Application 2 – Annotated Bibliography

Project management - managing tomorrow: a Softlab/Professional Development Team venture Gunn, Kevin . Industrial and Commercial Training ; Guilsborough  Vol. 32, Iss. 2,  (2000): 49-51.

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ABSTRACT  

In November 1998, Softlab, a BMW Group company and leading European software provider and systems

integrator, appointed project management specialists, the newly launched Professional Development Team (PDT),

to assess project managers throughout the company, both individually and as teams. A three-year bespoke

training program was then developed to support Softlab's long term business strategy of growing and extending

its customer base. Softlab's commitment to this complete training and consultancy solution pays testament to its

dedication to providing structured and supported career paths for all project personnel. FULL TEXT  

Kevin Gunn: Kevin Gunn is Operations Director at PDT (Professional Development Team) Ltd, Norfolk, UK.

Introduction to Softlab

Softlab, a BMW Group company and leading European software provider and systems integrator, has championed

project management for some years now. Often dubbed the "accidental profession" and subject to a variety of

governing bodies, qualifications and representatives, project management has, until recently, been seen as the

"poor relation" to management. However, despite the confusion, the importance of the project manager was

recognised much earlier at Softlab than in many other businesses - internal support and training systems have

been in place at the company since 1994. Accordingly, the company's project management "Vision" is second to

none, aiming to develop world class, certified project managers and to be the employer of choice for project

managers throughout the UK.

Introduction to PDT

Newly launched, Professional Development Team (PDT) combines the specialist skills and resources of two of the

UK's leading project management training providers. Project Management Professional Services Ltd (PMP) and

Philip Gunn &Associates Ltd have teamed up to supply a powerful mix of training, education, competence and

consultancy services, previously offered by only the largest training organisations around the world. With

combined accreditation for training by the Association of Project Management, the Project Management Institute,

the Institute of Management and ECITB (Engineering Construction Industry Training Board), PDT is well placed to

bid and deliver on the largest of contracts.

First stage of the programme

The three-year programme, entitled "Project management - managing tomorrow" commenced in November 1998,

by assessing the overall training needs of 90 Softlab Project Managers. Softlab's major requirement was for a

scheme that catered for managers with varying levels of experience. Accordingly, two introductory presentations

were held, after which every project manager filled in a detailed questionnaire which was to ensure each candidate

entered the programme at an appropriate level. The questionnaire established:

- a present level of knowledge and experience;

- each individual's learning aspirations;

- a "training matrix" for use by managers.

Project managers were assessed on knowledge, competence and project management behaviours.

- Knowledge was assessed against the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), a structure developed

by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Areas assessed included: project cost management, project quality

management, project time management, project integration, project scope, project communications management,

project human resource management, project risk management and project procurement management.

- Competence was assessed using the Occupational Standards Accreditation model for the Level 4 NVQ/SVQ.

Areas assessed included guiding the work of teams and individuals, identifying and analysing hazards, estimating

resources and identifying sources, managing implementation, specifying requirements for projects, securing

operational resources, and managing contractual arrangements.

- The questionnaire also evaluated the working methods and behaviour employed by the project managers. This

included self-confidence, planning and prioritising, judgement and decision-making, adaptability, analysis,

sensitivity, negotiation, concern for excellence, information search, motivating others, influencing, communication

and presentation, conceptualising, strategic perspective and team-building.

- There were also a number of company specific elements to the questionnaire, designed to test proficiency and

knowledge in 22 designated key areas. These were agreed and identified by Softlab management prior to the

project and incorporated into the overall assessment and training programmes.

When all the results had been gathered and moderated, the assessment identified Softlab's need for:

- A general improvement in project management practices.

- An emphasis on the principles of project management.

- An increased focus on the key elements of project management.

- All programmes to be presented by practitioners.

In response to these key needs a bespoke programme was developed for introductory, intermediate and strategic

levels that concentrated on the following areas:

- (1) Project management tools and procedures.

- project definition;

- project planning;

- resourcing;

- risk management;

- project reporting;

- project control;

- reviews and audits.

- (2) People skills.

- expertise;

- effort;

- expectations.

- (3) Personal competencies.

- acting assertively;

- acting strategically;

- behaving ethically;

- building teams;

- communicating;

- focussing on results;

- influencing others;

- managing self;

- searching for information;

- thinking and taking decisions.

A system of programme control was put in place and feedback was gathered from a number of sources including

the assigned steering group, the working group, and the programme co-ordinator. It also took into account results

from the course evaluations, which allowed continuous improvement and adaptation of the programme.

As Mike Fitzgerald, Strategic Marketing Director for Softlab says, "The PDT programme is designed to strengthen

the competence of all our project managers and to provide them with a structured career development path. Given

that our long term business strategy is to grow our current customer base, this tailor-made approach is absolutely

invaluable."

The overall aim of the programme, as with all PDT programmes, was to promote organisational excellence by

cultivating both individual and team excellence with the specific goal of helping Softlab's project managers to

become the best in their class.

Level 1 - The introductory programme (see Figure 1)

The emphasis here was placed on applying learned theory to the working environment. A total of 25 candidates, in

two groups, attended a five-day residential foundation level course. The course comprised of lectures, case

studies, discussion groups and the application of specific Softlab project management procedures while also

guiding the candidates through examples of the project lifecycle.

Level 2 - The intermediate programme (see Figure 2)

The highest proportion of candidates entered the programme at the intermediate level, however, the initial

assessment of candidates identified that some would benefit from further theoretical input whilst others were

ideally suited to an advanced competence assessment programme. The intermediate candidates were therefore

split into two groups:

(1) The Certificate in Project Management (Institute of Management), which constituted seven two-day workshops,

was undertaken by 24 candidates.

(2) NVQ Levels 4 and 5 (Institute of Management) was embarked on by 19 candidates. Each candidate will attend a

series of half-day meetings with an assigned assessor.

Level 3 - The strategic programme (see Figure 3)

Strategic workshops tailored to Softlab's requirements have been set up for the senior project managers identified

at this level. Led by experts, these specialist workshops are covering topics such as:

- advanced risk management;

- strategic project management;

- leaders of the future.

Conclusion

A tailored programme designed for project managers by project managers has meant that every project manager

within Softlab, at whatever level, has had the training to suit their personal need. The programme has boosted

morale and strengthened relationships within the company as well as building Softlab's profile in the market place.

Fitzgerald concludes, "Individual project management excellence inevitably leads to organisational project

management excellence and Softlab are moving ever closer to their initial 'world class' goal. All good stuff so far

and still another two thirds of the programme to go"

Illustration

Caption: Figure 1; The introductory programme; Figure 2; The intermediate programme; Figure 3; The strategic

programme DETAILS

Subject: Studies; Occupational training; Software industry; Project management

Location: United Kingdom UK

Company / organization: Name: Softlab Inc; NAICS: 511210

Classification: 9175: Western Europe; 9130: Experimental/theoretical; 8302: Software &computer

services industry; 6200: Training &development

Publication title: Industrial and Commercial Training; Guilsborough

Volume: 32

Issue: 2

Pages: 49-51

Number of pages: 0

Publication year: 2000

Publication date: 2000

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Place of publication: Guilsborough

Country of publication: United Kingdom

Publication subject: Business And Economics--Management, Business And Economics--Personnel

Management

ISSN: 00197858

CODEN: ILCTAU

Source type: Scholarly Journals

Language of publication: English

Document type: Feature

ProQuest document ID: 214108064

Document URL: https://search-proquest-

com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/214108064?accountid=14872

Copyright: Copyright MCB UP Limited (MCB) 2000

Last updated: 2014-05-26

Database: ProQuest Central

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