Lehmann - Situational project management: the dynamics of success and failure

Situational Project Management

The Dynamics of Success and Failure

Best Practices and Advances in Program Management Series

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The Dynamics of Success and Failure

Oliver F. Lehmann

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I dedicate this book to my wife Silvia, whose support for its creation was inestimable.

Situational Project Management (SitPM) is a new concept recently introduced into the project management body of knowledge. Little has been written about SitPM, but what has been is fragmented, and a clear definition is yet to be put forth. Some have aligned SitPM to the Situational Leadership Model of Ken Blanchard, probably because of similar terminology; while others, such as myself, believe that it goes much deeper into process than it does into behavioral relationships. Its name is suggestive of project management approaches that are somehow adjusted to or accommodated to align with the nuances and changes in project situations. I have been advocating and writing about such adaptive approaches for nearly 20 years and offer a holistic definition of SitPM from the perspective of my own client experiences. I have felt like one crying in the wilderness until Olivers book came to my attention.

Definition: Situational Project Management

Most project managers would agree that each project is unique. But not all project managers would agree that the best way to manage a unique project would also be unique. Many still cling to the old practice of having a methodology that is applied to all projects. One size fits all is still in common use, and this has proven to be a ticket to complex project failure.

Project uniqueness (i.e., the project situation) is defined by four factors:

• Physical characteristics that define the PROJECT

• Behavioral characteristics that define the project TEAM

• ENTERPRISE environment of the project

• MARKET environment receiving the deliverables

These factors establish the requirements that an effective project management must include to be successful. Because of the dynamic nature of all four of these factors, any chosen project management approach will not remain static across the life span of the project. It may be further adapted or replaced altogether.

Figure a The SitPM Spider Chart for a Specific Project

This definition provides a broadly based statement of what constitutes the SitPM Framework and a foundation on which to further develop the processes and practices of SitPM. There is much to be done, but we have a good start on that journey with this book.

The SitPM Framework can be envisioned using a graphic such as the one suggested in .

On a factor scale, 5 represents a highly complex and uncertain level of that factor. So, for this example, Enterprise and Team factor scores are high and require special attention as the specific SitPM Framework recipe for this project is crafted. Project, Enterprise, and Market are discussed in the ECPM Framework book cited at the end of this Foreword. Adding Team and its interaction with Project, Enterprise, and Market completes the SitPM Framework.

It would be a mistake to think that the SitPM Framework presents a Do-It-Yourself management approach. That would be courting chaos. Rather, to be effective, a SitPM recipe must be constrained within a portfolio of tools, templates, and processes. These must be vetted and designed for use specific to the culture and practices of each enterprise. Guidelines may be issued for their appropriate use. Deviations from those guidelines can often require validation by the project manager. Such a project management culture offers a controlled flexibility on the part of the project team and preserves the creativity needed by the project team to succeed in complex project management.