:AACE CERTIFICATION 2009-2010:

In this week’s blog contribution (and intended to be continued in the following blogs), I would like to take an excurse into the challenges, learning and application of best practices on setting up and managing vaguely defined, unstructured ventures, which do not necessarily fit into the defined schemes of “classic” project management.
While this first blog out of the entire series does not necessarily reflect on any of the learning of neither our initial workshop nor the TCM framework provided by AACE it certainly does set the scene for the next postings, which will address in detail the areas covered in the AACE curriculum.

1. Setting the scene:

Taking part in the development of a groundbreaking concept of customer value and perception optimization at end-user level, we have started addressing and pre-defining behavior models based on the experience the subscriber has with the service provided through the operator.

While the concept seems to be clear and easy to understand and follow it becomes seemingly difficult to define a proper frame around the deliverables and the approach to deliver any kind of framework for such analyses and improvement. Being a highly innovative idea and depending on a shier undistinguishable amount of parameters, constraints and assumptions, we are very soon reaching the limits trying to apply a “classic” project management approach to provide a framework for this endeavor.

In reference to Gary Chin in his book “Agile Project Management” (Chin 2004) “someone might risk stifling innovation with (the allocation of) too much process. With too little process, someone might risk never getting the project completed. The mismatch occurs when you try to employ classic PM methods in an agile environment.”

Citing further: “While many companies have spent significant money and energy customizing common PM processes to their specific situations, they are still finding that it is more of an art than a science, where certain project managers thrive and others struggle. Building on classic PM methods can take you only so far in the uncertain environment that is so typical of projects pushing the boundaries of technological and business innovation. Agile PM will provide some new concepts and techniques that I have (referring to the author) seen to be effective in dynamic environments and that, hopefully, will help you advance your project management foundation in these challenging areas.”

Considering an agile environment or rather a soft systems environment (Checkland 2000), like in this case, being to driver for the innovation, we are currently looking into Agile Project Management, and as advised by Dr. Paul at a recent stage also considering an Integrated Project Delivery model (AIA 2009) as introduced by The American Institute of Architects, as being able to provide the “right framework” for our engagement.



Figure 1: The inquiring/learning cycle of SSM (Checkland 2000)


Checkland’s as well as AIA’s models of Soft Systems Methodology (Checkland 2000) and Integrated Project Delivery (AIA 2009) seem to provide the best standard concepts to the structural challenge at hand.

Still, they do not provide answer or guidance to the challenges of motivating and managing highly skilled and intellectual team members, which are crucial to successfully deliver such complicated concepts.
Further challenge at hand will be the contractual framework around such engagements, providing Quality Assurance and SOX compliance in a very volatile (agile) environment.

Both topics will be addressed in the following blogs.

Klaus


Cited references:

AIA, T. A. I. o. A. (2009). "Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide." Retrieved 14.11.2009, 2009, from http://www.aia.org/contractdocs/AIAS077630.

Checkland, P. (2000). "Soft Systems Methodology: A Thirty Year Retrospective." Systems Research and Behavioral Science Syst. Res. 17: S11–S58.

Chin, G. (2004). CHAPTER 1: DEFINING AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT. Agile Project Management, American Management Association International: 1-12.
Chapter 1 of the book "Agile Project Management" is presented. The chapter discusses the concepts and techniques provided by agile project management (PM) which are seen effective in dynamic environments. The primary reason expanding on classic PM methods that are considered not as effective in certain areas is explained. Also discussed are the characteristics of agile PM and the two types of project which are internal uncertainty and external uncertainty.