Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/74024
With the creation of project management offices (PMOs) and the hiring of full-time project managers, some organizations are experiencing formal project methodologies, intensive paperwork, more meetings, etc., which can significantly increase the amount of time it takes for projects to get designed, proposed, approved and implemented. There are also issues with projects that don't involve in-depth methodologies. ILTA recently sat down for a "virtual roundtable" with industry thought leaders to get their insight in these areas. Each person's interview can be heard in its entirety on the accompanying podcasts. Does your organization have a PMO or full- time project manager? Matt Davidson: Qualcomm has a PMO, although we don't call it that. We started with two project managers about four years ago, and now we have four full-time project managers in the litigation group working on discovery matters and internal projects, such as software upgrades and process improvements. Skip Lohmeyer: HunterMaclean doesn't have a PMO. Most small or mid-sized law firms probably don't. The management of our projects is distributed among the leaders in various departments. Dona Curry: Reed Smith chose to start up a PMO in 2008. It was initially staffed by one full-time project manager, and currently it is staffed with a director and two full-time project managers. _______________________________________________________________ How have project management processes changed within the last five years? Mike Barry: They have changed significantly. With shrinking margins, increased competition and external pressures, project management around resource management, quoting and process monitoring has become extremely important in order to deliver on time and on budget. We've seen project management being embraced more in the U.K., with North America coming in second and Australia third. I think it's distributed across the world like that because of the financial crisis and resulting client demands. Dona: I believe the processes have been enriched and refined with enhanced process definitions and practical real-world applications. Many practitioners have learned that one size does not fit all, while also understanding that project management processes are the foundation of projects of any size (for example, every project needs change management). As business units and resources are exposed to these processes, they become more adept as project team members and leaders, so project management best practices will continue to get better and better. Skip: Project management processes have certainly become more formal. I've seen a focus on improved requirement-gathering, better communication before, during and after projects, and showing and proving the value of deliverables. Matt: For the legal industry in general, there's been a huge shift. Eight to 10 years ago, you just didn't need project managers — things could be handled by a few attorneys and support staff. Now we're looking at complex searches, preproduction checks, quality checks, a rapid growth in ESI and a real focus on cost reduction. This has pushed project management to the forefront, because ILTA White Paper 7