Process and DJ

I am a great believer in following "the law", not because it's the "right" thing to do, but because without a standard basis upon which to rest our morals and beliefs we descend into anarchy.  But you know what?  Going too far the other way is just as bad.

This is also true for IT projects.  For instance, the Project Management Institute offers all sorts of guidance on how to manage projects.  The have produced a Book of Knowledge that contains much useful information.  BUT, it is not the understanding of this information that makes a project manager effective, nor is it merely have the PMP certification that makes a project manager good at his job, it is understanding when to use the tools at their disposal and the reasons for doing so.

Over-managing a project is almost as bad as under-managing.  (Depending upon your perspective it may actually be worse, but I digress.)  Over-managing puts too much rigor into a process that does not require that rigor and that is where the skill of a good project manager comes into play.  Like a poker play you need to know "when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, kown when to walk away".  The effective application of the tool is the difference between a good project manager and someone who just follows the rules.

Am I being too harsh on project managers?  Maybe, but considering the wide range of project styles that I have seen and been victim to, probably not.  The project manager has more influence over the end result of the project than anyone else.  Don't influence in the wrong direction.  Give the team the freedom to innovate, the freedom to get their job done while at the same time putting in place the structure necessary to do that.