Introduction: As companies approach some degree of maturity in project management, it becomes readily apparent to all

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Introduction:

As companies approach some degree of maturity in project management, it becomes readily apparent to all that some sort of standardization approach is necessary for the way that projects are managed. The ideal solution might be to have a singular methodology for all projects, whether they are for new product development, information systems, or client services. Some organizations may find it necessary to maintain more than one methodology, however, such as one methodology for information systems and a second methodology for new product development.

The implementation and acceptance of a project management methodology can be difficult if the organization's culture provides a great deal of resistance to the change. Strong executive leadership may be necessary such that the barriers to change can be overcome quickly. These barriers can exist at all levels of management as well as at the worker level. The changes may require that workers give up their comfort zones and seek out new social groups.

Ferris HealthCare, Inc. In July of 2014, senior management at Ferris recognized that its future growth could very well be determined by how quickly and how well it implemented project management. For the past several years, line managers had been functioning as project managers while still managing their line groups. The projects came out with the short end of the stick, most often late and over budget, because managers focused on line activities rather than project work. Everyone recognized that project management needed to be an established career path position and that some structured process had to be implemented for project management.

A consultant was brought into Ferris to provide initial project management training for 50 out of the 300 employees targeted for eventual project management training. Several of the employees thus trained were then placed on a committee with senior management to design a project management stagegate model for Ferris.

After two months of meetings, the committee identified the need for three different stagegate models: one for information systems, one for new products/ services provided, and one for bringing on board new corporate clients. There were several similarities among the three models. However, personal interests dictated the need for three methodologies, all based on rigid policies and procedures.

After a year of using three models, the company recognized it had a problem deciding how to assign the right project manager to the right project. Project managers had to be familiar with all three methodologies. The alternative, considered impractical, was to assign only those project managers familiar with that specific methodology.

After six months of meetings, the company consolidated the three methodologies into a single methodology, focusing more on guidelines than on policies and procedures. The entire organization appeared to support the new single methodology. A consultant was brought in to conduct the first three days of a fourday training program for employees not yet trained in project management. The fourth day was taught by internal personnel with a focus on how to use the new methodology. The success to failure ratio on projects increased dramatically.

QUESTIONS 1) Why was it so difficult to develop a single methodology from the start? 2) Why were all three initial methodologies based on policies and procedures? 3) Why do you believe the organization later was willing to accept a single methodology? 4) Why was the single methodology based on guidelines rather than policies and procedures? 5) Did it make sense to have the fourth day of the training program devoted to the methodology and immediately attached to the end of the threeday program? 6) Why was the consultant not allowed to teach the methodology?