The following article is part of the self-preparation for the modern BVOP® Certified Project Manager program.
The BVOPGM office chooses management and development methodologies and practices (realization sets). Choosing realization sets is collaboratively consulted with stakeholders, project management roles, and project team members.
The BVOPGM office may rely on project and product management roles and development, quality assurance, operations, as well as and other teams to choose realization sets. In such a scenario, the BVOPGM and BVOPM offices, all teams, departments, and parties involved in the projects need to agree and understand the benefits of the decisions.
Different projects may follow different realization sets if this does not harm the goals and strategies of the BVOPGM office.
Realization sets (project management, product management, product development practices, etc.)
Realization sets may include practices related to:
- Project management
- Product management
- Marketing
- Design
- Usability
- Development
- Quality assurance
- Deployment and delivery
- Support
Requesting support, advice, and knowledge from different professionals assigned to a project or from external parties interested in the project increases the transparency and the efficiency of the custom realization sets and helps to fill in gaps. Different parties may share valuable information about their work, problems, and needs.
Modifying or mixing realizations sets
When realization sets are discussed and agreed upon, the Business Value-Oriented Program Management (BVOPGM) office needs to apply changes before the project starts.
Presenting realizations sets
Modified realization sets need to be clear and comprehensible to everyone involved in the program. Presenting and discussing the modified realization sets to all involved parties and teams is a method for their validation. Feedback is expected, and non-efficient topics and potential modifications need to be discussed.
Training other roles
All changes and modifications of the realization sets need to be shared with all involved parties and teams.
For example, if risk management is excluded from the project management practices because it is defined as time-consuming, everyone that might be affected should be aware of its removal. They need to know why this is done, what process could replace it, and what are the potential negatives.
Full understanding of practices and realization sets may improve the overall teams' productivity.
Observing efficiency
Observations of realization sets and the actual outcomes are important activities during the realization of the project.
Subjects of observation
Observation needs to be a valuable activity, and waste should be avoided. The exact subjects of observation need to be defined.
Subjects of observation may include:
- Productivity
- Time-to-market
- Defects
- Product feedback
- Attitude
- Interactions
- Third parties
Productivity
Team productivity is not a fixed and standard value that may be easily measured and tracked. Setting objectives and analyzing results may be an approach for measuring the relative and general teams' productivity.
Setting objectives for projects, teams, and individuals and comparing them to actual results may reveal topics for analysis and discussions.
The amount of completed work for a defined period of time may be a simple approach for tracking teams' productivity.
Team members who encounter issues with their productivity should report the potential reasons to management roles.
Time-to-market
Time-to-market may reveal organizational and teams' maturity and the efficiency of current realization sets.
Defects
Fluctuations in the number of defects and their types over time may reveal an improvement or downfall in current realization sets.
Product feedback
During approval sessions or demonstrations, feedback from clients, end-users, and different stakeholders is collected. These parties are a source of valuable information that may be used for analyzing and inspecting current realization sets.
Attitude
The general attitude among people inside the organization is another source of valuable feedback about realization sets.
Interactions
Observing the interactions between people inside the organization may provide information about general knowledge sharing, operations, speed of processes, and outcomes.
Third parties
Observing third parties and their position on the current realization sets, principles, practices, and culture may be a valuable asset.
Adjusting realization sets
Adjusting realization sets after certain periods of observations may be needed in order for their efficiency to improve. Adjustments are based on the results from observations and discussions with all key roles involved in the program or in specific projects.
Maintaining knowledge
Valuable information and lessons are collected after every observation, modification, and adjustment of the realization sets.
The BVOPGM office needs to document, collect, store, analyze, and share valuable lessons regularly.
Spreading knowledge
The BVOP suggests that the lessons learned should not be withheld. Sharing them with all teams and individuals is necessary, so that methodologies, practices, processes, and people evolve together.
Supporting other roles
Supporting other roles may increase the general organizational and program’s business value. That may be accomplished by answering important questions on time, by providing information, training, education, coaching, advise, or any other activity that may have a positive impact on teams, processes, and projects.
The BVOPGM Office regularly monitors the transparent board of project issues that is accessible to all project members and contains regular updates on issues, people, tools, and processes. The BVOPGM Office supports the solutions for the issues and directs them to other offices, roles, or parties.
The following issues related to chapter "Choosing management and development methodologies and practices (realization sets)" are included in the certification exam. The sequence of questions is presented in the table.
The data is current as of October 5, 2024, 12:56 am
| ID | Issue | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Presenting realizations sets | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 1 | Spreading knowledge | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 2 | Adjusting realization sets | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 3 | Maintaining knowledge | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 4 | Attitude | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 5 | Product feedback | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 6 | Defects | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 7 | Time-to-market | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 8 | Third parties | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 9 | Supporting other roles | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 10 | Subjects of observation | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 11 | Interactions | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 12 | Productivity | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 13 | Observing efficiency | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 14 | Modifying or mixing realizations sets | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
| 15 | Training other roles | 60 sec | PGM, PM |
Comments from the BVOP™ community on “Choosing management and development methodologies and practices (realization sets)”
Luciana González
Choosing and making modifications to development and management methodologies is a topic that has not been sufficiently discussed in recent decades. That's why BVOP probably provokes project management professionals to come out of the comfort zone. Everyone simply follows methodologies, understood or not understood. But adapting methodologies and practices to your own needs is a view that goes beyond the current understanding of project management.
For many, it will be difficult, even impossible. But it will only be at the beginning. Fear of change is at the root of the same methodologies, whether they are practical or not. BVOP offers adaptation whenever you have doubts that your processes are not good enough. Change them and watch. Let everyone in the teams participate in these improvements.
Many companies and their senior management staff will resist new insights.
Summary
BVOPGM office selects methodologies and practices (realization sets) with input from stakeholders, project management roles, and team members.
BVOPGM office works with various teams to choose realization sets for projects and products. All parties involved must agree and understand the benefits of the decisions. Projects may have different realization sets as long as they align with the office's goals and strategies.
Realization sets cover project management, product management, marketing, design, usability, development, quality assurance, deployment, and delivery, and support. Seeking input from professionals involved in or interested in the project can enhance the transparency and efficiency of realization sets. Any modifications to the sets should be made clear to everyone involved and their feedback should be taken into account. Observing efficiency is crucial during the project's realization, with productivity, time-to-market, defects, product feedback, attitude, interactions, and third parties being potential subjects of observation. Adjustments to the realization sets may be necessary based on observations and discussions with key roles. Lessons learned should be documented, collected, stored, analyzed, and shared regularly. Supporting other roles can increase the program's business value. The BVOPGM Office monitors a transparent board of project issues and supports the solutions for these issues.
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Hello again. I want to ask another question. If the project manager consults other people in the teams, will they undermine authority and others will see them as incompetent? I would not do that, because even now my authority is very fragile. This is a very sensitive topic.
@Aniyah Vang It's not clear what you're asking, but I believe you think a project manager would hurt his authority if he needed advice from his colleagues. If, in your team, the project manager needs to maintain an image and maintain authority through "knowledge" and not consult with anyone for anything, I personally believe you are making a big mistake.