Dear Reader,

Do you know how to develop your career within project and programme management (PPM)? Since you've subscribed to Project Management Tipoffs, it's clear that you do. The March edition of Tipoffs hopes to put you in a position to succeed with notes and data serving as guidance on what you need to master, improve on or simply address as you progress in your career.
 
There are certain crucial tools and methods in PPM, but do they serve as absolutes on how well you can perform as you change from one responsibility in the industry to another, completely different one? We turn to information from the 2010 Arras People Project Management Benchmark Report to find out what competencies separate project support officers from project managers, and so on through the PPM "hierarchy". Those quotation marks provide a perfect segue way to our next article - we're out to discover whether PPM can actually boast of a set hierarchical path behind John Thorpe's research and analysis. John also takes a look at Chartered Status with a synopsis of APM's Five Dimensions of professionalism and determines what it means to candidates.
 
The Arras People Project Management Benchmark Report 2010 continues to gain recognition worldwide as a resource for the latest on the project management industry, and you can register for it today. See below for more details. Guest book reviewer Vincent Birlouez provides a PMP's perspective of our book of the month, Project Management Circa 2025. Capping it all off is our Q&A session, where a career break from the field of specialism for one candidate is drawing little interest from recruiters.
 

Words: John Thorpe

Does the successful project manager have the same core of competencies as a successful programme manager? If so, is the progression on the PPM hierarchy given due attention to competency by employers? If not, how does one advance on the triangle of PPM progression? The Arras People 2010 Project Management Benchmark Report sought to answer these questions, primarily out of the concern for the significant void left by the lack of an established set of useable competencies that can be applied as a recognised standard for the industry with a reliable overseer.

In lieu of these standards, the survey set out to discover what various PPM professionals thought were the leading competencies for their specific roles. The question of main emphasis involved a list of competencies and for each classification of professional (Support, Project Managers, Change Managers and Programme Managers) to choose the top 3 from that list for their specific role.

The results listed in the image above (click on the image for a clear, full-size PDF look) makes for an interesting tableau of contrast. Take note of the decreasing importance of Technical (which encompassed methods, tools and domain knowledge, e.g. certifications) from support up the line to programme manager: fourth from the top, then sixth, eighth and finally down to 10th for programme manager. And while Planning and Organising, Communication Skills and Adaptability seem to be consistent from support through change management, Leadership rises in the opposite direction right to left of Technical, albeit in a manner that suggests a significant jump between the last hierarchical level (change manager) and programme manager. To answer our specific question, project managers identified Planning and Organising, Communication Skills and Relationship Management as their top three competencies. While those three competencies fill in slots of a programme manager's top four, none of them rank first. Hence, the sudden jump of Leadership on the table.

What does it all mean to Jane Project Manager and Joe Change Manager?

Clearly, it becomes apparent that those who want to rise, or have already risen, to programme manager from these other roles displayed the ability to harness the skills of leadership. At the very least, it came across well to those people making the hiring choices.

But this may not be the universal progression. Suppose leadership was ignored or not given due assessment by the hiring personnel, who felt that a high-achieving project manager/change manager had earned the right to take the next step on the hierarchical ladder? And don't forget that programme manager is generally known to be a role sitting much closer to the business side of operations than change, project or support roles are. That sudden splash into the next level could be a crash course in leadership skills for the new programme manager.

The emphasis on certifications within project and programme management, coupled with the APM's application for a professional charter, may be clouding our priorities of what really constitutes one's ability to perform the role successfully. In the Benchmark Report's section on PPM Competence, we introduced our findings by writing that we have:

"...consistently been troubled by the lack of attention given to the question of competence in the field of Programme and Project Management. It feels like the educationalists have stolen a march on us all by convincing the market that attaining 'knowledge based certifications' such as Prince2®, bestows upon an individual the capacity to deliver projects and programmes. Whilst at the other extreme we have a quest for chartered status to legitimise the 'professionalization' of our art. What appears to be missing is the bit in the middle; a recognised industrial measure of competence that can be aligned to life long learning and development of the individual against a peer based matrix."

Just as it is with certifications, it would be unwise to suggest that competencies serve as the "be all-end all" for capability in the PPM working environment; rather, they serve as a key indicator. And if that is a given, the question raised earlier begs another crucial question for those of you hoping to progress up the PPM ladder: Where will you find the time to improve your leadership capabilities in jumping from project manager to programme manager?

Download the 2010 Project Management Benchmark Report from Arras People today, now in its fifth edition.

A frequent question asked by prospective and aspiring project management candidates is how best to develop their "professionalism" in a way that will enhance their career opportunities. For anyone looking to develop a career in project management it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine which route to take. A cursory glance highlights organisations such as APM, PMI, OGC/APM-G and BSI who offer a sector wide view, accreditations, tools and training courses and then groups like BCS, ECITB and RICS who are more focussed on the profession in a particular sector. All have different views on project management and much to offer, they confirm what a broad church project management is, but are they helping the individual and industry truly understand what will make a true "PPM professional"?

The topic of professionalism within project management has been steadily gaining momentum over the last few years in the UK; in part this discussion has been driven by the APM's initiative to gain Chartered Status (launched in 2007) and also the desire to differentiate on competence rather than just the foundation provided by knowledge. So it was interesting to see the APM talking about their new professional standard in project management which will be piloted this spring (April 2010). So what is it all about?

The APM say that after working closely with both public and private sector stakeholders they have identified that everybody has a different idea of what PPM Professionalism is. They also say that they have discovered widespread support for a single recognised and valued, quality professional standard. As such they created an expert working group drawn from the public and private sectors and training organisations to create their draft standards. The output is the APM standard of professionalism which comprises the following five dimensions;

   1. Breadth of knowledge;
   2. Depth of competence;
   3. The Demonstration of achievement through professional qualifications;
   4. Commitment through continuing professional development;
   5. Accountability through adherence to a code of professional conduct;

The stated aim is to have a pathway to achievement of the standard which is rigorous yet diverse and flexible, thus reflecting the many options available to PPM practitioners who strive to achieve competence.

So what does this really mean?

At the moment detail would appear to be thin on the ground. The APM have launched a website, which has a single page listing the 5 dimensions and (for now?) how they relate to the APM's own products
 

• For Breadth they align The APM Body of Knowledge and reference the National Occupational Standardsfrom the ECITB.
• For Depth they align The APM Competence Framework
• For Achievement they align the APM's qualifications and how they align to the IPMA's 4 level Certification Program.
• For Commitment they describe CPD and the way a targeted development plan can enhance your PPM career.
• For Accountability it references the APM's Code of Professional Conduct which you commit to when you become a member of the APM.

Arras People welcome this initiative from the APM and we are looking forward to hearing more about the pilot, its form and its outputs. We are particularly interested in how the diversity angle is pursued by the APM through the pilot and beyond; other stakeholders "products and services" (PMI, OGC etc) must be aligned and included in the professional standard in project management if it is to become a meaningful measure for the UK community and the users of our services.

Written by John Thorpe, John is the Managing Director of Arras People.

In the course of talking to and managing many PPM practitioners over the years, the question of career progression has come to the fore many times. Typically the discussion has arrived at the point of "is there a natural hierarchy through which PPM practitioners can progress?"

If we strip the concept down to three prominent roles in the PPM community as an example, does a Project Coordinator naturally progress to a Project Manager and in turn does this naturally lead to the role of Programme Manager?

Like many concepts, at its simplest many would answer yes! The progression is natural and shows that an individual is growing in knowledge, competence and demonstrating the right attitude to advancing their career. But is it really that simple?

If we consider the question from three different dimensions it may offer a clearer view;

   1. The Individual
   2. The required Skills and Competencies
   3. The Organisation.

As the word suggests PPM practitioners are individuals and will all have a slightly different approach to their careers and their ambitions. Many factors of a personal basis will come into play such as drive, confidence, motivation and circumstances. All of these are important factors in the development of an individual and the track they may wish to choose in their working and personal lives. We will have some individuals who have a natural desire to feel that they are moving forward (or up) in terms of their career, never satisfied unless they have that next mountain to climb and conquer. On the other hand we may have individuals that have found their niche in life, a role that fits them well and aligns with their personal needs. They have no desire to climb the next mountain, set themselves stretch targets; they just want to do a great job in the role they enjoy! We then have another group of practitioners who really want to excel in their chosen field. I am a project manager, I want to learn all about my craft and be recognised for my value and contribution. I have no desire to move onto "the next level" whatever that may be; this does not mean I have no ambition; my ambition is to be the best at what I do!

The Arras People Project Management Benchmark Report 2010 took a look at skills and competencies across the differing role categories associated with PPM and found that practitioners themselves recognise that each role makes differing demands on an individual. Again taking the three roles of Project Co-ordinator, Project Manager and Programme Manager whilst we may have some common requirements when we consider competencies the level, skill and depth of capability will vary considerably. As an example some colleagues consider that a great Project Co-ordinator will have a deeper understanding of "project management" than some project managers as it is their role to assist in the delivery of project management excellence. However a project manager who is just excellent at the "project management" will probably fail as they do not have the soft skills that allow him/her to deploy that knowledge in a way that brings out the best result for the project!

If we now consider the organisation we still typically see a triangle; point at the top, only one CEO or Chairman; six Directors, etc., as we work our way down into its operating depths. It may be a simplification but most organisations I have dealt with have one to many relationships in the PPM space. One Programme Manager has a relationship to many Project Managers; One PMO manager has a relationship to many Project Coordinators, etc. So we also have a situation where in any organisation the more senior the role the fewer roles there are available at any one time. Typically alongside this relationship we also have the fact that remuneration and benefits will increase with the perceived seniority of that role within the organisation!

So how do these three elements tie back together?

In my opinion every organisation needs the three types of individuals we identified; if all employees were looking to climb the ladder on a regular basis they would not have anywhere to go! Worse still, the organisation would have an "all chiefs and no Indians" feel, with no substance or depth in their PPM capability. They would probably also have the issue of low staff retention as the "high achievers" looked for opportunities outside of the organisation; this in turn reducing capability and increasing training costs. The assumption that just because somebody is good at role X they would be good at role Y is a classic that we have probably all come across?

"Commonly labelled as promoted to a level of incompetency!"

Personally I have come across this many time especially in technical disciplines where the ceiling is too low and thus excelling at a technical discipline is never recognised nor rewarded. Similarly in the field of PPM, many organisations do not recognise that a project manager or a project co-ordinator who excels in their chosen field is a major asset who should be cherished, encouraged and rewarded! Finally, yes organisations do need career paths for those who wish to develop their careers through the levels available within PPM and beyond. Enlightened organisations will offer these individuals the opportunity to develop their skills and competencies, but I suggest, should do so with their eyes wide open. A career framework which identifies skills and competencies required to undertake PPM roles both hard and soft should be used, not only to encourage practitioners, but also to identify shortfalls which need to be overcome before progression is made. Identification, encouragement and development of the "right stuff" are essential for all organisations, individuals and skill sets if the right balance is to be achieved for both parties.

Written by; John Thorpe

Author: David Cleland
Publisher: PMI
Size: 519 pages

Reviewed by Vincent Birlouez

The book is a collection of 29 articles, written by different authors, addressing a single topic - the shape of project management in 2025 - though through different angles: geographic & industry specific, government projects, areas of growth, system and organisational applications.

The immediate effect of Circa 2025's structure - 29 articles - together with the absence of a chapter attempting to bring all those articles together, is that the reader will have to draw their own conclusion as to what will be the overall shape of things to come for the project management profession. I reckon this is a shortcoming of the book, as there would have been value in summarizing the various authors' findings.

So as a mean of a book review, here is my take out from the book, summarised in three points...

1. Project management does not shape the future.

A common finding is that the project management profession will not shape the environment in which it operates but instead will largely adapt to external forces such as technology progress, market conditions, environmental issues, education levels and the evolution of organisation structures. So, although the number of certified project managers will grow (chapter 1) and the maturity of the profession will increase (chapter 4), those won't be the main forces steering the future of the profession.

For example, project management in India is strongly driven by geo-politics, macro-economics evolutions and market opportunity (outsourcing, manufacturing). A pinch of salt here: evolutions are often driven by "unforeseen" events - or Black Swans - so we should take predictions carefully.

2. Technology innovation impacts internal and external aspects of project management.

Technology evolution will impact project management in many ways. Firstly, new industries will appear and some will have tremendous growth, creating new areas where project management will have to be applied (chapter 24-25 on nano-technology and new energies). Secondly, IT tools will be used more and more (yet not be pervasive - chapter 9, on the PM software industry), and help support the project manager's decisions in what-if analysis and more broadly by enabling more and more analytics to be used instead of opinions.

3. Agility becomes mainstream.

The role of the project manager is discussed in most chapters. Chapter 7, addressing the future of Project management research, mentions four different types project manager in the future, from PMs being part of an overall manager's role to technicians also being project managers. Over the chapters there is a broad consensus that project managers will have less direct authority on his teams and more accountability on the product delivered, making his role more challenging. This leads to a broader finding not specifically referenced in the book: business agility.

The rise of business agility strikes me as being a common theme in the book. From chapter 19 on Department of Defence product development lifecycle to chapter 22 on Team leadership future, from chapter 12 on Project portfolio management to chapter 7 on the future of PM research, I found that authors recognise that interactions between the end customers and the project team will increase, that organisations will be more focused on the outside (customers, partners) than the inside (structure), that project processes will be more flexible, less directive and that decisions will be shifted from the project manager to the team itself (self-organised teams). Consequently the role of the project manager will become more "outward" focused than today. All these findings are pretty much aligned with the agile manifesto.

You should read this book if you are at the start of your career and want to find out if project management is for you, or if you are a project manager with a particular interest in understanding where your profession is heading to.

Lastly: If I was to single out the best chapter in the book, it would have to be chapter 22, "Future of Team leadership in complex project environment". The author, Hans J. Thamhain, describes the paradigm shift in our business environment (new technology, constant changes, social innovation, closely-linked world) that affects the way we work. Perhaps this is the chapter that sums it all up?

Vincent Birlouez, PMP and CSM, is a freelance project manager with over 10 years experience in managing IT systems integration across Europe. You can read more of Vincent's writings on his blog, PM in Focus.

I am looking to go back into a particular field I specialised in over 5 years ago but recruiters / employers are not taking any interest, why? - Richard, Slough

Thanks for your question. I think we're all agreed that the market is tough at the moment, with many jobseekers chasing fewer vacancies. This means that you are facing tough competition from others who do have current / recent experience in the field you are interested in.

There has long been a saying in recruitment; "You're only as good as your last job", which roughly translates to; "The last job you did is the most important to your next employer". This might be a tough call, but it's the truth in 95% of cases today. Your last opportunity in your field of interest is now over five years old, which of course means there are going to be others with more recent and relevant experience but also the organisation advertising the vacancy will have concerns on your experience, knowledge, skills etc being out-of-date for their field.

There are a couple of solutions that I can propose which you need to give careful thought over. The first; you need to find a way to make your current experiences more relevant to the field you are wanting to return to. You don't mention which field so it is difficult to give specific advice.

Another opportunity is to work your own network which you should have maintained from when you left that field five years ago. You can bypass your current sources of frustration (recruiters and employers you are approaching direct) by working your network effectively. Find out what is happening in the field, do your research and approach ex-colleagues and peers to see if there are opportunities you can explore.

You should also convey your seriousness about wanting to return to a particular field by demonstrating it. Are you visiting conferences, exhibitions and seminars in your field? Is your training for the field up to date? Have you researched potential new networking opportunities for your field, you need to think about how you can update your contacts and think about the future and stop looking 5 years back into the past.

For more examples like this and/or further help & advice regarding extending your search and creating professional and effective cover letters refer to our ur Careers clinic / JobSearch Support Services / Careers Advice pages.

Visit the Arras People website for the latest vacancies in programme and project management and for further advice and guidance on your project management career