Comments on: Project Managers: The Value of Understanding Technology http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/ Helping new and aspiring project managers reach their career goals! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:27:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Delta-tech-solutions. | 7Wins.eu http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/#comment-8559 Delta-tech-solutions. | 7Wins.eu Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:34:53 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1496#comment-8559 [...] Farmers should Get More Water in California (MercuryNews) - LeakBirdDPI Weblog » Tackling the Niger-delta Challenge!Project Managers: The Value of Understanding Technology | pmStudent [...] [...] Farmers should Get More Water in California (MercuryNews) – LeakBirdDPI Weblog » Tackling the Niger-delta Challenge!Project Managers: The Value of Understanding Technology | pmStudent [...]

]]> By: Sandy Sears http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/#comment-6218 Sandy Sears Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:03:35 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1496#comment-6218 Having read the post and previous comments, I would say the everyone has made some valid points. That said, I believe the project manager in a software development project should have at least some knowledge of the software development life cycle and the computer technology upon which it is developed and hosted. It is important to be aware of some of the issues that can arise in this environment in order to plan for them and ask the right questions of your project lead and your team. While some may say that technical people need to learn to "speak business" (which I do not dispute), the technical team will have more respect and appreciation for a project manager that can go at least part way to understand some of the tech talk. Not only will the project manager benefit from the points that Sonal has listed, but also from the human element of the cohesiveness of the team as the team members can relate better to the project manager, feeling that the manager "understands" them. Duncan's point is well taken that the PM must know when to defer decisions to the technical lead, but if he/she also has a better understanding of the issues facing the team, expectations will be more realistic. Having read the post and previous comments, I would say the everyone has made some valid points.

That said, I believe the project manager in a software development project should have at least some knowledge of the software development life cycle and the computer technology upon which it is developed and hosted.

It is important to be aware of some of the issues that can arise in this environment in order to plan for them and ask the right questions of your project lead and your team. While some may say that technical people need to learn to “speak business” (which I do not dispute), the technical team will have more respect and appreciation for a project manager that can go at least part way to understand some of the tech talk. Not only will the project manager benefit from the points that Sonal has listed, but also from the human element of the cohesiveness of the team as the team members can relate better to the project manager, feeling that the manager “understands” them. Duncan’s point is well taken that the PM must know when to defer decisions to the technical lead, but if he/she also has a better understanding of the issues facing the team, expectations will be more realistic.

]]> By: Sandy Sears http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/#comment-24668 Sandy Sears Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:03:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1496#comment-24668 Having read the post and previous comments, I would say the everyone has made some valid points. That said, I believe the project manager in a software development project should have at least some knowledge of the software development life cycle and the computer technology upon which it is developed and hosted. It is important to be aware of some of the issues that can arise in this environment in order to plan for them and ask the right questions of your project lead and your team. While some may say that technical people need to learn to "speak business" (which I do not dispute), the technical team will have more respect and appreciation for a project manager that can go at least part way to understand some of the tech talk. Not only will the project manager benefit from the points that Sonal has listed, but also from the human element of the cohesiveness of the team as the team members can relate better to the project manager, feeling that the manager "understands" them. Duncan's point is well taken that the PM must know when to defer decisions to the technical lead, but if he/she also has a better understanding of the issues facing the team, expectations will be more realistic. Having read the post and previous comments, I would say the everyone has made some valid points.

That said, I believe the project manager in a software development project should have at least some knowledge of the software development life cycle and the computer technology upon which it is developed and hosted.

It is important to be aware of some of the issues that can arise in this environment in order to plan for them and ask the right questions of your project lead and your team. While some may say that technical people need to learn to “speak business” (which I do not dispute), the technical team will have more respect and appreciation for a project manager that can go at least part way to understand some of the tech talk. Not only will the project manager benefit from the points that Sonal has listed, but also from the human element of the cohesiveness of the team as the team members can relate better to the project manager, feeling that the manager “understands” them. Duncan’s point is well taken that the PM must know when to defer decisions to the technical lead, but if he/she also has a better understanding of the issues facing the team, expectations will be more realistic.

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/#comment-5579 Glen B. Alleman Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:07:22 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1496#comment-5579 Josh, When Bill (Duncan) mentioned the endless discussion, I've been part of those. Like many discussion a simple inverting of the question goes a long way to clarifying the issue. Instead of asking what skills a PM needs, ask what deliverables does the customer expect from the project. When those are placed in the RAM and the skills to produce those deliverables are identified, it becomes clearer what roles are needed around those skills. In the case of PM's the deliverables shoudl be "programmatic" in some way. Those are the deliverables of the PM. If those "programmatic" deliverables include some or deep understanding of the technology - say a Control Account Manager for a mono-propellant propulsion system research project - then that may be different than say - installing carpeting in the lobby of the propulsion research laboratory. Start with the end in mine, as Covey would remind us. Josh,
When Bill (Duncan) mentioned the endless discussion, I’ve been part of those. Like many discussion a simple inverting of the question goes a long way to clarifying the issue.
Instead of asking what skills a PM needs, ask what deliverables does the customer expect from the project. When those are placed in the RAM and the skills to produce those deliverables are identified, it becomes clearer what roles are needed around those skills.
In the case of PM’s the deliverables shoudl be “programmatic” in some way. Those are the deliverables of the PM. If those “programmatic” deliverables include some or deep understanding of the technology – say a Control Account Manager for a mono-propellant propulsion system research project – then that may be different than say – installing carpeting in the lobby of the propulsion research laboratory.
Start with the end in mine, as Covey would remind us.

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/#comment-24667 Glen B. Alleman Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:07:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1496#comment-24667 Josh, When Bill (Duncan) mentioned the endless discussion, I've been part of those. Like many discussion a simple inverting of the question goes a long way to clarifying the issue. Instead of asking what skills a PM needs, ask what deliverables does the customer expect from the project. When those are placed in the RAM and the skills to produce those deliverables are identified, it becomes clearer what roles are needed around those skills. In the case of PM's the deliverables shoudl be "programmatic" in some way. Those are the deliverables of the PM. If those "programmatic" deliverables include some or deep understanding of the technology - say a Control Account Manager for a mono-propellant propulsion system research project - then that may be different than say - installing carpeting in the lobby of the propulsion research laboratory. Start with the end in mine, as Covey would remind us. Josh,
When Bill (Duncan) mentioned the endless discussion, I’ve been part of those. Like many discussion a simple inverting of the question goes a long way to clarifying the issue.
Instead of asking what skills a PM needs, ask what deliverables does the customer expect from the project. When those are placed in the RAM and the skills to produce those deliverables are identified, it becomes clearer what roles are needed around those skills.
In the case of PM’s the deliverables shoudl be “programmatic” in some way. Those are the deliverables of the PM. If those “programmatic” deliverables include some or deep understanding of the technology – say a Control Account Manager for a mono-propellant propulsion system research project – then that may be different than say – installing carpeting in the lobby of the propulsion research laboratory.
Start with the end in mine, as Covey would remind us.

]]> By: Josh Nankivel http://pmstudent.com/project-managers-the-value-of-understanding-technology/#comment-5565 Josh Nankivel Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:02:33 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1496#comment-5565 Thanks Glen, we also have a dollarized RAM which is also a piece of our EVMS. It is very helpful to quickly show who is responsible for what, especially on a complex project where you have multiple project managers leading different segments. Thanks Glen, we also have a dollarized RAM which is also a piece of our EVMS. It is very helpful to quickly show who is responsible for what, especially on a complex project where you have multiple project managers leading different segments.

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