Lack of consistency in project management training. Lack of common terminology across the organization. Duplication of effort. These were some of the problems facing the Professional Services organization at Compaq (Digital Equipment Corporation at the time) in late 1995. Project managers needed common processes and training to help solve these problems. In response to these problems, the Project Management Office (PMO), in partnership with the Training and Development organization designed and implemented a worldwide project management development program.
Background
We are the Professional Services business group within Compaq. We have approximately 1,200 project managers throughout 45 countries. In 1995, we were helping many large, global corporations and government agencies worldwide solve their enterprisewide IT problems. While we had a very good reputation for meeting customers needs and delivering these projects on time, internal costs of delivering the projects were higher than they should be. The lack of consistent project terminology around the world made it difficult to share project experiences and practices and for one project manager to replace another. We had good people doing good work, but we felt there were opportunities for them to perform a whole lot better and more consistently across the organization. Training was very sporadic in the countries where we needed it the most. Project management courses were being taught with different emphasis with very few common areas. Most of the courses provided were internally developed and not kept current because of lack of resources and cost. In November 1995, a meeting was convened in London to address the problems. Representatives from the PMO, the Training and Development organization, and the business groups reviewed the current courses being taught, identified development needs, and set program objectives. This paper focuses on the worldwide project management development program that was developed from this effort and the results of the program.
Business Practices
The Professional Services organization within Compaq has long recognized the need for project management processes, tools and structure. In the early 1990s, we established a worldwide PMO with a focus on the health of the project portfolio, methodology, and tools and Project Management Competency. We developed processes to assess and track the health of projects. We adopted processes and tools to help standardize our project management practices. We also defined an organizational structure for managing and implementing the work of the PMO. Key to implementing the PMO work was the appointment of regional PMO managers, whose job it was to not only implement the work of the worldwide PMO, but also to review opportunities and projects for the region. These PMO managers also help identify the training needs.
Curriculum Objectives
Three major objectives for the development program were initially identified:
•To provide a curriculum that would be based on PMI® standards and help prepare project managers for professional certification.
•To create one consistent worldwide program management curriculum that would reduce duplication, inconsistent messages, costs and the overall number of courses offered.
•To provide project management fundamentals training from an external source and to focus scarce internal resources only on courses needed for company specific topics.
These were the initial objectives when setting up the curriculum and they continue to be the guiding principles that we use today as we expand the curriculum.
PMI Standards and Certification
PMI was identified as the premier organization with its worldwide influence and rigorous certification process. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) provided a structure for the knowledge within the project management field. It enabled us to establish common project management terminology and concepts worldwide.
The PMP® certification process enabled our project managers to become certified in a field where this certification was increasingly important to our customers. The certification was also important internally as a sign of our own growing project management knowledge and skills. We believed that the PMP certification would benefit both the company and the individual project manager. The certification would enable Compaq to bid on projects that were open only to PMP-certified project managers. The certification process would provide project managers with a defined development path.
Worldwide Curriculum
In an effort to reduce the proliferation of project management courses taught around the world within Compaq, a worldwide curriculum was defined. It was based on an internally developed Project Manager competency profile and job descriptions. Skills and knowledge areas were defined. The curriculum was thus divided into several major sections:
•Core project management courses
•Specialized project management courses
•Compaq specific courses
•Professional skills courses.
Resources
Before the Project Management Development Program was defined, there was duplication of effort around the globe, with each local organization providing its own project management training and sourcing from local vendors. The training was inconsistent around the world, with content being developed by many different local vendors. A worldwide sourcing strategy was developed. It was decided use an external source to provide project management fundamentals training and to use internal resources only on company specific courses.
Curriculum Development
Core Courses
We conducted an extensive search in early 1996 to choose a training partner for the core curriculum courses. The following selection criteria were used:
•Course material based on the PMBOK Guide
•Ability and experience to deliver courses internationally
•Willingness to customize courses as appropriate for Compaq and provide on-site training
•Availability of public courses to give our project managers more scheduling flexibility
•Costs.
After assessing a number of professional organizations, we selected ESI as our training partner. Not only does ESI offer rigorous training in the project management fundamentals that helps participants prepare for the PMP exam, but also ESI also partners with George Washington University (GWU) to offer a Master’s Certificate in Project Management to those who complete seven courses within three years. This GWU Certificate has additional appeal for many participants.
The core courses are:
•Managing Projects in Organizations or Software Project Management
•Project Leadership, Management and Communications
•Contracting for Project Managers
•Risk Management
•Quality for Project Managers
•Scheduling and Cost Control
•Project Management Applications.
These are three- and four-day courses delivered onsite at Compaq facilities throughout the world. Some of the courses delivered onsite have been slightly customized to include Compaq specific information. The courses are also available to Compaq participants at public offerings in North America and Europe.
Specialized Courses
The specialized courses are selected to address specific areas of need as well as to offer training to more advanced project managers. They are delivered by ESI and other vendors. These courses include:
•PMP Exam Preparation
•Systems Integration Project Management
•Business Proposals
•Project Management for Executives
•Managing Complex Projects
•Managing Multiple Projects
•Managing Across Cultures
•International Project Management.
Compaq Specific Courses
To meet our company specific training needs we engaged Coopers & Lybrand to jointly develop and deliver a course on Financial Management for Program Excellence. This course focuses on financial concepts such as cost estimating, budgeting, revenue and margin recognition, program P&L and balance sheet, asset management, cash flow and investment return. We also designed and delivered additional company specific courses on Project Business Development and our project methodology. Project Business Development focuses on understanding our sales approach and how to upsell into an existing account. The course about applying our specific project methodology describes the processes required over the life cycle of a project from early opportunity identification and bid through delivery and project closeout. And finally, we developed a course that is a tour of the Compaq project management web sites, which includes over 20,000 web pages. The web sites help project managers do their day-to-day jobs. The tour takes them to the site where the project methodology resides, including the description of the processes and tools and templates for project managers.
Professional Skills Courses
Recognizing the project management courses address only a portion of the skills required of project managers, we have a number of professional skills courses as part of the curriculum. These courses are taught by various vendors. Many of these courses are part of the traditional management curriculum such as:
•Basic and Advanced Negotiations
•Consulting Techniques
•Making Effective Presentations
•Effective Writing.
Exhibit 1. Project Management Curriculum Map
Exhibit 2. PMU Logo
Distance Education
To meet the needs of project managers who cannot travel to training sites and to address the different learning styles of students, we use ESI’s online distance education component. The content of these web-based courses is the same as ESI’s lecture courses with an instructor assigned to “mentor” the student by e-mail. Most of the core courses are available in this distance, web-based format. Some project managers find these courses meet their needs for just-in-time training, while the majority of project managers continue to take the lecture based courses.
Curriculum Map
The courses and intended audiences are spelled out in the Curriculum Map in Exhibit 1.
Project Management University (PMU)
In late 1997, a meeting was held to discuss how we could make the development program more effective for Asia Pacific. Because of the limited number of project managers in one location and the expansive area covered, a practical and economical approach was needed to provide training. The Project Management University (PMU) was designed to address these problems and provide an opportunity for project manager networking, experience sharing, and team building. This intensive weeklong residential program provides in-depth training using courses from our curriculum and includes evening workshops on topics such as Knowledge Management. The 90+ project managers attending also hear key messages from senior managers of the organization, learn about new developments in project management from industry leaders, and learn about the importance and use of project experience in their work. The PMU has helped to develop a project management community in Compaq. In 1998, PMUs were held in Malaysia and Singapore. The success spread to North America and Europe with PMUs held in New Hampshire, Phoenix and Virginia and Spain. The PMUs have been wildly successful and with each delivery we receive great feedback including comments, such as “This is the best training in the company.” PMUs are planned for two per year in each region, North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Exhibit 3. Course Attendance
Objectives
The objectives of the PMU are to:
•Provide training on core and company specific project management
•Deliver key business messages related to project management
•Create opportunity for project managers to network with their peers
•Promote and encourage PMP certification
•Demonstrate the importance of project managers to the Professional Services’ business.
We believe very strongly that all activities at the PMU should adhere closely to these objectives. When assessing topics for inclusion in the PMU, we constantly ask ourselves, “What is the value of this topic to our project managers?” Topics must be relevant to project managers and they must not be generally available elsewhere.
Agenda
The agenda is very aggressive with a blend of presentations, course-work, and networking opportunities. A sample agenda includes:
•Sunday evening—Registration, reception, welcome from senior manager, dinner.
•Monday morning—Presentations by senior managers regarding the value of project management, the status of the PMO office and processes, status of PMP certification.
•Monday afternoon, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday— Participants choose one course from the four or five offered.
•Wednesday afternoon—Team building or networking activities.
•Evenings—Project experience/lessons learned workshops.
•Friday morning—resentations from evening workshops, a final exam and review of the week in a game show format, “Go forth and Conquer” talk by a senior manager, graduation.
Logo/Collateral
For the PMU, we developed a logo to provide an identity for the event, as shown in Exhibit 2. The logo is on the badges, registration folders, lapel pins, and pennants we distribute to all, as well as the diplomas that everyone is awarded. It is also on the shirts that are given to participants when they turn in their evaluation forms.
PMU Planning
Each PMU has a different planning team. In general, the PMO PM Competency Manager, Ron Kempf, and the PM Training and Development Manager, Susan Fields, participate on all the planning teams. We provide guidelines, tools and templates to help the planning. The planning is led by a business manager from a particular region. That manager hosts the event and is the master of ceremonies throughout the week. That manager also appoints a project manager for the event to help the planning team stay on track and meet appointed milestones. This combination of people provides a well-balanced planning team and ensures that the event is relevant and business-focused.
Compaq PMI Council
In mid-1998, a PMI Council was created to:
•Encourage and support PMP certification and recertification within Compaq
•Encourage PMI participation in chapters and SIGs
•Increase communication with the PM community throughout the company.
The council consists of a worldwide group of approximately 25 project managers who are active in PMI. This group meets monthly by conference call.
In support of these objectives some of the activities of the council include:
•Reviewing and recommending PMP certification training aids
•Creating tips on PMP certification
•Sharing PMP exam experiences
•Reviewing and recommending PM training courses
•Attending and presenting at PMI Symposiums
•Recommending PDU credits for Compaq internal courses
•Reviewing project management tools.
Results
While there are many ways to analyze the results of the Project Management Development Program, we focus on three: course attendance, PMP certification numbers, and risk management.
Attendance
By 2000, course attendance reached over 6,000 with participants from the United States, Canada, South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Interest in project management has grown throughout the company. We now anticipate a large increase in project management training during the year 2000, as shown in Exhibit 3.
PMP Certification
Compaq is very proud of its efforts to increase the numbers of PMP-certified project managers. Since 1997, we have grown from six to over 300 PMP-certified project managers. When an individual achieves PMP certification, the corporation gives him or her a personalized, leather portfolio with a letter from a senior vice president. In addition, each major geography sponsors incentive programs. For example, in North America, when project managers receive their certification, they receive a one-time bonus.
Risk Management
Each month, projects are evaluated and assigned a status in each of the following areas:
•Customer satisfaction
•Financial
•Legal
•Schedule
•Resources
•Technical Performance.
Projects that are at risk in any of these areas are identified and managed more carefully. While the increased numbers of certified project managers is excellent, what’s even better is that the overall identification and management of “at risk” projects has improved. We feel that the Project Management training is a major factor for this improvement along with improved methodology, tools, and opportunity selection.
Summary
Project management is well regarded and supported in Professional Services. We have a worldwide project management development program that provides consistent training to our project management teams around the world. Our project managers have benefited from increased skills and professional certification and the company has benefited from improved project performance.