Leak Stopping

May 5th, 2008

I’ve been noticing that the trend to “leak-stopping” still continues. I guess it’s good for my business but really? Has the majority of project management practice not evolved at all? “Leak Stopping” in other words, is treating the symptoms instead of the disease. It’s the practice of adding more and more manpower or more and more process to the project management problems. This leads to the endless paper work, late nights, countless emails and project “managing” that you see in most companies – and definitely in every software/web dev consultancy I’ve either worked with or for.

I call it “leak stopping” because it’s akin to just plugging the leaks in the hull of a leaking boat while your buddy over there with a pick axe punches more and more holes in the hull. If someone is creating the leaks, it’s best to stop that person first and then go back and plug the holes. That’s treating the disease rather than just the symptoms.

Companies that come to me seeking project management help are stuck in the treatment of the symptoms. They come asking for recommendations on “process tools”- Basecamp is often mentioned. (BTW- they don’t actually mean process – they mean procedure- which is a step-by-step instruction manual.)

Other times, potential clients will ask for a “better project manager” or a “more senior project manager” to help fix their project troubles.

At best, they ask for a “project management process.” This would be a giant step in the right direction if what they were really asking for was a solution, a system to solve their problems. BUT, what I’ve found is, what they’re really asking for when they say “project management process” is…. A tool…like Basecamp.

What is successful in making projects more Profitable, more Efficient and Better Places to Work are Project Management Systems That’s what businesses are built on – systems. Not “leak-stopping” man power. Not adding more project managers or more process or even throwing out all process (I’ve seen companies get so frustrated that they tried that.)

What’s needed is a systematic approach to solving all the current AND future problems. A system for addressing any and all problems that anyone can step into or be trained in. Not just a group of experienced leak-stoppers that when they leave a company, take all the progress that’s been made with them.

Entry Filed under: PM Leadership