| So, you've made the decision to become a | | | | Well, that's where we come in. I have decided |
| Project Manager. Have you ever asked yourself | | | | to approach this assessment in much the same |
| why? I know that the general consensus these | | | | way as we analyze any product that has proven |
| days is that the Project Management | | | | successful. Let's use the metric known as |
| profession is growing and that there is a | | | | "Fitness for Use". |
| tremendous need for experienced project | | | | |
| managers. What an incredible opportunity! | | | | Fitness for Use |
| | | | |
| Your choice to become a project manager may | | | | Most of you may be are familiar with the term |
| be quite logical based on your current career | | | | "Fitness for Use" when it is applied to |
| path. After all, you've been successful as a | | | | software or hardware analysis. Is the |
| systems analyst, developer, or whatever else | | | | software or hardware that we are recommending |
| it is that you do - so why not move up the | | | | or developing going to fit the needs as |
| career ladder and get a pay raise by becoming | | | | specified by our clients? These requirements |
| a Project Manager? After all, everyone knows | | | | can be reviewed from both qualitative or |
| that project managers do make a lot of money | | | | quantitative terms - it doesn't really |
| for not really doing anything, don't they? | | | | matter. The main purpose of this evaluation |
| | | | is to ensure that any component or system |
| Now obviously I'm being facetious. But you | | | | that is recommended should be fit for use in |
| must recognize that there is this myth | | | | the environment that it is being installed |
| prevalent in the IT industry that project | | | | and under the constraints that may exist or |
| managers are not real workers. Why? Maybe | | | | that is specified by our clients. |
| it's because the work that we do sometimes | | | | |
| has a sense of "invisibility" - a lot of it | | | | So how does this apply to Project Management? |
| is intangible. In many cases, your clients | | | | |
| will not see any physical output except when | | | | Well, think of modifying the acronym |
| the project is delivered successfully. | | | | "F.I.Tâ„¢" to represent the three key |
| | | | characteristics that any successful project |
| To try to prevent this perception from | | | | manager should demonstrate: |
| materializing, some project managers respond | | | | |
| by getting very involved in the detailed | | | | Focus Intensity Training |
| tasks - in an effort to prove to their | | | | |
| clients, their teams, and maybe even | | | | The Standish Group's Chaos Report recognized |
| themselves that they really are working - | | | | that part of the reasons for project failure |
| that they are valuable to the project. | | | | could be attributed to the inexperience and |
| | | | lack of training of the assigned Project |
| Sadly, because they often schedule themselves | | | | Manager. In other words, the Project Manager |
| to complete critical tasks, the oversight and | | | | that was assigned was not F.I.Tâ„¢ for |
| control that they were supposed to be | | | | the job. |
| exerting as project managers does not get | | | | |
| done and so the crises begin. | | | | We need to make sure that you are |
| | | | F.I.Tâ„¢ for this position. This approach |
| So, take this time to assess yourself. Do you | | | | may seem a bit radical, but believe me, it is |
| truly believe that you have the skills and | | | | what has helped me set the foundation for a |
| disposition to become a successful Project | | | | successful career. I have no doubt that it |
| Manager? Do you know what these are? | | | | will do the same for you. |
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