining and implementing projects to improve processes, introduce automation, and integrate proprietary systems from mergers and acquisitions.

Contribute and Go Above and Beyond

Contribute in class as much as possible, and see it as an opportunity to learn and better yourself. I tried to do extra research on topics of particular interest whenever I could (much of what I researched was on PM methodologies and various aspects of management/leadership) It’s all about what you get out of it, not about the piece of paper.

Another way to go above and beyond is to volunteer. You could start a study group, a PM student club, or volunteer for other organizations. I attempted to start a PM student club at my college, but by the time political pressures would have allowed me to do so, I was graduating and wouldn’t be able to keep it alive. Had I started earlier it may have happened.

I also joined the Students of PM SIG (Specific Interest Group) with the PMI and volunteered there. There are lots of SIGs in the PMI that focus on specific topics you can look into. Look into other PM organizations as well, my only experience is with PMI but there are others out there.

Save Some Money on Books

Book swapping, discounted buying, used sellers….there are many ways to get your hands on great books for personal development or classes without paying the full cover price.

I kept track of my savings over the university book store price when I was working through my degree in Project Management.  I saved about 60% overall compared to what it would have cost me had I purchased my books at the college.  That amounted to thousands of dollars in savings over the years.

Some I was unable to find used, because they had just come out.  They were the exception however, and even if something had been out for just a semester, I was usually able to find a good used copy somewhere.

Check out these sites for book swapping and used books. Four pieces of advice for you:

• Order books early -  It can take 2-3 weeks to get it, and you don’t want to be without your textbook on the first day of class.  If you order a month in advance, it should give you enough time.
• Get the correct edition – I learned this the hard way.  One time I didn’t pay attention to the edition number and got an old edition.  I was still able to use it for that particular class, but you may not be so lucky.
• Country-specific versions – If you do end up getting the “international version” of a textbook, most of the time it will be the exact same book….sometimes there will be slight differences.  I once had a book that was about 15 pages off from the new version, so when the professor asked us to check out page 45, I just knew to turn to page 60 in my own copy.
• Check the detailed description – Sometimes sellers will have a picture of the new edition, when the detailed description lets you know it’s a different edition.  They will use the best picture they can find online, and if they can’t find an exact picture they substitute something close.

Bookins

BookMooch

BigWords (This was my primary search tool)

Technorati Tags: project management guide, project management school, project management schools

Table of contents for Q&A Week

1. Project Methodology Madness and Confusion
2. Project Manager Career Questions
3. Career Roadblock?
4. Holy Crap, They Called Me For an Interview!
5. Thinking About Going Back to School?

Holy Crap! - by B Rosen via Flickr

They want you to come in for an interview. After the elation wears off, you start sweating.

What are they going to ask? How can I best prepare for this? What if I prepare for the wrong things?

1) Treat the interview like a discussion – This is a two-way conversation, not an interrogation. You should be looking forward to finding out about the organization and role as much as they are looking forward to picking the right candidate. Looking at it this way will help put you at ease and allow them to get to know you better.

2) Review your own history – specific examples and stories from your past are the best way to illustrate you know what you are talking about. It’s good to review your illustrative “stories” and have them fresh in your mind so you can call upon them on a whim. If they ask a “what would you do if…” question, try to respond with a specific example that closely relates and illustrate how you ACTUALLY did handle it, and what you learned from it.

3) Come with questions – Of course you want to know a lot about the company beforehand, but not to impress them with your ability to google. I think of at least 5 insightful questions and write them down beforehand. Remember, this is a conversation. More questions arise as our conversation progresses too, but it’s good to have a short list of relevant, probing questions. I like to ask specifically about their organizational structure, business model, how project management is viewed within the organization (who are the proponents and detractors of viewing it as a formal discipline), etc.

4) Come with at least 3 copies of a portfolio – The resume and coverletter sometimes get stripped down to ugly, malformed text by the time it gets to the hiring manager. I always bring a portfolio in a professional report cover including things like my resume and a personalized cover letter for each interviewer and 1 spare generic one in case of a last-minute addition (always ask for full names and titles when setting up the interview!). I also include letters of recommendation from previous employers/professors, a print-out of my LinkedIn.com recommendations, academic credentials if applicable, example artifacts from my previous work that are not confidential, etc.

Portfolios are custom-made for each interview and can contain very different materials. I give my portfolio to each interviewer at the end of the interview as something for them to keep that will give them an even fuller view of who I am as a candidate.

Everyone, please contribute your own comments!!!

Technorati Tags: interview, job interview

Table of contents for Q&A Week

1. Project Methodology Madness and Confusion
2. Project Manager Career Questions
3. Career Roadblock?
4. Holy Crap, They Called Me For an Interview!
5. Thinking About Going Back to School?

Roadblock - by Old Sarge via Flickr

What can you do when you feel like you’ve hit a bump on your project manager career path? Here are my thoughts, and I invite you to add your own comments with advice for this professional.

From a pmStudent community member:

I have recently been made redundant from my high flying project management role. This position was with a FTSE 100 Energy firm and therefore I was pretty dissapointed when things worked out as they did. That said it happens. So guess I wondered what your advice would be for someone who has 3 years project management experience-having managed some pretty big projects in finance, IT and engineering services. The only thing is I don’t have a qualification like Prince2 and am wondering how I would get recruiters and employers attention in a UK Market where atleast 5 years experience is needed for Junior project managers.

Any advice would be appreciated

Thank you

Certification

Gaining the predominant certification in your region is definitely a good idea. It’s not all you need to do, but it’s a good step. When potential employers screen your CV or resume you want it to make it into the “maybe” pile and a certification will help with that. Find out what’s important to prospective employers, and also take into consideration your own industry and interests. IPMA, Prince2, PMP, etc. These might be possible candidates…but what about becoming a certified Scrum Master if you are in software development? There are a lot of niche credentials that may offer you a lot of personal value and make you more attractive as a candidate.

Stretch and Be Aggressive

On the experience question, the perception might be that everyone requires 5 years of experience. They probably say it right on the job posting. After I dropped out of university, I started in a technical role and worked my way into management positions. Being laid off many times, I had to constantly wrestle with the fact that most of the jobs I wanted “required” a degree I didn’t have. I eventually did go back to school and earned the degree, but I learned that you can still land jobs that say they want more experience or education than you have. I’ve landed jobs in the past that required 10 years of experience when I only had 3-4 years of experience. My passion and demonstrated competency made up for the lack experience in the minds of the hiring managers.

It’s all about separating yourself from the pack. Networking is powerful, because when people who know you are good refer you there is a trust factor that goes with it. Being aggressive and demonstrating that you can exceed expectations consistently works well. Don’t just send your resume or CV and a cover letter. Make phone calls. Ask someone in the company what the big challenges they face are, and come up with a solution to them. Find ways to demonstrate your ability to add value to the organization.

Find a talk to people via social networks who work at the organization and network with them. I don’t mean “hey, can you put in a good word for me?” to someone you just met. Asking good questions about them and the work they do are good ways to find out more about the organization. Take them out for coffee or lunch. Give first, with no direct expectations.

Every new job should be a stretch, at least that’s my philosophy. If you don’t have to learn more in order to be successful, then you’re stuck in a rut…you are not growing. Sure, every employer would love to hire someone who already knows everything and can hit the ground running. They realize that’s not always feasible though, especially when people are moving up into a new role.

Consider Alternatives

Sometimes it’s best to target related roles which allow you to keep close to your desired role and perhaps act as a stepping stone later on. One example in my career was many years ago when I lost a job leading the technical operations for a company and stepped into a call center manager role. It was a large step down if you look at it with a short-term mindset (role/salary was much less), but the decision was deliberate because I wanted to get my foot in a particular organization and I had an idea about how I could prove myself within the company and move into other roles.

Here, sometimes you have to wrestle with being overqualified for a position. In the cases I have done this I’ve had to anticipate the hiring managers’ hesitancy to hire me because they thought I was overqualified and would leave as soon as something else popped up. I usually initiate a frank discussion where I discuss that although I am overqualified, my goal is to work for this company. I let them know that I see myself moving into a different role (within this company) a few years down the road, but the way I build credibility and trust is to outperform and exceed expectations. I have to do that in this role first, before I’m going to even start considering other positions down the road.

Technorati Tags: project manager career

Table of contents for Q&A Week

1. Project Methodology Madness and Confusion
2. Project Manager Career Questions
3. Career Roadblock?
4. Holy Crap, They Called Me For an Interview!
5. Thinking About Going Back to School?

Question! - by Stefan Baudy via Flickr

A business student recently interviewed me via email. She is interested in project management and this was part of an assignment to reach out to people via Twitter to interview about what they do and the state of their industry/role. (My kudos to the professor for encouraging students to use new media to interact with people who are already in the field!)

I asked her permission to share the interview with you, I hope you find it helpful. Leave comments on what you agree and do not agree with!

How is the job market for project managers?

I would say it is healthy overall. Project managers lead teams to get things done in companies, and organizations always need them. Note that many project management jobs do not actually have “project manager” in the title. There are so many variations of the title. I suggest you look around on some of the job listings like careerbuilder.com, dice.com, etc. and see what you can find in your own region.

How do you deal with changes that are happening in the field?

Personally, I run a blog and community site, read other blogs, and am a member of PMI so I participate with my local chapter and several SIGs (specific interest groups). I’m also on the PMI New Media Council and will be presenting at the 2009 North America Global Congress in Orlando (October 11, 2009). Just as with any profession, there are a lot of niches and personal development opportunities to be had. Just staying active in advancing project management as a discipline is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of it.

What are the best companies to work for?

Project management can be great in any type of organization or industry. If you can get into an organization who makes their money from doing successful projects you will be in the best learning environment. If you are a project manager in an organization, say in the financial services industry, and do internal projects that can be good too….but project management doesn’t get the attention it deserves unless the business model makes running projects central to the bottom line.

How do you use information systems in your job?

I’m self employed now, but in my last role as the lead project manager for the LDCM TSSC contract (building the ground system for a joint USGS/NASA satellite mission) information systems were certainly important. The key thing with IS is that the systems are easy to use, accurate, reliable, and allow you to focus on the few key metrics that help you manage the project. I’ve seen a lot of systems that have a lot of bells and whistles, and are virtually useless unless you get a degree on how to run the damn thing. It’s also easy to get lost in data and lose sight of what’s really important.

I will say this though. Managing projects is about managing people. If you get too data-centric you can lose sight of that. Tools and data don’t run the project, you and your people do.

Technorati Tags: getting started in project management, project management careers, project manager career path

Table of contents for Q&A Week

1. Project Methodology Madness and Confusion
2. Project Manager Career Questions
3. Career Roadblock?
4. Holy Crap, They Called Me For an Interview!
5. Thinking About Going Back to School?

I received a great question from a subscriber to my PMP Guide newsletter about methodologies and frameworks.

He cited a bountiful list with a question of whether he needs to know all of these in and out:

• Adaptive Project Framework
• Agile software development
• XP
• FDD
• ITIL
• Lean Development
• Scrum
• Spiral
• 10 Step
• JAD
• RAD
• RDD
• Crystal Method
• DSDM
• Waterfall
• SDLC
• Prince 2

Confused - by utpal. via Flickr

While this list is a mixed bag of methodologies, frameworks, etc. my general advice is as follows to everyone who may be getting overwhelmed by the multitude of ways to “get r dun”.

Be Purposeful About Your Career Path

I would not be too concerned about learning every methodology or system out there.  I certainly haven’t looked into everything on this list.  There are a few I’m pretty sure I’ve never even heard of.

• Take a look around where you work now.  What is available to you as a possible move to gain experience?  What do they use?  If your short-term career milestone involves a particular methodology or framework, get to know it well.  Be curious.  If they have documentation, read it.  Ask to volunteer your free time (unpaid) to help them.  Your pay is the learning and networking opportunities.  You may also get a great mentor out of it.
• Take a look at the company or department you work in or WANT to work in 2-5 years in the future. Ask what they use and learn that. There are general project management principles that will apply more broadly, but depending on each individual implementation things change.
• Alternatively, learn just a little about some of these and pick one that you find really interesting. Go after deeper knowledge about that one.  By becoming well versed in a specific way of doing projects (that you really enjoy) you can enter a niche in the job market you are really passionate about.  Once you learn one, it’s easier to learn others later on.

I hope that helps!

Share your insights with the community by leaving a comment!

Technorati Tags: project management method, project management methodologies, project management methodology, project management methods

Regardless of how another individual acts or behaves, it is important to reflect the same feelings and moods as the other person; at the very least show an appreciation for how they are feeling.  Even when those feelings are negative, for example, the other person is tense or angry, you need to acknowledge and respect this in order to build rapport and to move the conversation forward.

When dealing with aggressive behavior, breathe evenly, keep calm and stay quiet.  Think, “This person is behaving aggressively, I’ll deal with it in an assertive manner.”  Ask open questions:  Who, What, When, and Which.  Do not ask Why; this will often place someone exhibiting aggressive behavior into a defensive mode, resulting in more aggressive behavior. Asking Why appears to question motives rather than gather information.  Level with the person, explain how their behavior feels aggressive and describe how it is having an adverse effect on your and/or the team.

When someone is behaving aggressively, they tend to expect disagreement.  Why not slow them down by giving an unexpected response?  Fogging is a technique used to sidestep their issue while retaining your viewpoint and integrity.  For example, if someone said to you, “That was a pretty stupid way to behave in the meeting.”  You can respond in an unexpected manner by saying, “Yes, I can see that you think it was a pretty stupid way to behave.”  The word “yes” takes them by surprise, slows them down and can reduce the tension.  You are not agreeing that you behaved stupidly, only that you can see that that they think so.

We all see better when the fog lifts.

Lisa DiTullio, Principal, Lisa DiTullio & Associates, www.lisaditullio.com

The other day I had the opportunity to present the opening keynote session at the Lavacon/PMI GNO 2009 Event in New Orleans. I talked a lot about leadership.   Whether you are leading a large program, a small project, or a division staff of 200 – your leadership skills, or lack thereof, will define your success.  I shared my insights on how to LEAD, using four simple strategies:  Listen, Encourage, Act and Delegate.    Did you know Delegation is about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

This past summer I introduced a new opportunity to my 15-year old son Geoff.  I informed him that he was officially responsible for preparing dinner for the family every Wednesday evening.  My rationale?  He is the only boy of five children and I did not want him to grow up believing females will always be around to prepare his meals.  He is also a strapping young man, with an insatiable appetite; I want to make sure Geoff is more than capable of preparing his own meals before he leaves the family nest.

I gave him clear expectations.  I told him that dinner is at 7pm.  He is free to prepare meals of his choice. If he needs ingredients, he needs to let me know the day before so I can get him everything his recipe requires.

The first month, we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  By the end of the 1^st month, we graduated to grilled cheese.  Over the summer, Geoff gradually gained more confidence in his culinary ability; he recently cooked us steaks on the grill, with baked potatoes and Caesar salad.  Last week, while in the car, he expressed his interest to pursue culinary arts after graduating high school.

It has been amazing to watch Geoff gain self-confidence in himself over the past few months.  When originally given the assignment, he was less than pleased.  Yet gradually, as each week passes, Geoff flourishes; he now looks forward to being resident chef on Wednesday evenings.

The key to success?  You must be willing to eat a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to promote growth and development among your teammates.

Remember, delegation needs to happen on a regular basis; make sure you delegate assigned tasks at every meeting.  Delegate with clear expectations, so the assignment is clearly understood.  Be certain to delegate across your constituency – do not play favorites.  Balanced delegation will allow you and your team to find economies of scale – quite important in todays challenged economy.

Bon appetite!

Lisa DiTullio, Principal, Lisa DiTullio & Associates, LLC, www.lisaditullio.com

Technorati Tags: delegation, Leadership

I had the opportunity to speak at the PMI Congress this year.  My presentation, called Expected Behaviors for Project Team Performance:  Road Rules, Not Road Rage introduced a set of ‘good behaviors” for teams to consider and an easy way to enable team members to reduce the “noise” which occurs among team members.

Determining the “right” set of behaviors to support productive teamwork is never easy, as team dynamics are intricate and difficult.  Defining a set of behaviors to best support teamwork must be articulated in a universal language, ideally because these behaviors need to be owned by the entire organization, not just project teams.  When set at the enterprise level, the introduction of expected behaviors sets the framework for ensuring these behaviors are a means of conducting business, not just a set of words hung along corporate walls.  Ideally, the entire organization must believe in the power of teamwork and to experience improvements in project outcomes and project performance as a result of strong teamwork.  If the company as a whole isn’t quite on board, start without them –introduce the behaviors to your project team.

 These Expected Behaviors have universal appeal, regardless of company size or corporate culture.  In other words, this set of team behaviors appeal to a broad audience because they are clear, easy to understand, and are comprehensible to diverse project teams, regardless of member position or title. 

The set of expected behaviors that have universal appeal to project teams are:

• Treat others with dignity and respect
• Support and promote intra- and inter-departmental teamwork
• Understand and consider the needs and impacts of your own work on others
• Demonstrate an ability to problem-solve and make timely decisions
• Actively seek and receive feedback for improvement
• Consistently share knowledge and information

 Introducing Expected Behaviors to project teams has a simple premise:  Project work is conducted through groups; groups tend to be complex challenges from a management and communications point of view; if project teams come up with some ways to improve group dynamics, they can enhance group performance.

Conducting a Rules of Engagement exercise will allow team members to develop an initial contract that describes how they will treat each other with dignity and respect.  Since the meaning of “treating others with dignity and respect” varies from individual to individual, this tool will help the team identify and discuss the various elements of behavior that are critical to the success of ongoing interactions.  The Rules of Engagement exercise focuses on six key areas of behavior:

• Basic Courtesies
• Operating Agreement
• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
• Accountability
• Conflict Resolution
• Leader’s Role

In a team meeting, schedule extra time to focus on this.  If a team does not dedicate time to this exercise, it will never happen.  Many teams schedule a special session dedicated solely to Rules of Engagement.  In this meeting, team members brainstorm and record a list of key behaviors that are important to them and that best support operating agreements.  Consider asking such questions as, How do you like to work?  What is your work style? What strengths do you bring?  What type of behaviors annoy you?  What kinds of behaviors take us off track or reduce our effectiveness? Allow time for discussion of the key areas and behaviors that the team wants to adopt.  Ensure all voices are heard.

Run through each of the six key areas; all are important.  However, teams may find that not all have equal weight.  For example, Conflict Resolution may be more important to the group than Operating Agreement.  Focus on getting through all areas while seeking common ground for consensus.  Be sure to confirm that each area is complete before moving on.  A team leader may need to solicit input from quiet team members; not everyone will have the same voice.  As facilitators, it is important that team leaders acknowledge others’ contributions to the discussion before relating their own remarks.  Never distort others’ views in order to advance your own.  To be successful, the results of this exercise must represent the team’s collective input.  It is not unusual to invite an external party to facilitate this discussion; having a non-biased, unattached person lead the Rules of Engagement discussion often frees participants to share opinions freely.

Once the group decides on the key areas of behavior, they document and post their Rules of Engagement at every meeting as a reminder.  Depending upon the duration of the team, the group can decide if the agreement needs to be refreshed; often teams do not return to their agreement unless there are challenges in a particular area or significant turnover in project team membership. 

For skeptics who perceive this activity as nonsense and a waste of time when there is constructive and important project work to deliver, keep this in mind:  Teams who conduct this exercise indicate their teams are positively impacted by the experience.  Communication and working relationships improve; team members become more aware of behaviors toward others, more aware of others’ roles, and better at seeing different points of view.  Team who adopt Expected Behaviors say the exercise creates a more comfortable working environment, meetings are more productive, and teams are more efficient in meeting deliverables.  The big surprise for most team leaders is the realization that the activities are not time-consuming, do not slow down work, nor do they stifle team energy or limit lively and productive discussion.

According to organizations who have introduced Expected Behaviors on project teams, participants say it has made a difference.  Follow-up survey results suggests the Expected Behaviors Team Survey tool very easily identifies team strengths and weaknesses and the Rules of Engagement exercise enables project teams to flag and fix team behavior smoothly.  Taken together, this is an effective preventive course of treatment for successful team dynamics.

 Lisa DiTullio, Principal, Lisa DiTullio & Associates, LLC

October 8 through 12 I attended the PMI Leadership meeting and after that the PMI Congress. I have actively volunteered for PMI on and off for the last 8 years and currently serve as the immediate past President of the San Francisco Chapter. Starting January I will be a member of the Leadership Institute Advisory Group.  Leadership meetings are an opportunity for active volunteers in leadership roles to learn best practices and learn from each other. The chapter or virtual community decides who will represent them at these meetings. Throughout my eight years of volunteering, I have attended several Leadership meetings in the US and Europe.

After awhile you notice a trend in questions and issues that are brought up by new volunteer leaders. There is a certain expectation that PMI Global should do xyz (fill in the blank) for the volunteer leader. Although there is some truth in this, I personally believe that as a leader we should take responsibility, set our own chapter strategy, and execute against it. This year it struck me that if the same questions keep coming up, something is not getting addressed. On the other hand, so much progress has been made that new volunteer leaders are unaware of.

What we are missing is a collective baseline. My baseline with PMI is 2001 when I joined the organization. Between 2001 and now, huge progress has been made both in the support of the chapters but more importantly in bringing visibility and recognition to the profession. In 2001, PMI was an unknown organization to me having moved here from Europe a few years earlier. In the 2002 downturn, project managers were seen as overhead and kicked to the curb faster than you can say “project manager”. Now 8 years later, PMI is internationally recognized. The profession is internationally recognized and seen in most organizations as a strategic value.

Being stuck in today’s realities, we have a tendency to forget the progress we have made both for our own personal lives as well as the organizations we work with. How as an organization can we create a collective baseline? If we set a collective baseline we can measure our overall progress. People who are new to the organization will understand where we came from and can focus their energy to all those improvement areas that are still there. Are you interested to take on this challenge? I am…

It’s descriptive, not prescriptive. In other words, it’s what they think will happen, not what should happen or how to achieve it.

Rather than give the play-by-play, I’m going to do a summary of the discussion, or at least the points I found interesting. Let me be clear that I have not yet read the book, just a summary of each chapter provided by the PMI.

I Liked

• The collaborative effort that resulted in this book. David and Bopaya talked about how surprisingly smooth the writing process was given 39 authors besides themselves involved in the project. I am glad to see they reached out to experts in various fields for their take on a specific aspect of project management.

• Looking forward. The editors spoke about the possibility of a second edition because things change so rapidly. I asked about their willingness to incorporate feedback from the project management community’s reaction to the book and they seemed very willing to do that.

I Didn’t Like

• The seeming lack of a description about how various project management organizations, including PMI, will be supporting the project management discipline and develop the profession. I asked if the book talked about the possible future of internship programs and other activities at play in other professions like the medical field, etc. Again I haven’t read the book yet, but from the answers and summary I don’t believe this was addressed at all.
• Small-scale projects and companies unrepresented. The authors writing these chapters are industry leaders and a common theme throughout seems to be large-scale projects with a deterministic framework being assumed. Perhaps I will change my mind after reading the text, but it seems to me at this point that Agile, Lean, Critical Chain, and Complex Adaptive Systems are unrepresented as specific chapters or topics. Perhaps these are discussed within individual chapters, I’m unsure at this point. I would have liked to see chapters dedicated to these topics with thought leaders in these areas represented.

Facebook page for discussing the future of project management:
http://www.facebook.com/futureofpm

What do YOU think project management will look like in 2025? Leave a comment, and let’s discuss!