Accordingto Milestones to Efficiency: Factors thatInfluence Program Management Success in U.
S. Federal Agencies, numerousdata results reveal that implementing an OPM, Organizational Project Managementleads to a higher rate of project and program success. They emphasized thatthere were two major challenges in managing their projects successfully:limited funding and a lack of understanding on the part of individuals to thevalue of the project and program management.
They mentioned that despite havingthe support of executives, agencies have a specific amount of funding that theycan disburse across a portfolio of programs. As we all know, projects do notalways go according to plan, therefore it may sometimes take longer thananticipated and also cost more than budgeted. They also realized that individualswho are not really familiar with project management tend to be more resistantin working with a project manager. This causes issues when a senior projectmanager retires and no one is comfortable taking the position. An increase ineducation and exposure to program management success however is seen toincrease the acceptance rate, therefore increasing insight on the success ofit. Inthis case, they learned that it is crucial to find common denominators, whichmeans finding lessons from past cases that are relevant and can be appliedacross all boards regardless of its objective or context.
Managers in theSocial Security Administration developed the Program Manager Community ofPractice (PMCOP) that allowed for lessons learned to be shared more broadly. Morespecifically, the SSA has learned that project career development benefits theentire organization rather than just specific individuals, allowing for thebetterment of the organization as a whole. The BIA has found that projectmanagement practices help create a better understanding between police and thecommunity, resulting in higher efficiency and lower crime rate. Lastly, the FAAstates that program management at the agency has been transformed by thestandardization of processes, allowing for it to be applied more easily.
Whenapplying this case to the real world, it is crucial to take note that these arebroad challenges that can apply to many different projects. Furthermore, theserealizations can be taken and applied broadly in order to solve problems thatwere once thought to be unique to a program. In today’s world of intenseevolution in the technology and business industry, this case allows for us tothink of each problem we encounter with an open mind, sometimes the solutionsare closer than we think. Welearn from the case, Enabling aCustomer-Centric Experience through Project Management that in 2013, duTelecom who is in the business of providing mobile and fixed telephony,broadband connectivity and IPTV services to people, homes and businesses signeda Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei Technologies Co.
Ltd., a Chinesemultinational networking and telecommunications equipment and service company. Bysigning the MOU, these two companies have agreed that they understanding each party’srequirements and responsibilities, as they will begin to work together.
Theyare quick to realize the benefit of their relationships, as it will allow forthem to exchange best practice industry methodologies, concepts, tools andtechniques. Though they anticipate endless benefits, they are sure to faceseveral challenges as well. Huawei is a Chinese company and du Telecom providesservices throughout the UAE, therefore they will encounter language barriers,culture barriers and even differences in the way they do business.
Forinstance, assigning individuals who have never worked together to the sameproject. Another issue could arise by assigning individuals to roles they havenever worked in before. Additionally, external factors such as increase incompetition will bring unprecedented complications for these companies whenworking together. It is an industry of constant change and long term uncertainty,which means project managers, must be trained and equipped accordingly. Throughoutthis case we learn that leadership is key, though it cannot be learnedovernight, it is a skill that can be acquired with time and experience.
Throughendless challenges and failure, a project leader will always learn how tobecome more successful at his job. Intoday’s world, business has become very globalized and continues to evolve withtime. The challenges listed above are issues most companies are forced to dealwith when working on new projects with different companies around the world.However, project management capabilities are what allow for those projects tohave a chance at being prosperous.
Through experience and education, projectleaders gain insight on how to avoid specific problems within differentprojects realms. These two companies use the OPM3 model, which allows them toeliminate the gap between strategy, and individual projects. As a result, theyare able to decrease the amount of project failures and increase the quality oftheir projects, allowing them to meet their requirements.
