From time to time, all of us will experience some level of change in our careers. Many will be positive, some will be negative and if you are fortunate – several will be significant and add great value to your overall career. I have, like many others, experienced all of these changes at one time or another, but I am experiencing a slightly different one at this time. So, I thought that I’d take some time to talk about some of those changes; what they mean for me and how I have had to change my outlook, but not change my career choice.
Having been primarily on the Information Technology (IT) side of Project Management for most of my career has made it relatively easy when certain career choices have been at hand. Many times it meant simply building upon the knowledge and experience that I had at the time, and taking on several new challenges and technologies. At times this mean that I still would need to use my standard set of Project Management skills in the IT marketplace, apply them to new technologies, companies and situations. Generally speaking, it was simply a case of building upon known skills and situations in a new or slightly more complicated environment.
However, when you move from the IT/Technology/Services side of the field, to the Business and Operations side of the field, things change dramatically. On one hand, it can be a fairly significant challenge, for you are looking at the management of Projects whereby you are now dependent upon the IT Services or Development group to deliver the needed technology and systems that are needed to drive business and operations. Where are some of the key places where you still use your standard PM Methodology, but look at items in a completely different way? Let’s look at a few.
Primary amongst the differences is in the area of Project Plans and work breakdown structures. After years of developing a variety of Project Plans and schedules based upon very familiar and common ‘work packages’, I now find myself taking a new and unfamiliar look at how my project plan and schedule need to be organized. The first item of business is to understand and adapt to the new ‘methodology and process structure’ that I have found on my new assignment. This is not all that much different than taking on any new assignment for a new client or when changing employers. However, concentrating on work-flow, processes, along with operational structure and service delivery is significantly different than building out the infrastructure of a new data center, or defining the work breakdown necessary for a ‘package configuration and implementation’.
Secondly, I have found that ‘Risk Management’ is going to be a very different ballgame this time around. The basics of developing a comprehensive and practical Risk Management plan will be based upon sound practices and the methodology that I have used throughout my career. The organization and types of Risks, along with mitigation stratigies and contingencies will be very different. Again, this is all part of experiencing ‘Change’ in the real world, but brings about living and working in a different environment with a different comfort feeling.
Now for a very positive aspect of this new ‘outlook’ and functionality. During the last week, I was asked to sit in on a review session for a new project initiative that is being put together as a deliverable for the operations department. Basically, it is to rewrite a existing package that will have completely new ‘technology feeds’ driving it, with the expectation that the resulting reports and outputs (part of the Business Critical Operations), as part of larger overhaul effort. For most of the review session, I found myself listening intently to the presentation and document being presented by the IT Delivery Manager along with the PM. At first, I was listening and making notes using my old ‘IT Presence’ and experience. Midway through the presentation, I realized that I needed to change my focus and get back over on the ‘other side of the table’. While I still depended upon my existing PM Skills and experiences in and around the business functions that I previously supported, it proved extremely beneficial to me to be able to look at the shortcomings and weakness of the Statement of Work as it related to the needs of Business and Operations.
As I experience and formulate the differences and adjustments that I will need to make, moving from the IT world to Business and Operations, I will share those experiences here. It’s been an exiting and stimulating ride so far, and I find that I do have the ability to ‘Change my Outlook’, but not my career choice – Project Management.
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John – You touch on a very good point. I am a project manager (construction in commercial real estate services) and I was promoted to Regional Manager of my team. It was an awkward move to go from PjM to RM and while the team was VERY supportive, I found moving from “on the ground” to viewing projects at 15,000 feet was completely different. Not being in the weeds was uncharted territory but it was an adjustment I embraced and we were very successful at year-end. It definitely requires adaptability and some solid leadership abilities.
Keep us updated on your progress!