The R25-billion Gautrain and the 2010 World Cup are two of the biggest and most public projects being undertaken in South Africa.
Both initiatives aim for economic growth. The South African Association of Consulting Engineers has described the Gautrain project as “one of the most significant engineering projects undertaken in Africa to date”.
Apart from being the world’s biggest football event, the 2010 World Cup will boost tourism and foreign investment.
But with both projects there are budgetary concerns and delays.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth has been dropped as a venue for the Confederations Cup because it is unlikely the stadium will meet its March 30 2009 deadline set for completion by Fifa.
It is on ventures such as these that project managers play a vital role by using their skills and knowledge to achieve the outcomes set out by their clients.
Experienced professional Terry Deacon says project managers are akin to orchestra conductors: “They conduct an entire team, ensuring certain parts of the team come in at the right time and on the right note.”
Three decades ago project management was seen as a sphere of engineering and construction. Project management as a profession was formalised only in the late 1970s.
A significant point was reached when the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the United States created the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK), which now provides standards in the field. The PMI is reviewing a draft of the fourth edition of the PMBoK.
In 1987 less then 1% of project managers were from IT or had a business background. But almost 20 years later the landscape has changed, with more than 50% of project managers from these areas.
But, despite the technology, poor project management could ruin a company’s reputation or cut profits.
Deacon says project management is an “accidental” profession as few people start off wanting to be project managers. “They start off as engineers or software developers and as their careers progress they find themselves entering project management by default.”
In recent years there has been an explosion of certification. In fact in the past nine months three certifications were registered.
PMI president Elmar Roberg says there are 270 000 people worldwide who are certified as project management professionals. “This is the certification for a person who runs projects. Then there’s a certificate for project administration and another for programme management, which is at a higher level,” says Roberg.
In the next year or two another certification will be launched for project managers who work closely with business strategists.
Two years ago there were just four universities that were accredited by the PMI to offer training. “This has expanded considerably. Previously they would offer diploma courses or a subject area in MBAs but now you find more and more PhDs.”
Another important development is the International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) drive to develop a global standard for project management. This process began late last year and the results are expected to be published by 2011.
“This is a good move. Even though the PMI has established itself locally there’s nothing stopping others coming in and promoting themselves as a standard. The PMBoK is an industry standard, but there is nothing compelling project managers to use it. With ISO taking up this issue, it is taking project management to a whole different level,” says Roberg.