Social Media and Project Management Offices #1

Today while searching for other communications programs situated within a PMO, I came across Social Media and Project Management Offices (PMOs) by Wayne Caccamo. I like the way he defines the relationship:

At its foundation, PMOs provide a centralized point for gathering and disseminating project, program and portfolio information regarding issues, risks, schedule, cost, quality and other status updates. Various social media tools can provide the communication channel between the PMO, project teams, business leadership and stakeholders. Candidate tools include micro-blogs, RSS and Twitter.

General collaboration and knowledge management may be a core function of the PMO. In this case, it behooves PMOs to be on the leading-edge of social media and network technology to share best practices, company PPM standards, methodologies, etc. that it is promoting. Further, best practices in the use of social media and networks to manage projects may represent a new service offering for PMOs once they have practiced what they endeavor to preach.

Looking at this from another perspective, that of the professional communicator, we should go where the action is and where our contributions can provide the most benefit to the organization. A mature PMO holds significant influence over the methodology, processes, and tools used for cross company collaboration. After all, new service development and implementation of business improvements normally run through the PMO. Project managers act as lenses for directing and focusing information exchange and productive effort. I agree that communication services tried in the fires of project management often become standards much easier than trying to implement them as stand-alone initiatives.

Project Management #1: Tools for assessing PM KSAs

As part of the second phase in our PMO maturity program, I'm developing a project manager (PM) KSA assessment instrument per PM level and career path. We'll use the assessment instrument to help guide ongoing employee training, performance reviews, career path development, and possibly as part of the hiring process for new PMs. In doing research for this custom development, I thought it might be worthwhile to share several of the better resources I found on similar topics.

The Project Manager's Desk Reference by James Lewis includes a useful skills and competencies model in Chapter 19: Profiling the World-Class Project Management Organization. Lewis defines skills as the easily observed and measurable characteristics of a PM which can be trained. For each level of PM (Team Leader, Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, and Program Manager), Lewis identifies which level of skill is necessary. His explanation of competencies is more problematic:

...those traits (competencies) that lie below the surface, out of the range of the visible. We can see them in practice but we cannot directly measure them in the sense of determining whether a particular person has them and, if so, to what degree. They are also the traits that are more difficult to develop through training. Some of them may, in fact, be hereditary.

While this view might be contentious, Lewis provides a clear self assessment that could also be given to a PM and work associates as part of a 360 degree review process. If you are looking for a simple, easy to implement framework this book could be just what you need.

The Project Manager Competency Development (PMCD) Framework from PMI would work best for a PMI/PMBOK aligned environment with enough resources to create custom evaluation tools. The information is excellent and as aligned with PMI standards as possible, but after reviewing the content would take significant effort and may be overkill for making quick assessment tools. I see this as a resource for in-depth quality efforts and building a standards compliant maturity framework. As we mature the PMO's ability to provide career planning and mentoring in line with education and training this will be an essential tool.

Executive Communication #1: Republicans don't get new media!

Regardless of your political affiliation, you have to admit the 2011 State of the Union Address given by President Obama achieved its aims. Not only did President Obama deliver a compelling oration laced with key terms that resonate with his followers, he also successfully integrated slideware in the form of an "Enhanced Version" online. Then candidate Obama's use of new media and online presence clearly helped to push him into the presidency.

Compare this slick online branding and regular online updates from the White House to the response given by Michele Bachmann and her two charts (1, 2). Then look at a capture from the Enhanced Version of President Obama's remarks. Congresswoman Bachmann's slides look like something from every poorly designed PowerPoint presentation ever given in a corporate meeting room. But, to her credit, she did at least attempt some use of visual media. Perhaps there aren't any Republican friendly communication companies. For example, one of my favorites, Duarte Design, is known for helping Al Gore win the Academy Award for An Inconvenient Truth! I don't recall any of the communication design companies I follow even saying anything remotely conservative in orientation. Does this mean Republicans and conservatives are doomed? I guess it will all depend on how quickly new media advocates like Hugh Hewitt can get the message out: you need to look at least as good as the opposition to survive! Excellent advice for us all.

I also recommend viewing the short video Inside the White House: State of the Union where we get a behind-the-scenes look at preparation for this important public speaking engagement. I feel a little closer to President Obama after seeing him using my favorite pen at 02:41 in the video. It sure looks like a uni-ball Vision Elite to me!

What to say while still thinking!

Russell Davies posted an exceptionally helpful video on "how to look clever and knowledgeable when faced with a difficult problem" by using a rule-of-three. In case you're not familiar with the rule-of-three, think about how many times each day you hear someone giving a list with three examples, supporting an argument with three pieces of evidence, or calling your attention to a triplet like The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Western tradition in general tends to favor breaking your subject down into three parts. We might as well use this to our advantage when communicating.

Davies explains the scenario as a meeting where someone has just presented a lot of complex information and then immediately asks for your input without sufficient time to think. His solution is to write down three key concepts from the subject at hand then spend some time exploring the relationships they have with each other. The video provides several examples.

I also recommend this approach as a valid method for understanding new challenges in general. Activity theory, for example, bases human interaction on a three part system of the actor, an objective, and a tool to mediate the activity. This has proven fruitful as a model to learn and discuss many forms of collaborative work effort including application in fields like HCI and user factors. In writing, Kenneth Burke proposed a similar five-part tool to discuss purpose and activity in communication (it's called Dramatism or Burke's Pentad). In each case, what's important isn't the three part or five part structure as much as the activity of breaking a problem into a finite number of parts (five would be a maximum in my opinion) and examining the relationships they share with each other.

By the way, Russell Davies is not the same as Russell T. Davies, script writer and re-creator of the Doctor Who franchise. Doctor Who: The Complete Third Series is, in my opinion, the best season of the show! The Doctor, The Master, and Blink...what's not to love? (Oh, there's one of those pesky triples again).