Delivering Value through Process Solutions

This book is  based on the latest research in the areas of project management, complexity theory and systems thinking. The authors aim  to provide a set of tools for understanding and managing the complex projects and programs.
The first chapter describes what is meant by a complex project. While all projects have interconnectedness, hierarchy, communication, control and emergence as their attributes, the complex projects have additional characteristics like phase transition, adaptiveness and sensitivity to initial conditions. All these attributes and characteristics are explained in this chapter with reference to the complexity theory.

In the next chapter the authors state that the complexity is a matter of perception and ambiguity. To enable effective communication they suggest categorizing the complex projects as follows:
1.    Structurally Complex  – ‘How does it all fit together so that we can manage it?’ or
‘How can we keep track of all the interdependencies?’
2.    Technically Complex – ‘How do we do or make it?’ or ‘How do we solve the technical or design problems?’
3.    Directionally Complex - ‘How do we share understanding?’ or ‘How do we agree about what we have to do?’
4.    Temporally Complex – ‘How can we be in a position to anticipate, survive or take advantage of the changes?’ or ‘How do we keep some control over the changes when they can occur at any time?’

The next four chapters (Chapters 3-6) explain each of the above mentioned complexity type. The explanation is as per the following  format:
•    Explanation in terms of Complexity Theory  -  Structure, Communication,  Control, Sensitivity to Initial Conditions, Degree of Order/Chaos
•    Project Management Challenges – Critical Project Phases, Executive Support, Project Manager Capabilities, Team Support, Financial Issues, Scheduling Issues, Risk Issues, Procurement Implications
•    Traps and Consequences – Traps to watch out for and the consequences of falling into these traps.

Chapter 7 provides a short overview of each of the 14 tools recommended by the authors, type of complex situations (Structural/ Technical/ Directional/ Temporal) where it can be used and when it can be used (whether throughout the project lifecycle or on ad hoc basis).  These tools are based on complexity theory, design theory, soft systems thinking, behavioral psychology and adult education theory.

Chapters 8-21 discuss the following tools in detail:
1.    Mapping the Complexity – a simple way to illustrate where the sources of complexity are likely to occur and how they change throughout the project life.
2.     System Anatomy – an approach developed for the telecommunications industry which involves simple graphic means of coordination between international centers.
3.    TOC (Target Outturn Cost) – an approach developed for construction projects based on collaborative working agreements.
4.     Program Tool – a concept which uses the program to help define differential strategies for managing projects within the program according to their type and level of complexity.
5.     Role Definition – a checklist for use when defining role capabilities for managing different types of complex projects.
6.    Jazz (Time-linked Semi-structures) – a way of thinking about the organizational structure for a complex project in order to balance creativity and output.
7.     Multimethodology in Series – an approach which grafts soft systems thinking to the front end of a project or project phase.
8.     Multimethodology in Parallel – an approach which embeds soft systems thinking into the project throughout the entire project life cycle.
9.     Virtual Gates – an approach which utilizes the idea of variable control gates to help manage project risk.
10.    Risk Interdependencies – a quick tool to help identify emergent risk patterns in small- to medium-sized projects.
11.     TCTC (Temporal Cost-Time Comparison) – an approach to preparing realistic ranges of estimates during uncertainty.
12.     Kokotovich Triad – a group of tools to assist in stimulating creative solution finding.
13.     Stanislavski’s ‘Method’ – a tool to help expand personal perspectives in a given situation.
14.     Discursive Universe – a tool to help with communication and managing difficult stakeholder relationships.

The discussion on the tool includes – a short description of the problem the tool addresses, how it relates to complexity theory, step-by-step guide to its application, cautionary notes, and examples of the use of the tool in practice.

It is  an useful book for the Project Management community. The complexity theory and its relation to projects are explained very well. I could easily see the connections that the Agile software development and project management methods have with the tools described in this book, though the book is not specific to software projects and Agile methods. However the extensive theoretical discussions may test the patience of a busy project manager. Also the discussions on the tools  serve only as pointers and most of them are not complete DIY (Do it Yourselves) recipes. However authors have provided plenty of references for further reading in each chapter. More examples /case studies on application of these tools would have enhanced the quality of the book (and probably enhanced the already high price as well!).

Nevertheless it is a book which should be in every corporate library and which every project manager should make time to read. It will widen their perspective and understanding of complex projects.

Book Details: Authors – Kaye Remington and Julien Pollack ; Hardcover  – 230 pages; Published – 2007; Publisher – Gower Publishing Ltd.
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Author: Madhavan S. Rao

Managing IT projects in an environment of rapidly changing customer requirements, uncertain business scenario and umpteen numbers of risks and vulnerabilities is a real challenge.
More than 60 % projects are either highly challenged or are failures (Chaos Report 2011). Clearly there needs to be a better way of managing the projects in today’s environment. A formal training in project management tools and techniques is necessary but not a sufficient condition to ensure a project success. Something extra is required.
The author of this book, Madhavan S Rao, a Project Management Professional (PMP) with more than 20 years of experience in successfully managing IT projects, provides this much needed extra edge in form of Seven Mantras to steer the projects to successful outcomes.

The Seven Mantras are:
1.    Forseeing  the Bigger Picture
2.    Investing in Customer and Team Education
3.    Information Seeding
4.    Perception Management
5.    Learning to say a Positive NO/ Conditional YES
6.    Steering Comfort Levels
7.    Thinking   $£€` for  Stakeholders

It is evident from the above list that all these Mantras deal with softer aspects of a project viz; people management, interpersonal relationship, and entrepreneurial thinking.

Armed with 100 real-life case studies  the author demonstrates in this book  how these  Mantras can effectively combat the common project vulnerabilities associated with  – ambiguous requirements, scope creep, shared development, new domain/technology,  hardware or software infrastructure, human resource issues (skill availability, motivation/morale, attrition, idle time),  incorrect estimates, undocumented/ unshared assumptions, unshared commitments, differences in perception, and delayed feedback.

Case studies associated with each Mantra are described as per the following format:

• Context:  A concise description of situation
• Description: Gives a brief background of the project and the issues for the team
• Approach: Explains the approach adopted by the team to resolve the issues.
• Outcome: Shares the results achieved by the team using the Mantra
• Takeaway: Summarizes the learning from the case study
• Related Mantra: Lists the other Mantras that can be used in the situation

These case studies are also appropriately mapped to Project Management Knowledge Areas and Process as defined by PMI (Project Management Institute) and also to the relevant SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) phase.

The Seven Mantras are a part of a framework conceived and named by the author as “Project Assurance Management”.  He conceived this framework after a result of a long term (and ongoing) study and introspection on, what Project Management Professionals could do to overcome the unresolved project related challenges and what more can possibly be done.
The book has a chapter on Project Assurance Management which follows the preceding seven chapters dealing with the Seven Mantras and the case studies related to them. Here the author positions Project Assurance Management as a framework that complements the traditional practice of Project Risk Management.  While Risk Management deals with uncertainties in a project, Assurance Management focuses on “enhancing  the leadership mindset by visualizing and utilizing all opportunity spaces (i.e. the situations that can be used to improve project outcomes”) to the fullest potential in a real-time manner to steer projects to success.”

The author also proposes a disciplined approach to implement Project Assurance Management in form of four principles:

1. Seeding:  Any activity performed to create opportunities that positively affect the project outcome and also the customer relationship.
2. Ecosystem Engineering: Focused modification of project conditions and situations to make them conducive to smooth execution of the project. This can be achieved through perception management, real-time ecosystem scanning and implementing dynamic methodologies to achieve stakeholder buy-in.
3. Pre-emption: Deliberate creation of the right circumstances that will pre-empt or negate any troubled situation arising in the project. This proactively takes into account the human frailties that lead to many project challenges.
4. Innovative Paradigms: Having a framework in place that enables stakeholders to break out of the existing paradigm of doing things.

The last section of the book has contributions from 20 thought leaders and practice leaders from the Indian IT scene. They come from a wide cross-section of roles ranging from Founders, CEO to Project Managers. These leaders have played leading roles in industry bodies like NASSCOM, in professional bodies like Project Management Institute Chapters and also in various well-known IT companies in India. They share their perspectives on how to empower Project Management professionals to deliver much more than what seems possible and take the project to the next level of success.
This book is a valuable addition to the project management literature.  The main beneficiaries of this book will be project managers from Indian IT service industry. There are not many practical and informative books for this audience. This book fills the long-felt gap.  Not many books have more than 100 case studies described in such a concise (maximum 3 pages per case study) and elegant manner. It is written in a style which project managers can easily relate to.  The sharing of perspectives by the industry leaders is yet another highlight of this book.
In the forthcoming editions, it would nice to see the following enhancements/changes in this book:

• Case studies can be categorized in terms of problems and issues faced by the project and mapped to Mantras.  To give an analogy, presently the book first describes the medicine (Mantras) and then tells the patient (project manager) which diseases (issues) it can cure.  From the patient’s (project manager’s) perspective it will be more helpful if she is told which medicine to take (i.e. which Mantra to practice) to cure a particular disease (i.e. to address the issues confronting her)
• A consolidated table which maps the SDLC, Project Management Knowledge Areas and Project Management Process to all the case studies discussed in this book can be provided as an Appendix.  This will enable the reader to easily locate the case studies related to a particular Knowledge Area, Project Management Process or a SDLC phase.

This is a book which every Project Manager (especially those in Indian IT service industry) should read and often refer to!

Book Details: Paperback – 292 pages; Published – 2011; Publisher – Assurance Consulting, Bengaluru, India

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