MythBusters

- myths in project/program
management

Simona Bonghez, Ph.D.

MPI Master Program
 PROJECT MANAGERS

WHAT MY TEAM WHAT MY BOSS WHAT MY FRIENDS

THINK I DO THINKS I DO THINK I DO

WHAT MY WIFE WHAT I THINK I DO WHAT I REALLY DO

THINKS I DO
 Agenda

PM – 2500 years old

PM – a unique approach
Projects, programs... Whatever
Project/Program Planning – useless
bureaucracy
Better
Cheaper
Faster
 Agenda

PM – 2500 years old

PM – a unique approach
Projects, programs... Whatever
Project/Program Planning – useless
bureaucracy
Poza cu cele 10 porunci... (nu e pentru
toti la fel)
The right approach for the right
project

Predictive Agile Hybrid

Traditional or Agile projects or Hybrid combines
waterfall projects practices employ a practices from agile
follow a critical single agile and predictive-
path-driven work approach or driven approaches
plan, executed in a framework (e.g., or frameworks
serial, sequential only Scrum) or a (e.g., Scrum and
manner. mixture of different predictive), as
agile approaches dictated by project
(e.g., Scrum and
Kanban).
 Forrester Consulting Research

Healthy mix of respondents in agile and predictive roles

(Pulse of the Profession®: Success Rates Rise, PMI, 2017).

All Project Management approaches
lead to successful outcomes:

Percentage of
projects
meeting original
goals and
business intent
by most
common
approach to
projects within
the organization

(Pulse of the Profession®: Success Rates Rise, PMI, 2017).

Agility versus Agile

(Pulse of the Profession®: Success Rates Rise, PMI, 2017).

 Agenda

PM – 2500 years old

PM – a unique approach
Projects, programs... whatever
Project/Program Planning – useless
bureaucracy
 Importance of the context
Germany

Sober Drunk
driver driver
 Importance of the context
Germany Romania

Sober Drunk Sober Drunk

driver driver driver driver
 March 14, 2008
The Queen has officially opened the "highly
impressive" new Terminal 5 at Heathrow, calling
it a "21st Century gateway to Britain".
 March 27, 2008
„Disastruos opening day of Terminal 5”. „Chaos
at Heathrow”. „T5's first traumatic day”
 Difference between projects and
programs

• Programs have larger scope than projects and

typically run at higher levels in the organization
• Strategic initiatives are linked to programs
• Programs require more sophisticated approach to
managing change and navigating politics
• The external environment is important to
understand and monitor since it impacts program
success
 Agenda

PM – 2500 years old

PM – a unique approach
Projects, programs... whatever
Project/Program Planning – useless
bureaucracy
 Stand and fight
Say what you feel
born with a heart of steel
 Agenda

PM – 2500 years old

PM – a unique approach
Projects, programs... whatever
Project/Program Planning – useless
bureaucracy
 MythBusters

Simona Bonghez, Ph.D.

simona.bonghez@comunicare.ro