What a project manager should be in DX - Interview with PMI Ben Breen

In a survey of 1,000 companies listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange by the IPA (Information-technology Promotion Agency), it was reported that "there are few companies that have achieved results in terms of DX initiatives." It is One of the factors is the lack of human resources to lead DX.

Especially in DX projects where various stakeholders appear, the skill of the project manager is called into question.

However, I think that each person learns the skills for project management independently by repeating successes and failures in the process of promoting the project.

Therefore, Mr. Ben Breen, Pacific Manager of PMI (Project Management Institute), who certifies the international qualification "PMP (Project Management Professional)", which is the global standard for project management skills, We asked about the qualities and skills required of a project manager and the challenges that arise in promoting a project. (Interviewer, IoTNEWS Yosuke Ishii)

Contents

PMI's Mission

Yosuke Ishii (Ishii): First, please tell us about PMI.

Mr. Ben Breen (hereafter, Ben Breen): Since its founding in the United States in 1969, PMI has made it its mission to improve and continue project management and to globally develop methods for execution. I am active.

About 50 years have passed since its inception, and now it has 600,000 members in 200 countries. In addition, there are 1.8 million PMP holders of the project management qualification that we sponsor.

Ishii: Could you tell us about your background?

Ben Breen: I am a structural engineer from Australia who moved to Singapore about 25 years ago. Originally an engineer, my strength has been to step back, see the big picture, and lead diverse people to achieve their goals. After that, I gradually expanded the scope of my activities from structural engineering to project management.

In terms of projects I have been involved in, there is Marina Bay Sands, one of Singapore's largest construction projects. I also have experience working on projects in Japan. After that, I joined PMI.

Ishii: Why did you decide to join PMI?

Ben Breen: I joined PMI when the association's CEO, Mr. Sunil Prashara, asked if I would like to come to a project management event in Singapore.

I was surprised to find about 1000 participants at the event. I decided to join PMI after seeing how professional the PMI organization is, how it has a strong community, and how it has built a wonderful network.

Various challenges faced in promoting the project

Ishii: We sometimes support the promotion of corporate DX projects. In fact, I have also participated in such a project, but I have faced various challenges in promoting the project.

For example, I think there are people who work hard in an organization and people who don't. What are your thoughts on these issues?

Ben Breen: Not all employees are passionate about what they do, which is exactly the challenge.

It is a problem that occurs because the values ​​that individuals value and the company's vision do not match. Therefore, PMI contributes to the transformation of the organization by preparing a program that matches the vision of individuals and companies.

Ishii: How about the issues related to decision-making? For example, when deciding something, I think it is necessary to choose one that seems to be the correct answer from among various options, but sometimes it is difficult to choose.

Ben Breen: Even if every option looks good at first glance, when you look at the options in detail, there will always be something that doesn't fit. If I still think everything looks right, I rely on my intuition.

Of course, I've followed my intuition and failed, but it's been an important experience. I try to think of learning from failure as an opportunity to become a better person.

Ishii: So, if you fail, it's important to have an attitude of verifying what went wrong and making the most of it next time. I think another common challenge is delays in planning. The project does not proceed as originally planned and is repeatedly postponed. What are your thoughts on this?

Ben Breen: It's important to keep each stakeholder informed and supportive. Discuss with stakeholders and work together on how delays can be minimized.

In the first place, it is important to do risk management so as not to delay the plan as much as possible. Identify where your project will have the most impact and ensure that those risks are minimized. This should continue for the duration of the project.

Ishii: It's helpful.

What is a PMP International Qualification for Project Management Skills?

Ishii: By the way, at PMI, PMP (Project Management Professional) is a qualification that certifies that you have expertise in project management. We have a certification program. What does this qualification look like?

Ben Breen: PMP is a global standard certification with 1.8 million people worldwide. Having a certification gives you a structured view of your work and improves your performance. For example, through the acquisition of PMP, you can also acquire stakeholder management and risk management skills, which are skills for minimizing project delays that I mentioned earlier.

Ishii: It's a qualification that contributes to the work style and productivity of the people entrusted with promoting the project. However, I also see people who are entrusted with project management without obtaining PMP. I think it's important to cultivate skills while experiencing practical work, but if you get a PMP, will you be able to shorten the time it takes to improve your skills?

Ben Breen: I think so. If I had a PMP 20 years ago, how different would project delivery be?

What kind of PM are you looking for?

Ishii: As a project manager, have the skills required of you changed with the times?

Ben Breen: Now more than ever, project managers need to be flexible and agile. These days, you never know what will happen next. We have no idea what the next pandemic will be, or what technology will emerge and how it will change jobs.

Under such circumstances, if you can be as flexible as possible and use as many tools and skills as possible, you will be able to make the best decisions for the inevitable big changes that are about to come. Such preparation is important for project managers.

Ishii: So mastering the tools is also important. What else do people with high project management skills have in common?

Ben Breen: It can be said that a person has skills that are difficult to quantify, such as empathy and communication with customers and colleagues. At PMI, we call them “power skills.”

Ishii: Have you ever felt the importance of such skills in your work?

Ben Breen: There was. The more experience I gained, the more complex the projects I was involved with. For example, the Marina Bay Sands project had about 15,000 workers on site.

In this case, it was not enough to interact with only a few members, we needed to engage with many people. Even in such a situation, people with project management skills were producing results.

In other words, I found that the more complex the project, the clearer the difference in results depending on whether or not you have project management skills.

Ishii: DX requires the involvement of various people such as producers, designers, architects, UX designers, engineers, etc., and the project becomes more complicated. It seems that it will become important to coordinate among stakeholders through power skills.

What is a “gymnastic organization” that will succeed in a rapidly changing environment? I'm here. Under such circumstances, what exactly is PMI's idea of ​​an "organization that is resistant to change"?

Ben Breen: We do an annual study called Pulse of the Profession, and the results tell us the difference between companies that are doing well during the pandemic and those that aren't.

Companies that were successful during the COVID-19 crisis were those that focused on results and were flexible in terms of delivery. We call companies with these characteristics “gymnastic organizations”. Also, a "gymnastic organization" places great importance on diversity and inclusion. In other words, we are open to diverse ways of thinking.

Ishii: If you accept diverse ways of thinking, won't you end up like an all-around beauty?

Ben Breen: Of course, as a project manager, at some point there comes a moment when you have to make a decision and move forward. First of all, it is important to make appropriate decisions after collecting various ideas and information.

Growing Needs for PM Human Resources

Ishii: According to a PMI survey, I think there was a survey result that "25 million new PM human resources will be needed by 2030." , Does that mean that the demand for PM human resources is increasing?

Ben Breen: While circumstances vary by industry, the pandemic has prompted governments around the world to aggressively invest in critical infrastructure and healthcare. So, I think that these two areas in particular will be busy from now on.

Ishii: Lastly, do you have a message for the readers?

Ben Breen: According to a McKinsey study, about 800 million jobs will be lost over the next decade due to technological advances.

This means that many jobs could be replaced by IoT, AI, AR, and big data. Therefore, I feel that it is very important to acquire skills in the sense of protecting our work.

Ishii: Thank you very much for your valuable talk today.

After graduating from graduate school, he worked for a manufacturer. He is engaged in research and development work related to optics. Developed new lighting technology. Joined in April 2021 and researching the possibilities of DX.