Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/74024
Project Management Methodologies: One Size Does Not Fit All Mike: The most important factors are change management as you're implementing new methodologies and showing that the changes are a good thing versus just more paperwork. You also need to engage the experts in the practice to determine the amount of effort everything will take — it takes a lot of expertise to estimate the level of effort needed for different types of matters. Once you get the tools in place, they can be used as a feedback mechanism to show how accurate you were and to help you fine-tune your estimates for the next time. Once project management is seen as a valuable tool, people will start adopting it. Skip: They should keep in mind that a single approach to project management won't fit every firm or even every project within one firm. If their methodology is too formal, it can prolong the project and frustrate the customer. Sometimes it's an educational process for the firm; sometimes it's an adjustment process for the vendor or consultant. Matt: Vendors and consultants should be cognizant of the culture and the individuals involved. They should follow through on promises. And they shouldn't impose solutions that they've seen somewhere else; help us identify solutions that are going to work for us. Dona: I'd tell them to become familiar with the organization's project management processes — as we've previously mentioned, one size does not fit all. Project management skills are fundamental and also adaptable. Trained project managers talk the same basic language, but the dialect might be slightly different. _______________________________________________________________ Will the concept of a PMO continue to thrive in the legal profession? Matt: We might not see the PMO buzzword much longer, but the underlying fundamentals will still be there. When you boil down project management, it's about getting things done better. We have a saying at Qualcomm: "Consistent, Compliant, Cost-Effective." All our project managers really take this to heart, and I think we've been successful in creating an environment that focuses on those elements. The project management skill set and the methodologies will be around for a long time. Dona: Yes, I believe it will — particularly related to servicing alternative fee matters and the related needs for easily adaptable and repeatable legal project management. Business-driven projects are more predictable with the oversight of a PMO. And keep in mind that there are varying types of PMOs. Each organization needs to think through which one best suits its business needs. Mike: I agree with Dona – my vote is yes. Manufacturing, software development and even accounting have been doing project management for years and have seen the huge advantages, and I think that's going to happen in the legal space. Not only is it going to help them manage their processes and resources to respond quickly to client engagements, but it's going to make them much more competitive over time, which means more profits per partner. Skip: I'm leaning more toward Matt's point. I'm not sure the PMO will continue to thrive the way we've seen in the past few years. I see more of the project management responsibilities and duties falling to various leadership roles within the firm. Very large law firms may continue to utilize a PMO, but the duties might change to more of a "program" management office rather than a project management office. The program management office will assist business leaders throughout the organization who are tasked with managing projects. _______________________________________________________________ Is it good to see business functions outside of IT increasingly managing their own projects? Who are the project managers of tomorrow? Dona: As long as they are familiar with the organization's project management processes, I would encourage ILTA White Paper 11