Another Shot at Maturity...?

Although the blog asking the question "How Mature is Project Management" was asked more than 4 months ago, I'm still receiving responses from impassioned Project Managers from around the world.

Here's a sampling from the "LinkedIn" site, please feel free to add your comments as well.

Until next time...

Project Management is evolutionary.

PM has been around since the ancient Egyptians built their pyramids. As time has progressed and we gained more tools (PERT, project scheduling software, etc.) what it takes to 'efficiently' practice/execute project management has evolved. So too, as the needs of the job have changed such as compliance and work place personnel issues (that Egyptian PM didn't need to deal with unions or counsel low performers on a documented improvement track). Being a 'well rounded' PM now includes a lot more than it used to. Just peruse the table of contents in the PMBOK.

I believe that because our tools, techniques, and the demands of the job change so too does our definition. We are also becoming specialized in areas such as government, health care, manufacturing and construction (your Egyptian predecessors would be proud). So our definition evolves with our changing environment. I think our profession maturing and adapting to demands all the time.

This is a good thing. I doubt the definition of a buggy whip manufacturer has changed much since the 18th century.

--Brian Turner, Deloitte Consulting

Not sure what you mean by "mature." Usually, it refers to the expected ratio of what's currently known and understood to everything there is in the field to know and understand.

By that definition, I'd consider the field to be well into its adulthood. Most of the issues that come up in projects have nothing to do with gaps in what's been published and available on the subject of project management. They have to do with practitioner and stakeholder failures to master their roles in the process; poorly chosen analysis and design methodologies; insufficient budget ... issues that are very real, but that don't reflect on the question of what is known.

A lot of this discussion seems to have centered on the ratio of "art" (I'd call it "street-smarts") to "science" (I'd call this part "book-learning"). Because there are all those pesky human beings involved whenever there's a project to manage, I'd say this is a stable 50/50 or thereabouts and isn't going to change. So if more science = more mature, the field will never progress beyond its adolescence.

--Robert Lewis, IT Catalytics

Having managed large projects in corporate America and now managing projects in the Academic world, provides some insight into how you might measure maturity. It is my belief that project management as a whole may be mature; however, if the industry, or organization using the processes does not embrace them completely, it requires a project manager that is capable of situational project management.

To explain this in more detail: Successful project management stems from a resourceful, innovative project manager who can adapt the theories and practices to the organization. As one individual stated above, there is a need for evolution. I'm not so sure that it is the practices or the processes, but more the project managers adapting those elements to the situations, the organizations, and the needs of the projects.

--Linda Evans, Professor of Project Management, University of the Pacific

In my humble opinion, IT project management is more of an art. The PMI and technology have provided some tools, but it is the individual's talent rather than the tools that make for successful projects. Consequently, project management will continuously evolve. Managing a COBOL project in the 80's was different than an ERP project in the 90's or today, which is different again for the other types of projects today. There will never be a maturation, only an evolution.

--Norm Brumbergs, Infosys

In my opinion, there are elements of art and elements of science. It is definitely not a pure science (Do to the fact that it does not use the scientific method purely, ej. observation, experimentation, hypothesis, etc). It is an art because there are so many subjective variables, each company and project and different and each PM is different.

How mature is it? Its tools have evolved, the method has evolved and administration is evolving continuously. To me the answer is relative, compared to what to itself? to other disciplines? It has come a long way, but advancing o never ending road. Thats what makes it interesting!!

--Vincent Arreola, Consultant

If you look at the place where project management priciples got started. Departement of Defense. If you have any experience in DOD, you see it is very mature and is made to be flexible for software and hardware. You would see that is has been around since the 1950's. Maybe a little earlier.

Now, if you refer to the dynamically changing software and IT development methodologies, honestly, the basic methodologis have been modified to fit business policy and goals. From the claisic waterfal to Agile to Scrum, and other variations, they all use the basic PjM methodologies, but with iterations, modified gates, focus on feature delivery. But most of these are reflections of the plan that reflects the business goals of the organization.

--From Jeff MacQueen, PMP

Project Management to me is a exactly what the definition says. It is the application of knowledge, tools & techniques to meet the project objectives. This is supported by the progressive ellaboration concept which makes it evdient that this application has to improve as the project progresses through the various process groups and respective processes.
Ironically, we all have experienced in the real world that we as project & program managers have to make several adjustments to the theoritical project managemnt and create a working project managment methodology which depends on the culture of the organisation & the geographiy where the project is been undertaken.

--From Prashant Dalvi, IT Project Manager