Andy Sumners, lead guitarist with The Police once said “I don’t like playing standards. I like to do my own cutting edge work.”
Andy, you should have been a Project Manager in today’s IT business!
Is it just me or have standards fallen nay almost disappeared. Let’s face it a decade ago Prince was King (pardon the pun).
In today’s cut and thrust IT project management environment, standards have gone out of the window.??
Nowadays you’re lucky if the project gets a RAID log (risks and issues), a one-page PowerPoint Terms of Reference (TOR), a cut down highlight report, the odd un-minuted PCC and a cut-down, non resource-balanced project plan.??
But what about the Lessons Learned, the Stakeholder Management Plan, the Communications Plan and the Project Initiation Document? I hear you say.
Any chance if a Shared Projects Folder?
You’re having a laugh ain’t ya?
And why?
Well I’ll tell you why.
Most modern day PM’s work within multi-resourced departmental structures. The Business employ the Big Consultancies who refuse to use the client’s standards, tools and methodologies. It’s too much like hard work. ??
After all why should they give away their copyright templates for free?
Why should they toe the line and abide by the Paymaster?
Why should they make it easier to communicate with the Client?
By making it easy maybe, just maybe the Client could do it for themselves -??
I can hear you shiver at the thought!
I would at his point like to state that I am not advocating that we go back to the days where if you did not have Prince on your CV, then you were persona non grata, however something’s gotta change guys!
So if there are any of the big boys out there who want to comment – bring it on!
I would love to hear your reasons for sharing the will but not willing to share.
As me old mate Sting once said “I’m Sendin Out an SOS!”
Malcolm McNeill is a Senior IT PM and CEO of www.FabbyDoo.com- and also played support to The Police on their 1982 UK Synchronicity tour.
