| Articles » The Future of Quality and Project Management |
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The Future of Quality and Project Management |
| by Michael Stanleigh |
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| Implementing project management and quality management programs
introduces change into the work environment. It means moving people
from old methods, structures and procedures into new ones. It involves
learning new skills and roles. Even for a stable organization, it
is difficult to manage the transition using regular structures and
approaches to training. Managing the change process from the initial
successful pilot to full realization of project management and quality
management systems is a complex and challenging task that requires
continued attention from management. |
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| Successful project management systems require that the organization
undertake a significant cultural change because project management
systems have a profound effect on: reporting structures, performance
systems, communication systems and resources. Employees need to be
prepared for the changes that will be necessary and to understand
the benefits of the change. |
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Our research of over 750 organizations worldwide, From
Crisis To Control: A New Era in Strategic Project Management, has provided some key insights into the future of project management.
Here are some of the trends we have noted from the findings of our
research:
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| 1. More organizations will implement a strategy
and culture initiative to ensure success with projects.
Our research indicates that organizations are missing an
opportunity to align projects with organizational strategies and
do not effectively manage their capacity to undertake complete projects
successfully. To overcome these deficiencies many organizations
set up Project Management Offices. Despite this investment, many
of these Project Management Offices have failed to deliver on the
promise of measurable impacts on the bottom line. |
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| The research shows that successful project management systems require
that the organization undertake a significant cultural change because
project management systems have a profound effect on the structures,
systems and resources of the organization. Employees need to be
prepared for the changes and understand how it will benefit them. |
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| 2. Organizations will start to recognize that
Quality Management is part of successful project management.
Our research found that more effort was given to organizational
tasks than to establishing processes or guidelines to prioritize
projects in alignment with the organization’s strategic plan.
Project quality systems will evolve to establish quality standards
for processes and documents used in projects. The “ISO 10006,
Guidelines for Quality Management in Projects” improves project
management. This guideline provides direction on the management
of project processes within a quality management system in order
to achieve project objectives. |
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| 3. Project Management Offices will become passé.
Despite considerable effort and investment in Project Management
Offices, the findings of our research indicate that for the most
part, they fail to gain the approval of senior management team.
Just as quality departments and quality steering committees no longer
exist, the Project Management Office will also become passé,
having played out it’s role as an agent of change inside the
organization. Instead, senior management will focus on the interests
of the organization as a whole and decide on strategic importance
of projects and resource allocation requirements. |
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| 4. The role of the project manager as a unique
position will die.
Just as the role of the quality manager is no longer today
what it was 15 years ago and this job title is rarely found in organizations
today, similarly, we see that the role of the project manager will
also evolve to become a work skill that is part of every employee’s
job responsibility. This will require a cultural shift in how projects
will be managed in the organization. |
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| 5. Performance management systems will incorporate
the management of projects as part of a total job performance measurement.
It is evident from the research findings that current performance
management systems are out of touch with how work is being done
today. The rise of Matrix Management Systems, in which staff has
dual responsibility; day-to-day operations - to their direct supervisor
and functionally - to a head office specialist, require staff to
be involved in projects as part of their job function (which is
not part of their job description). Yet existing performance management
systems fail to properly reward and recognize employees assigned
to project and quality teams. Performance management systems must
therefore incorporate the overall performance of an employee according
to their job description in combination with their performance on
projects and quality initiatives. |
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| 6. Organizations will seek out training that
combines both quality and project knowledge-based learning.
As project quality systems become implemented by more and more organizations,
a new skill requirement will evolve that we refer to as “Business
Process Management.” This competency will combine quality
and project management knowledge. Organizations will soon begin
searching for curriculums that span both areas to accommodate the
merge of these two disciplines as a critical skill. |
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| 7. Project and quality principles will be infused
into everyone’s roles within an organization.
As principles of project management fuse with quality management
requirements, organizations will expect a quality-based approach
to the management of projects so that corporations are able to successfully
execute projects time after time. Quality and project management
will be infused into everyone’s roles and will impact all
organizational departments. |
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| Summary |
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| Organizations that do not follow best practices are
at a competitive disadvantage to those who apply a structured process
to each project. Newer approaches to training, development and consulting
must consider these newer approaches to the overall management of
the change initiative. A quality-based approach to the management
of projects gives corporations the ability to successfully execute
projects time after time. This requires the careful management of
the organization’s project and quality cultures. The future
looks bright for those organizations that are prepared to pay attention
to these trends. |
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| About the Author |
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| As President and CEO of Business Improvement Architects, Michael works with executives and senior managers around the world to help them improve operational effectiveness through strategic planning, leadership development, project management and quality management. He has been instrumental in helping his clients reduce waste and increase efficiencies and profits with his clear processes and quality approach. |
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| For more information about this article, please contact
bia™ at info@bia.ca. |
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| Michael Stanleigh is author of the global report: “2010 PMO Global Study: How a Project Management Office Can Improve Organizational Effectiveness”.
For more information about this report, please contact
bia™ at info@bia.ca. |
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| © Business Improvement Architects |
