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Human Resource Development

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The Seven Principles of Project Management R Max Wideman is one of the world's pre-eminent experts on project management. He is the author of the Wideman Comparative Glossary of Project Management Terms, considered to be the definitive project management glossary1. In recent times, noticing the lack of a theoretical base in project management, he has attempted to describe the first principles of project management. We outline his conclusions below, with additional comments from the author himself, which he made in an interview with Good Practice in 2010. The full transcript of the interview is available for download in Supplementary Resources. The seven principles In the introduction to his paper, ‘First Principles of Project Management’, Wideman makes the following important point2:

‘There appears to be very little material available when it comes to identifying basic principles (of project management) and the theories that might support them. This absence means that the building of the project management profession or discipline is presently based only on project experiences and opinion and not on any reasonable theoretical foundation.'

In an attempt to fill this gap, Wideman defines seven ‘first principles’ of project management (a first principle being an axiomatic idea that provides necessary foundation for the further development of thought and practice). Firstly, Wideman sets out five assumptions to his subsequent argument:

• Everyone is working towards the same goals. • Everyone is honest. • There is a requisite level of skill and experience. • Everyone wants the project to be a success. • Everyone knows who the customer is.

With this in mind, Wideman’s seven ‘first principles’ of project management are as follows:

1. The commitment principle A fair and mutual commitment must exist between the sponsor and the project team before the project can succeed3. Wideman states that both the project sponsor and the project team need to commit equally to understanding what they are taking on, the process that will be involved and the risks that they will face during the project.

1 Wideman Comparative Glossary of Project Management Terms at www.maxwideman.com/pmglossary/ (28 May 2010). 2 R Max Wideman, 'First Principles of Project Management,' at www.maxwideman.com (28 May 2010). 3 The project sponsor is the individual (usually a senior manager) who authorises a project, and acts as its champion within the organisation.

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For the project team, this means ensuring appropriate strategies and controls are in place to ensure that project resources translate into project outcomes. For the project sponsor, a fair and mutual commitment means a willingness to accept and share the risk, no matter what management controls are in place.

Ultimately, however, Wideman states:

‘… the commitment has to be between the sponsor and the project manager, otherwise the project manager is not in the driver’s seat, but only a bystanding observer or reporter4.’

2. The success principle

The measure for project success must be confirmed and agreed upon before the project can start, and before activities can be assigned. It is important that everyone involved in a project understands what the definition of success is for that project in terms of key deliverables, e.g. scope, quality, relevance, and also in terms of what Wideman terms 'internal processes', such as time, cost and efficiency. Wideman suggests having agreed and documented terms of success from the outset – he calls these terms ‘Key Success Indicators’ (KSIs). Having these indicators in place will greatly increase the chances of the project meeting all stakeholder requirements. Wideman recommends that KSIs are reinforced during the project lifecycle.

3. The tetrad trade-off principle

The tetrad trade-off principle states that project scope, quality, time and cost must all be attainable and must exist in equilibrium. This principle is an extension of both the Commitment Principle and the Success Principle. In any project, the key variable factors of scope, quality, cost and time are interlinked, as shown below.

4 GoodPractice interview with R Max Wideman (3 February 2010).

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© R. Max Wideman http://www.maxwideman.com 2010. Reproduced with permission. This material is offered to individual readers who may use it freely in connection with their project work. It may not be used by commercial or non-commercial organisations without permission. ‘If these variables prove not to be mutually consistent and attainable, the commitment is neither equitable nor are Key Success Indicators likely to be met,’ says Wideman.5 Should, for example, a short timescale greatly increase costs, then it may not be possible to achieve the project’s original aims. It is vital, therefore, that the project manager regularly reviews all aspects of the project to ensure that all four factors continue to work alongside each other, and do not become mutually exclusive.

4. The strategy principle A strategy which includes planning and implementation and a definite series of sequential activities must be in place before the project can begin. In essence, this principle deals with what is going to be done and when. The project strategy must be detailed and have a set process in place for the completion of the work before the project begins. The project manager must have a detailed plan of all the required components, when they must be completed by and how they relate to each other. ‘The most fundamental project lifecycle process consists of four sequential periods of ‘Start’, ‘Plan’, ‘Do’ and ‘Finish’… the importance of this lifecycle process and its influence on the management of the project cannot be over-emphasised.’ 6

5 Ibid.

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In Wideman’s own career, he worked with many organisations where leaders had a strong interest in project management, but lacked a real understanding of the processes involved. He found that devising a full strategy often led to the creation of policy documents, which dictated exactly how the project would achieve the desired outcomes. This meant that there was an agreed and detailed plan in place which all key stakeholders could refer to at any given point in the project lifecycle. For Wideman, a side benefit comes in the creation of these documents. The discussions that they involve acted as a great learning experience for the managers and the leaders concerned. They become aware of what the project can deliver, how it will do so and any possible issues which may arise during the project lifecycle.

5. The control (or management) principle Policies and procedures must be devised to control behaviours and ensure commitment. This principle acts to protect the original agreed aims of the project and to prevent new expectations or aims being added during the project lifecycle (often referred to as ‘scope creep’). During the project the project manager is required to oversee three key areas, managing the project, the technology and the project workers. In order to give themselves the best chances of success, Wideman suggests four important areas to be aware of: 7 1. The project manager should understand the expectations of their principal

stakeholders in terms of the benefits the project can bring. For instance, should a deadline be changed, which means the project is expected to finish earlier, then it is unlikely the project can deliver the originally desired outcomes, as the aims may become impossible within the new timescale.

2. The project manager must know (or learn) enough about the core technology of the project to understand the issues that the technical experts may be advising on.

3. They should also be comfortable with their project management expertise, i.e. be sufficiently au fait with project management tools and techniques to be able to select both a stated and agreed project lifespan suited to the scale of the project, and a practical technology methodology appropriate to the task at hand.

4. The project manager should be aware of the types of people that will be engaged in the work of the project, so that they can adopt the best ways of handling them. For example, knowledge workers often react more positively when allowed to bring their own ways of working to the project, while employees in more practical disciplines often respond better to more specific directions.

6. The single-point responsibility principle One person needs to be in charge. This individual will be the point of contact between the sponsor and the team.

6 R Max Wideman, 'First Principles of Project Management,' at www.maxwideman.com (28 May 2010). 7 GoodPractice interview with R Max Wideman (3 February 2010).

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This principle is extremely important in ensuring effective and efficient administration of the project. A project manager can act as the bridge between the stakeholders and the project team, enabling information to flow between the two. Wideman cautions, however, ‘It does not mean, as some project managers insist, that all communication should be funneled through them regardless. Under those conditions, especially on a complex project, the project manager becomes an information bottleneck and does more harm than good.’8 By delegating some responsibility to others in the team, then the project manager will help to create an environment where information can flow freely amongst those involved in the project. However, Wideman states that specific limits must be imposed on decision-making that affects the scope, quality, time or cost of the project. The project manager should also ensure that, where changes are made to the project, those who may be affected are kept in the loop. 7. The cultural environment principle There must be a supportive culture and environment in order for the project to succeed. Management should work to foster this. It is important to provide the project team with a supportive environment to work in. For the project sponsor, this can mean selecting a project manager with a management style suited to the type and even particular phase of a project. From the project manager’s perspective, this means: • Ensuring team members have a sound knowledge of what they are

supposed to be doing and why • Making sure they have all the necessary resources they need • Being available to them for guidance and support

Summary Wideman’s 'First Principles of Project Management' offers a sound framework which organisations, project sponsors and project managers can use to devise and implement effective projects, small or large. The principles help ensure that projects have strong terms of reference, are thoroughly scoped and planned, and help ensure that appropriate levels of commitment and support are given to all those involved.

8 Ibid