Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers

Despite a plethora of tools, technology and software, successful management of big science and engineering projects remains problematic, with many imperfect project outcomes. While much research focuses on management processes, characteristics of high-tech mega-project managers themselves are less w...

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Main Author: Crosby, Phil
Format: Journal Article
Published: Inderscience Publishers 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39417
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author Crosby, Phil
author_facet Crosby, Phil
author_sort Crosby, Phil
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Despite a plethora of tools, technology and software, successful management of big science and engineering projects remains problematic, with many imperfect project outcomes. While much research focuses on management processes, characteristics of high-tech mega-project managers themselves are less well explored. What are the personal and professional attributes, skills and exemplar initiatives that are ingredients in project success? In this paper literature from the last 30 years is consulted alongside fieldwork results from several current, large, engineering and science projects in Europe and Australia. In particular, high-tech project manager success traits and initiatives are examined and discussed. Beyond personal traits – some obvious, some not – positive correlations of success are apparent around project and team management attributes, including the use of task forces, information management, a mission assurance mindset, and approaches to project complexity. The role of codified knowledge (the PMBOK® Guide) is examined, and suggestions offered for practical application of the study outcomes.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-394172017-09-13T14:26:11Z Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers Crosby, Phil project complexity project management collaboration trust team management taskforce information management codified knowledge urgency mission assurance teamwork high technology project managers mega-projects high tech projects project structure manager traits project success Despite a plethora of tools, technology and software, successful management of big science and engineering projects remains problematic, with many imperfect project outcomes. While much research focuses on management processes, characteristics of high-tech mega-project managers themselves are less well explored. What are the personal and professional attributes, skills and exemplar initiatives that are ingredients in project success? In this paper literature from the last 30 years is consulted alongside fieldwork results from several current, large, engineering and science projects in Europe and Australia. In particular, high-tech project manager success traits and initiatives are examined and discussed. Beyond personal traits – some obvious, some not – positive correlations of success are apparent around project and team management attributes, including the use of task forces, information management, a mission assurance mindset, and approaches to project complexity. The role of codified knowledge (the PMBOK® Guide) is examined, and suggestions offered for practical application of the study outcomes. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39417 10.1504/IJPOM.2012.046325 Inderscience Publishers restricted
spellingShingle project complexity
project management
collaboration
trust
team management
taskforce
information management
codified knowledge
urgency
mission assurance
teamwork
high technology
project managers
mega-projects
high tech projects
project structure
manager traits
project success
Crosby, Phil
Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
title Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
title_full Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
title_fullStr Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
title_full_unstemmed Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
title_short Characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
title_sort characteristics and techniques of successful high-technology project managers
topic project complexity
project management
collaboration
trust
team management
taskforce
information management
codified knowledge
urgency
mission assurance
teamwork
high technology
project managers
mega-projects
high tech projects
project structure
manager traits
project success
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39417