Non-IT trained but now in IT Project Management

[pmp2003]

Hi, I am a UK-chartered quantity surveyor & builder based in Singapore. Some 3 years back, I joined a government body's IT development department. My role was to kick-start its e-business programme, to raise IT & e-business adoption in the industry. My functions were a mix of program management, product marketing and management, promotion and event management.

However, plans are aloof to merge my department with the Information Systems Department (which is really the 'techie' unit). Recently, I'm tasked with manage system development projects complete with programmers, system analysts, system users and external stakeholders. And I'm not talking small projects but valued at US$1000,000-300,000 range. There are 3 and even include a mobile solution development.

I am afraid that a lack of IT qualification will not just hinder my chance of promotion but also put me at risk at being booted out. I hold a MBA (double specialisation in e-business and techno-entrepreneurship) but this is more focused on business issues. I've managed vendors before but it's more on the client side and less formal and more hands-off.

I do not relish to thought of going back for an IT degree. Which options are available to me? Would a PMP (PMI) or IT Project+ (CompTIA) help? Which would be better, which should I target first?

Do I really need to get a IT degree or at least a Diploma in, say, System Analysis?

I would deeply appreciate your advice, please. Many thanks!

 

[Scott24x7]

Pmp2003,
I would say, if you are a truely skilled PM, the techie degree won't be of much value to you. While understanding some specific technology issues, especially around application development would be of benefit. If you want to do the "Crash course", I'd recommend taking a week, and doing a MS Certification type course, or at least MS training in the tool suite you expect your developers to use. Not for the purpose of becoming a developer, or telling them how best to do it, but to understand what it is they do, and how they go about it.
I have always maintained that an excellent PM does not need specific skills in the area that they are working in. (i.e. a truely talented PM could just as effectively lead a project to develop a 20 story building as they could lead a $20million dollar IT development.) You are no more the carpenter, than you are the application developer. Stick to what you know, and concentrate on that. Any IT skills you can acquire will certainly help you along the way, but I have known, and worked with some extremely talented PMs in my day that were not "Technical" at all, yet have been extremely successful leading technology development project in excess of $3million dollars. So, don't sweat it.
Focus on what you know. Draw from that knowledge base. Use your leadership abilities. You'll do fine. Best Regards,
Scott

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[londonroad]

Again , having read the comments above there is no need to get a formall qualification just because the remit is changing slightly.

Stick to the what you know side of the job, the processes and procedures and you will quicky find that these will fit in to all type of work, whether its IT or Marketing etc..

As you start to work with new technologies you will find yourself picking up real life experinces and these are worth far more these days that the qualification pieces of paper....

 

[pmp2003]

Thank you, Maniac and londonroad. That was very assuring, particularly from a programmer - I never knew for sure what is expected of a PM by someone more technical. When I was in construction, I was as much a 'techie' there as my team/subordinates.
May I enquire which certification I should pursue first? I am tempted to go after both PMP and IT Project+. Which should I go for first, then build up additional knowledge for the next. Hmmm, in a nutshell, which is easier to tackle? Many thanks, again!

 

[Scott24x7]

PMP2003,
Well, there are two roads I think you should go down. First, I'd do the PMP certification. Then, I'd do some application specific course, like Microsoft .NET, or C# development, something to get you to understand what developers do in their daily lives. Understanding what they do will go a tremendous length in your ability to gauge the amount of time tasks take, and what the daily life of the "Programmer" is all about. It just makes managing projects easier. Once you understand development, and what the life cycle of development is all about, you'll have no problems.
I've been a developer for over 15 years, and a PM for over 10, as well as a senior leader (CIO) in my organization now for over 7. I can appreciate the position you are in. You will do fine.

Best Regards,
Scott

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[wits]

After reading through the initial post and the subsequent replies a couple times, allow me to suggest a few thoughts and questions to ask yourself.

How do you really feel about the risk of being merged with the other group? From my experience, your statements about not having the IT background may be symptomatic of a greater obstacle.

If you understand the project management side well, do you think those skills would be greatly impacted by the "venue" change? Asked differently, when we PMs start work on a project, is it better to define scope, cost, and schedule on our own or with the reliance on experts of the focus area (in this case IT techies)?

Although certifications are an appropriate approach to obtaining a great quantity of information quickly, what risk are you willing to bear for the event of when the book-smarts comes up against the reality of street-smarts built responsiveness, which often provides more effectiveness?

Finally, consider the level of personal risk you may be worried about. My career approach has been one to rely on what I know first and then expand from that to new areas. Two decades ago, my mentors showed me to understand work is work and not much more. They forced me to look at challenges like you described as having only one real potential obstacle, failure. As I learned, if I could accept failure as a learning process instead of a personal reflection, I would greatly improve my chances of surviving the changes. Reflecting on my experience, this approach has served me well.


Best Regards,
Doug

 

[pmp2003]

Thanks, Maniac. That sounds like a possible roadmap.

Hi, wits. Those words are indeed food for thought.However, I'm rather confused. What course of action would you recommend? Based on what's written, the immediate action is to get geared up on IT, either thru formal degree/diploma or some other course. Then, worry about the PMP. Is that right?

I was managing projects, more on the client slide, dealing with vendors and some stakeholders. However, working on actual in-house development projects is like a whole game altogether, particularly when I'm handicapped by a lack of in-depth programming knowledge.

 

[asid]

I don't believe that technical skills are vital for an IT project manager.

The most important thing is that you appreciate the work being done for you by your IT staff. If I've been told once, I've been told 100 times, that "it's not rocket science". My response to that is that's it's closer to rocket science than you think.

Respect your staff, their skills, and their commitment, and they will respect you and do their best.

I would rather work for someone with no technical skills who was a good listener, than for a Bill Gates wannabee who doesn't respect me.

I also don't think a 'crash course' is necessarily helpful. A little knowledge is truly a dangerous thing, especially in the hands of someone who doesn't know that they only have a little knowledge.

I once had a lawyer (I work in the IT dept of a law firm) try telling me what database structure to use. He had dabbled in VB and thought he knew enough to tell me how to design the tables. He got every detail incorrect - he thought it should be done in VB - not MS Access!

They say 'Love conquers all'. In the workplace I say 'Respect Conquers All'.

HTH

 

[mainepe]

In studying for the PMP certification, you will learn very little about IT, in and of itself.

Your IT colleagues may be, for a time, impressed with your PMP credential, in and of itself, until the patina wears off, and it's clear to them that they're teaching you everything they know, even though on paper you look better than them.

As noted above, they will for perpetuity be impressed with your organizational and people skills if you apply them in a manner that makes their jobs/lives easier, and enables them to focus more on the wizardry that turns them on, as opposed to what they perceive as the "administrative drivel" that you and I both know frames the essence of a successful project.

Your IT colleagues will help you learn, if you demonstrate curiosity and respect.

Ain't no way you can catch up to them in their specialties, though you could learn about how the technology in their specialties has evolved to lead to today's state of the art, as well as where it's headed in the short-term; this will pay dividends by positioning you to be able to see things as they see them, and more effectively "walk that mile in their mocassins" that so often leads to effective leadership and decisioning.

After you master the basics, you might consider an emerging technical specialty to master for yourself. It should be one that's just getting off the ground. For example, I know tons of non-technical people that had never used a computer until they started to be mass-marketed. Within a couple years, a number of these people became html gurus, because it was so new, and so few people were experts at the time.

Again, in line with what's been said above, don't try to do this with a motivation of beating them at their game, or prove yourself superior, but strike that happy medium of coexistence and mutual respect.

 

[pmp2003]

Thank you so much for all your advice.

Well the BIG day is coming .... the MERGER of my IT development department with another, the (internal) Information Systems department. My request for formal training in computer science /system analysis had been turned down.

I am currently dealing mostly with the line functions and could cope without formal qualifications with what I've picked up on IT, mostly because I understand the company's business and could interface between my programmers and the users. With the merger, I'm concerned whether I'll be forced into hardcore IT work, like system administration, maintenance, etc. I've not spoken to the CIO-desigate yet.

I aim to pursue, first CompTIA IT Project+, then PMP. May I have your advice, please?