February 7, 2024 • 34 mins
Have you ever felt lost in the labyrinth of project management methodologies? Fear not, as we embark on an enlightening conversation with Mounir Ajam, a guru in the field with nearly four decades of experience. Together, we dissect the complex world of methods, methodologies, and frameworks, setting the record straight on their distinct roles in the project management realm. From the precision of the Critical Path Method to the comprehensive SUKAD Way and the innovative Uruk PM Platform, we demystify these concepts to help you navigate your projects with confidence.
In the heart of our discussion lies the anatomy of a project management method, broken down into six essential components by Mounir himself. We scrutinize each element, from stage management processes to the often-neglected supporting actions integral to managing scope, cost, quality, and risk. Tailoring these frameworks becomes a focal point of our dialogue, revealing how customization can drastically enhance outcomes for project owners and contractors alike. Get ready to absorb Mounir’s insights and transform how you perceive and execute project management.
As we venture into the digital frontier, the Rook platform stands as a testament to Mounir's dedication and the transformative power of AI in project management. We unravel the myths surrounding methodologies and standards, contrasting them with tools like the PMBOK Guide and ISO standards. The conversation doesn't end here; our website awaits with a trove of resources, from thought-provoking blog posts to our dynamic YouTube channel and podcast series. Join us in this quest for project management mastery, and let's continue to shape the future of efficient and effective project delivery.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good day, howdy, and welcome to the 4PM podcast.
My name is Munir Ajam.
My core passion is projectmanagement in community.
I come to you with at leastclose to 35 years of experience.
My eagerness to share knowledgeand to mentor and coach groups
help organizations transform theway they manage projects to a
(00:30):
higher level.
4pm's tent in this case isshortened for us for what we
call value, which means project,program, product and portfolios
, so a lot of our topics will bearound this 4PM.
Let's get going.
(00:52):
Today I'm going to talk aboutthis very important topic to us
because it's a foundation ofwhat let us actually start our
company, and it's a hot topicthat we always see many posts
online and there's actuallyquite a bit of interesting
discussion going on in the lasttwo days and I'm recording this
January 20, 2024 now.
(01:12):
So what is the projectmanagement methodology?
What is the project managementmethod?
What is the framework?
And there are many, many topicsgoes on and always debate and
what is a methodology and whatit's not a methodology.
There is an interestingdiscussion by my colleagues,
(01:33):
trevor Nelson, on the question.
Is that okay?
We always say this is not amethodology.
It's not a methodology.
So what is the methodology?
So we have.
Here we go Now.
We have recorded thispresentation, or something
similar like this, and pastdiscussion and some webinars, so
it is good time to try tosummarize the various topics in
(01:55):
one place.
So today, the focus is ondefining what Muneer Oruk view a
project management methodology.
However, I can just jump andgive you that, if you'd like to
jump, you can.
We need to build up the process.
So here we go.
A big discussion we alwaysconsider a project.
(02:25):
Method and methodology areinterchangeable topic.
Well, you can, nothing willprevent people from using these
terms to change it.
However, we need to understandthat there is a bit of
difference.
So let's see.
What does it mean?
When we talk about a method, weoften basically mean a method is
(02:47):
something systematic to dosomething Right.
So basically, I want to do X, Ifollow step one, two, three, I
reach what I want.
So it's a well-definedprocedure or technique to
accomplish a particular task orsolve a problem.
A method typically involvessteps or action followed in a
(03:09):
specific order.
Again, this is why, sometime, amethod could be a procedure or
something like that.
However, on the other side, amethodology is typically a set
of method, a study of method.
It's a comprehensive approachthat give us some guidance of
how to build a method, and thereare many principles that goes
(03:31):
into the process.
So, obviously, methodology ismuch bigger and if we want to
get into the more frameworkframework is even more general
and is looser kind of adefinition.
So that is just, in general,what we're saying is less
distinguished between a methodthat is very specific for a
(03:53):
specific fit for purpose versusa methodology where it might be
more a generalization of how tofollow a method and project
management.
So, when we talk about communityor practice today in our
community, project managementcommunity, how do we, when you
use the word method, what do wemean?
Well, I think one of the postsI actually posted yesterday on
(04:14):
LinkedIn said well, probablythis term is one of the most
used, abused and misunderstoodterm that we've in the community
.
Why?
Because everybody use the wordmethod in a different way to
mean different things.
Like some people think, oh,every project must have a unique
method or every project managerhave a unique method, reality
(04:38):
doesn't make a lot of sense, youknow, obviously, so let's
clarify.
Well, on the left side of thisillustration, what we have is
that, basically, what somepeople call a method is
typically an approach, atechnique, even when we use the
word method and the name that weuse while managing a project.
(05:00):
So, basically, there arenumerous concepts and approaches
that we use within a projectthat we call the method,
critical past method.
This is a method.
It is a method, but it's verylimited to the idea of defining
the critical past on a projectwhen we use, you know there are
forecasting method.
You know, aurok uses conceptcalled the six steps of
(05:23):
performance management, whichmean it lead to a forecast of a
project.
That is a method.
There are steps.
However, that is specific toforecasting a project.
We can use method for defining,planning a project or
identifying risk or managingrisk.
So there are a lot of specifictechnique approaches, tools,
(05:45):
procedures, guidelines that weuse within a project and we
might call the method.
Nothing wrong with that, justas long as you understand that
these methods are usuallylimited in focus.
Same thing, actually, I cangeneralize here when we talk
about project managementsoftware, ms project, for
example.
Ms project is a well knownsolution tool that help us
(06:11):
manage schedule.
You know plan, you know definethe schedule, and I mean there
are other functionality we canuse with it.
However, it's primarily aboutscheduling project.
So, is it a project managementsoftware?
Yes, is it a project managementmethod?
No, I mean in the idea of doesit define a full method?
(06:33):
Not necessarily.
Again, depend on what yourdefinition.
So, again, many people are onthe left side of that equation,
other people including us,including Munir, including Oruk.
The approach we're using is thatwe use the term a method.
Or, let me be clear here, we'renot talking about development
(06:56):
method or Whatever.
We're talking about a projectmanagement method.
When I use those terms, ittypically mean the steps, the
sequence, the process that willhelp us manage the entire
project across the projectlifecycle, and we'll show
(07:17):
example later.
That is a Rookway.
That is a Rookway PM way ofthinking.
A PM method is there to help usmanage the entire project
lifecycle.
Again, nothing wrong with theterm.
You use it whether you are onthe left side or the right side,
as long as we understand thatthe left side are method we use
(07:38):
within a project, whereas theother one is the method to
manage the entire project.
What is the Rookway?
So what is the Rookway PMperspective, the Rookway on this
?
How does this evolve?
How do we use that?
(07:59):
If we look at Rook projectmanagement approach start with
the methodology, in other words,a methodological process.
So that is the generalmethodology concept, the set of
method idea.
That is how we started back in2007, obviously before Rook
existed.
This is where Munir and othercolleagues within the company at
(08:21):
that time Sukad that we startedin 2007, which led to something
we call a camp, or thecustomizable and adaptable
methodology for managing project.
Notice, we use the termmethodology on this and I know
when we were doing this way, alot of feedback.
They thought you should use theword method.
No, it is a methodology,because once I use the word
(08:43):
method, that means there is onemethod.
This is here we're talkingabout methodology.
That means a set of method.
So we have the concept of camp.
Is that to define themethodological process that we
outlined?
So when we develop camp, whichled to many numerous videos,
blog articles and books in thosedays, and even workshop, and
(09:05):
finally we reached version threeof camp due to these various
workshops and videos and thefeedback we were getting, we
were updating camp from versionone to version two and version
three, which we documented inthe project management beyond
Waterfall and Edge Ahil Book,which was published almost
exactly six months ago Six yearsago sorry, december 20th 2007,.
(09:29):
So six years and one month Now.
Technically we can say Oruq PMis actually when we started to
work to think about building theOruq platform, we started with
version three.
Now that we have been workingwith the platform for a while,
technically we can say theplatform is really version four
of camp, although really thereisn't too much differences.
(09:52):
There are some subtledifferences here and there, some
terminology differences andthere are a couple of
substantial differences.
Again, we are not here todiscuss the differences.
We just wanted to show thehistorical perspective and how
this has been evolving.
So, from methodology to method,the idea is that we develop camp
(10:14):
as a methodological processwith a standard model.
There is, you will see later on, a standard model.
In some of our other videos youwill probably see what we call
the standard model.
So when we say the standardmodel, that mean the model that
we built when we definedinitially camp and, however, we
did not remember, we did notcall it a method because it
(10:36):
wasn't set in stone, it's notone size fits all.
So from that methodology, justfrom the standard model, we can
develop tailored methods.
So we can tailor, customize andadapt the process to fit a
specific case or fit for purpose, as we continue to explain.
(10:59):
So each of these methods mustconsider various variable and
basically including, you know,vector, sector, domain, industry
type, size, complexity,whatever you might want to call
these variables.
So that leave us to.
(11:22):
Okay, a root PM view, a PMmethod, a PM methodology as
inclusive of six core component.
What are they?
So what we are saying here,every method, every method must
include the six component inorder to call it a method per
(11:44):
root, which means a projectmanagement method.
I reiterate, I repeat myself,just to emphasize upon so a PM
method should include the sixcore component.
So what are they?
A project lifecycle, again, thisis adaptive, customizable.
(12:05):
It could be three stages, itcould be 10 stages.
That have to be some kind oflifecycle.
How would we go from vision toreality, vision to reality,
right?
So that whole concept?
Now, project lifecycle,obviously we're talking about
the entire project.
(12:25):
That mean it's definitely morethan one stage.
So there could be phases orstages, or both, depending on
what you term you like and howdo you like to break down your
project lifecycle A phase or astage?
The piece of that lifecycleusually focus on something
specific and then, because wehave to break the project
(12:48):
lifecycle into stages or phases.
We have to manage a stage ofthe project, so we use what we
call the stage managementprocesses.
Then every stage must deliveran output, a product, a result
of that stage, and that outputmust go through a decision point
(13:08):
which we call stage gate.
Now somebody will be looking atthis and you're not going to get
ahead of yourself seven years.
You're talking about sixcomponents.
There are only five here.
I know how to count.
So that's number six is thesupporting action, and the
reason we put it in the middlehere was touching every one of
(13:29):
them because most likely it canattach on everyone.
Because what is supportingaction?
As you probably have seen inother videos and you will see
here, we're talking about scopemanagement, we're talking about
cost management, we're talkingabout quality or risk.
So when we make a decision, wemust be considering risk.
For example, when we're talkingabout stage, we need to manage
(13:50):
the scope of that stage.
When we talk about the output,the output might probably
include the scope, the cost, theschedule.
So there are different things.
So we put it in the middle andtouching on all these areas.
So these are the six componentsof a project management method
or methodology.
(14:11):
Another way of viewing this isthe following you can see a
project life cycle.
So, if you look at a time span,you have the project life cycle
from, again, vision to reality,whatever that life cycle is,
and you have stages.
That life cycle is divided intostages or phases, and then,
(14:34):
ideally, we need to manage everystage, so we use a stage
management, and then we need toproduce an output of every stage
at the stage deliverable, andthen we have the stage gates.
So these are the five that Iwas talking about earlier the
life cycle, the stages, thestage management, the stage
(14:56):
deliverable, the stage gate.
Of course, now is the time forthe six part, six component,
which is the supporting actionthat we're talking about the
scope, cost management, risk,quality and so on.
So this is what a life, what aproject management should look.
Sorry, a project managementmethod should look like If your
(15:20):
project, what you call projectmanagement method and I'll touch
on that, you know, in the lastslide or the one before the last
is that always come back tothis, whatever somebody talk
about ah, there is an X method,this is an X.
You know, x is the greatestproject management method that
ever existed, right, it's goingto transform project management
(15:44):
wherever right.
Come back and see, does it havethe six component?
Okay, you will find thatprobably have two or three of
them, maybe four of them, butdoes it have all six?
No, is it the most to have allsix?
Actually, I thought about thata lot over the years and I
(16:05):
believe yes.
Now there are other things, ofcourse, which we did not touch
on.
You know the style of theproject manager, the personality
of the project manager.
You know the organizationculture.
Is it more of a control type ofpeople?
You know the leadership orautocratic?
Again, all of these has to dealmore with the people aspect of
(16:26):
how to manage project, or theorganizational cultural aspect.
But regardless, you know, whenit comes to the mechanics, when
it comes to the reality of whata project management method
should be, regardless of whattype of environment you are in,
it should have something likethis.
Now, of course, what we'resaying is that something like
(16:48):
this.
That doesn't mean fixed, setand stone, right it, basically
it come back with the idea.
This is remember, I was talkingabout the standard model of CAM
.
That's the standard model.
However, the idea is that fromthis model we can modify.
Let me just highlight a coupleof items here.
I'm not going to go into thedetail about every step here.
(17:09):
Obviously, we need to startwith the vision for the product,
for the service, whatever youwant that project to give you at
the end.
Again, this is a project owner.
If I am a contractor doingconstruction work or software
development work for a client,I'm not going to be, you know,
my gate zero will be.
You know, in my company itmight be gate four or five from
(17:33):
my project, from my customer.
So this is a project ownermodel, right, and it obviously
could be used for a projectcontractor as well.
But it has to be tailored andcustomized.
So we start with gate zero.
Remember, we include the earlydiscovery phase on the project.
We include the operationalaspect of the project and then,
(17:55):
with this, what you see here onthe screen actually I go back
here that is what we call.
Notice what the last betweenseven and nine, what we call it.
We call it PLC closure.
This is a very important item.
We are closing the PLC at gatenine, right.
However, that doesn't mean theproject is closed In the ROOP
(18:15):
platform when we reach gate nine.
On a model like this theproject will move from.
Actually maybe I step back Inthe ROOP platform where
basically we have, when youstart a project, when you upload
a project, remember the projectset up, the project will go
into a future list.
Now everything is in one majordatabase.
However you can sort based onthis categorization, there will
(18:38):
be future project.
Once the sponsor activates theproject, the project will go
into the active project list andonce we reach gate nine, the
project will go into what wecall the completed project list.
Notice, I'm saying the projectis complete but it's not closed.
We have to go sometime in thefuture.
(19:01):
We do a success assessmentafter project completion to
assess the validity of thebusiness case that did the
project delivered to what wasexpected of it?
Right, and that could be done.
You know, days, weeks, monthsor years after the project is
finished depend on the nature ofthe project and only then, when
we do the final assessment, weconsider the project closed and
(19:25):
the project will move from thecompleted list to the closed
list.
So we start with the futureactive, completed or closed.
Of course we have one morecategory there.
It's not very relevant, butit's important to know this In
case we put the project on hold,if we terminate the project
early.
(19:46):
We just so.
Maybe we need to talk aboutthat.
If, for some reason or another,a project is being terminated
early, then we immediatelywhatever we are gate three or
gate four or gate two we jump toclosure and we go and close it.
So in that case, the projectyou know gate nine or whatever
that gate will be we will skipall the intermediate gate and
we'll go straight to closure andthe project will be added to
(20:08):
the closed project list.
That is if we decide toterminate the project.
However, sometime there mightbe some reason where we decide
to put the project on hold.
In that case we have a decisionwhere that project will go back
to the hold and will stay thereuntil a senior manager
(20:29):
reactivated it again.
That is a special condition.
Remember, this is a standardmodel, which means a tailored
method could look totallydifferent than this.
Not only look different in thisat the high level, it's also
the detail of every step wouldbe quite different, which bring
(20:50):
us to the idea of tailoring.
Tailoring is a must to respectour diversity in the way we
practice project.
So remember, moving frommethodology to method required
tailoring, customizing, adapting, configuring the method to be a
(21:14):
fit for purpose, setting.
And how do we do that?
Well, here are few things weconsider when we build the
tailored method.
And again, remember, we canbuild one for you at the client
the project type, sector, whichbasically what we consider under
the project type typically meanthe sector is a domain category
.
For example, sector could beall in gas or capital project
(21:37):
sorry, capital project for usand the platform.
So when you go to do thetailored method, selection
sector will come out first.
So usually capital project,technology project, academic
project, this will be more ofwhat we call the sector.
Then each sector will be brokendown into domain.
For example, under capitalproject you could have all in
(21:58):
gas, renewable energy, andthat's what we call the domain
and the platform.
And then within those domainthere could be categories.
So for example, in all in gasthey could be offshore, onshore
there could be a new facility,revamp facility, brownfield,
greenfield, whatever that mightbe the case.
Same thing in technology wecould have domain could be
(22:22):
software, hardware,transformation, whatever.
There you could have this manycategorization.
Ideally, down the road, maybetwo, three, four, five years in
the future we could have maybehundreds of tailored method
built into the platform, becausethere could be hundreds of
scenarios.
Right Right now we have builtabout 40 or 50 and we can build
(22:44):
some for you and we will be ableto adjust.
So we first we need to definethe type, then we define the
project classification projectclass, size, complexity, degree,
innovation.
In this case we combine themand RU currently use four
categories, four classes microproject, small, simple project,
medium, moderate, complexity andlarge, complex.
(23:05):
And sometime in the future wewill add the fifth one, which is
mega project.
It's too soon for that.
So these are the ones.
Now, what does it mean?
Micro project?
So the complexity that have tobe again tailored to you as an
organization.
You know, in all, in gas, amacro project could be $2
million.
In technology, a $2 millionproject could be a mega project,
(23:26):
right, so well, not mega, maybelarge and complex.
So that that has theclassification has to fit your,
your need, and we can work withyou as a company on what would
be considered the properclassification.
Then we have to consider thedevelopment approach Are we
going to use for the developmentof the product, remember, so we
(23:46):
are dealing here now.
We are focusing on when wereach implementation and we want
to develop the product.
How are we going to develop theproduct?
Are we going to use what somepeople call agile development?
It's a relative incrementaldevelopment.
We can develop the product intoan iteration or an increment,
or or both.
Or we're going to usetraditional sequential or what
(24:07):
we might like to call Big Bang,or are we going to use some kind
of a blended approach thatpeople call hybrid.
You know, in general it dependson the nature of the project.
I'll give you a quick examplehere and I will be doing
actually a case study on the onthe development of the Rook
initiative.
Maybe in a few months I willhave maybe an ebook and
(24:29):
potentially maybe a presentationand videos on that.
When we are developing a Rook,the first time when we develop
the proof of concept, you knowthe first few months of
development, that was a bigthing.
So basically I could not getaccess until the team, the
development team, are actuallygiving me a product that I can
test and use and that which is aproof of concept.
So that's what more of a BigBang.
(24:51):
Since that point, we've beendoing iterative, incremental.
So every time we need to add amodule, we actually design the
first iteration, we build thefirst iteration and then we
could have money.
You know, we can update it,upgrade it so we can have
multiple iteration, or we buildsome functionalities and then we
(25:13):
later on add some morefunctionality and some more
functionality.
So it could be again, it couldbe a blend.
I don't like to use the wordhybrid.
I put it here because I knowsome people think that you know
this is hybrid.
I like to call it blended.
Now why this matters, again,I'll go back to numbers studies
and not by Rook.
(25:34):
Unfortunately we're still inUtah market.
We don't have our own casestudies to demonstrate.
I know from experience ofmultiple decades in the industry
.
I know this stuff works.
Otherwise I would not havededicated almost now, you know,
2007 to today, 17 years of mylife coming to maybe, 20 years
(25:54):
of my life Dedicated to thestudy of methodologies and PM
method, and now the last fewyears working on the Rook
platform, developing the Rookplatform.
So if I don't believe that thisis an actually a very powerful
solution that could helporganizations, say, billions of
dollars, I would not invest mylife and time into this.
Actually, some of you mightknow, a few years ago I was semi
(26:17):
retired and a bunch of mycolleagues, people who've read
my books, who've taken courseswith me.
They came back said, muneer, weneed to take your ideas and put
them into digital solution.
So I came out of semiretirement just basically to
build this.
So to me, this is the legacy ofmy life, probably for my career
, and but again, I'm not goingto convince you with my word or
(26:46):
by saying, trust me, it works.
I'm going to show you similarand what's interesting about the
data on the screen.
This is based on themethodology as a concept.
Now what we have.
Potentially, we could actuallyhelp client achieve better
results than this.
Why?
Because it's a digital solution, right, so everything is in.
(27:08):
You know it can help speed upthe planning process, especially
when we embed AI and you know,the other platform become
AI-enabled platform andbasically, it will allow people
to use the platform and AI toaccelerate the project planning,
(27:29):
the project initiation, theproject execution,
implementation, and we can alsouse historical data and their
community learning.
There are a lot of greatadvantages, all of it within a
digital solution that's set inthe cloud above us and rain down
on us with knowledge andpowerful tools.
(27:50):
So here is these thingsStagegatecom, obviously that
companies specialize into theprinciple.
However, they have actuallyasked for an independent
benchmarking for the third partyto validate the principle of a
Stagegate model.
And they show these kind ofresults Higher speed to market,
which debunks the idea that somepeople think the Stagegate
(28:13):
model is a bureaucratic, slowprocess.
Actually it shows if you use iteffectively it can help
increase the speed of yourproduct development work.
It increase your profit andincrease the chance of achieving
success on cost and schedule.
The data from below it's fixedfrom coming from capital project
industry, from a book onbenchmarking, multiple
(28:34):
benchmarking studies summarizedin capital project and clearly
show the difference as well.
Closing comments two slides onthis.
That's why there will be.
So we often debate and I startedwith my video with this idea we
(28:57):
often debate what is or is nota project methodology.
In this video we shared the sixcomponents of a project method.
Actually it's very interesting.
I have done this presentation afew weeks ago but I haven't had
the chance to record it untiltoday, but yesterday I traveled
and also my colleagues and BillDuncan commenting, and many
(29:17):
other people are commenting onthe idea, on the concept of
methodology, and Trevor Post wasvery interesting, so probably
look for Link Find Trevor onLinkin October I mean, sorry,
january 19, I believe, or 18,and you'll probably find his
post on this topic.
And basically, what's raisingthe question which is
(29:38):
interesting is that we oftentalk about what is not a method,
what's not a method.
What is a method?
That's what we try to do here Aprocess covering the entire
project, not a method limited inscope and used while managing a
project, such as valuemanagement, critical path method
or the kind of concept.
I think I elaborated quite abit on this during the
(29:59):
presentation so I'm not gonnaexplain again.
So that is one part.
That brings us to the secondquestion, which some might still
have.
An engineering question saidwhat about?
Or lingering question whatabout waterfall, agile, pom bot,
iso, prince 2, et cetera, etcetera, et cetera.
Well, I would say, when youhave these questions, go back
(30:21):
and I alluded to this earlier goback to the six component.
Does that offer you the sixcomponent?
The Pumbak Guide is more of a.
I know some people might notlike that terminology is not a
methodology.
I will answer you on that one.
It's a framework.
It provides some guide, it's ageneral guideline of how to
build a methodology and ISOwould be the same way.
(30:43):
So I already answered on this.
On these two items I did notwant to answer, but I think it's
important to highlight.
So, yes, pumbak Guide is a waythey talk about life cycle, they
talk about the stages, but itdoesn't give you the steps, the
sequence, the process.
So that is why these are notmethod Agile waterfall.
(31:05):
Again, I have done many videoson this in the past, but before
you go and watch some of thelinks I share with you here,
think about it yourself.
What do you think?
If you like Pumbak, we have fewinteresting playlists and I
call these are actuallyplaylists, it depends.
Series includes, I think, 10 or11 videos, short videos, one to
(31:28):
two minute videos aboutdefinition.
So it includes definition of amethod and methodology that I
discussed in here, but wouldinclude something what are the
differences Are usually, youknow, somewhere between five and
10 minute videos.
They talk about, for example,what are the difference between
quality and grade?
What is the difference betweenX and Y?
Some of it could include methodand methodology, so that could
(31:49):
be also some additional contentthere.
When debunking the myths, I'mnot going to tell you the last
of the full part because in away, I would have answered.
My first bullet is that thereare a series of videos
Unfortunately, well,unfortunately or fortunately,
you know the, the, the itdepends series.
(32:10):
It was an old series we justrefreshed.
So what you will see onlinetoday in our YouTube channel
probably the first three videosof it, but we are gradually
adding the other videos.
What are the differences indebunking the myths?
Right now they are there in theplatform.
There are many videos in there.
These were recorded at leastfive or six years ago, so before
(32:31):
a root project management.
So if you see Sukhad orsomething that would explain.
So, in general, this brings ustoward the end and basically,
once again, if you'd like tocontinue receiving these things,
visit our website.
But I did not, I did not say inour website there is a tab
(32:51):
called knowledge.
You go there.
You can find some links to ourblog site, podcast site, the
YouTube channel.
So if you are a visual, youwould like to see things
visually.
Obviously, youtube.
If you like to read, you knowthe blog and, of course, the
podcast is something we justreleased so far.
We published three podcaststhis year, so some of these
(33:15):
topics are produced in a podcastformat as well.
So if you are, if you want tolisten and enjoy and, of course,
our link in here page as well,it's there where we share, where
we typically share, these newpublications and the new videos
(33:35):
and audios.
So this we say thank you foryour patience and listening to
30 minute and we wish yousuccess today, tomorrow and
always.
Good day, howdy, and welcome to the 4PM podcast.
My name is Munir Ajam.
My core passion is projectmanagement in community.
I come to you with at leastclose to 35 years of experience.
My eagerness to share knowledgeand to mentor and coach groups
help organizations transform theway they manage projects to a
(00:30):
higher level.
4pm's tent in this case isshortened for us for what we
call value, which means project,program, product and portfolios
, so a lot of our topics will bearound this 4PM.
Let's get going.
(00:52):
Today I'm going to talk aboutthis very important topic to us
because it's a foundation ofwhat let us actually start our
company, and it's a hot topicthat we always see many posts
online and there's actuallyquite a bit of interesting
discussion going on in the lasttwo days and I'm recording this
January 20, 2024 now.
(01:12):
So what is the projectmanagement methodology?
What is the project managementmethod?
What is the framework?
And there are many, many topicsgoes on and always debate and
what is a methodology and whatit's not a methodology.
There is an interestingdiscussion by my colleagues,
(01:33):
trevor Nelson, on the question.
Is that okay?
We always say this is not amethodology.
It's not a methodology.
So what is the methodology?
So we have.
Here we go Now.
We have recorded thispresentation, or something
similar like this, and pastdiscussion and some webinars, so
it is good time to try tosummarize the various topics in
(01:55):
one place.
So today, the focus is ondefining what Muneer Oruk view a
project management methodology.
However, I can just jump andgive you that, if you'd like to
jump, you can.
We need to build up the process.
So here we go.
A big discussion we alwaysconsider a project.
(02:25):
Method and methodology areinterchangeable topic.
Well, you can, nothing willprevent people from using these
terms to change it.
However, we need to understandthat there is a bit of
difference.
So let's see.
What does it mean?
When we talk about a method, weoften basically mean a method is
(02:47):
something systematic to dosomething Right.
So basically, I want to do X, Ifollow step one, two, three, I
reach what I want.
So it's a well-definedprocedure or technique to
accomplish a particular task orsolve a problem.
A method typically involvessteps or action followed in a
(03:09):
specific order.
Again, this is why, sometime, amethod could be a procedure or
something like that.
However, on the other side, amethodology is typically a set
of method, a study of method.
It's a comprehensive approachthat give us some guidance of
how to build a method, and thereare many principles that goes
(03:31):
into the process.
So, obviously, methodology ismuch bigger and if we want to
get into the more frameworkframework is even more general
and is looser kind of adefinition.
So that is just, in general,what we're saying is less
distinguished between a methodthat is very specific for a
(03:53):
specific fit for purpose versusa methodology where it might be
more a generalization of how tofollow a method and project
management.
So, when we talk about communityor practice today in our
community, project managementcommunity, how do we, when you
use the word method, what do wemean?
Well, I think one of the postsI actually posted yesterday on
(04:14):
LinkedIn said well, probablythis term is one of the most
used, abused and misunderstoodterm that we've in the community
.
Why?
Because everybody use the wordmethod in a different way to
mean different things.
Like some people think, oh,every project must have a unique
method or every project managerhave a unique method, reality
(04:38):
doesn't make a lot of sense, youknow, obviously, so let's
clarify.
Well, on the left side of thisillustration, what we have is
that, basically, what somepeople call a method is
typically an approach, atechnique, even when we use the
word method and the name that weuse while managing a project.
(05:00):
So, basically, there arenumerous concepts and approaches
that we use within a projectthat we call the method,
critical past method.
This is a method.
It is a method, but it's verylimited to the idea of defining
the critical past on a projectwhen we use, you know there are
forecasting method.
You know, aurok uses conceptcalled the six steps of
(05:23):
performance management, whichmean it lead to a forecast of a
project.
That is a method.
There are steps.
However, that is specific toforecasting a project.
We can use method for defining,planning a project or
identifying risk or managingrisk.
So there are a lot of specifictechnique approaches, tools,
(05:45):
procedures, guidelines that weuse within a project and we
might call the method.
Nothing wrong with that, justas long as you understand that
these methods are usuallylimited in focus.
Same thing, actually, I cangeneralize here when we talk
about project managementsoftware, ms project, for
example.
Ms project is a well knownsolution tool that help us
(06:11):
manage schedule.
You know plan, you know definethe schedule, and I mean there
are other functionality we canuse with it.
However, it's primarily aboutscheduling project.
So, is it a project managementsoftware?
Yes, is it a project managementmethod?
No, I mean in the idea of doesit define a full method?
(06:33):
Not necessarily.
Again, depend on what yourdefinition.
So, again, many people are onthe left side of that equation,
other people including us,including Munir, including Oruk.
The approach we're using is thatwe use the term a method.
Or, let me be clear here, we'renot talking about development
(06:56):
method or Whatever.
We're talking about a projectmanagement method.
When I use those terms, ittypically mean the steps, the
sequence, the process that willhelp us manage the entire
project across the projectlifecycle, and we'll show
(07:17):
example later.
That is a Rookway.
That is a Rookway PM way ofthinking.
A PM method is there to help usmanage the entire project
lifecycle.
Again, nothing wrong with theterm.
You use it whether you are onthe left side or the right side,
as long as we understand thatthe left side are method we use
(07:38):
within a project, whereas theother one is the method to
manage the entire project.
What is the Rookway?
So what is the Rookway PMperspective, the Rookway on this
?
How does this evolve?
How do we use that?
(07:59):
If we look at Rook projectmanagement approach start with
the methodology, in other words,a methodological process.
So that is the generalmethodology concept, the set of
method idea.
That is how we started back in2007, obviously before Rook
existed.
This is where Munir and othercolleagues within the company at
(08:21):
that time Sukad that we startedin 2007, which led to something
we call a camp, or thecustomizable and adaptable
methodology for managing project.
Notice, we use the termmethodology on this and I know
when we were doing this way, alot of feedback.
They thought you should use theword method.
No, it is a methodology,because once I use the word
(08:43):
method, that means there is onemethod.
This is here we're talkingabout methodology.
That means a set of method.
So we have the concept of camp.
Is that to define themethodological process that we
outlined?
So when we develop camp, whichled to many numerous videos,
blog articles and books in thosedays, and even workshop, and
(09:05):
finally we reached version threeof camp due to these various
workshops and videos and thefeedback we were getting, we
were updating camp from versionone to version two and version
three, which we documented inthe project management beyond
Waterfall and Edge Ahil Book,which was published almost
exactly six months ago Six yearsago sorry, december 20th 2007,.
(09:29):
So six years and one month Now.
Technically we can say Oruq PMis actually when we started to
work to think about building theOruq platform, we started with
version three.
Now that we have been workingwith the platform for a while,
technically we can say theplatform is really version four
of camp, although really thereisn't too much differences.
(09:52):
There are some subtledifferences here and there, some
terminology differences andthere are a couple of
substantial differences.
Again, we are not here todiscuss the differences.
We just wanted to show thehistorical perspective and how
this has been evolving.
So, from methodology to method,the idea is that we develop camp
(10:14):
as a methodological processwith a standard model.
There is, you will see later on, a standard model.
In some of our other videos youwill probably see what we call
the standard model.
So when we say the standardmodel, that mean the model that
we built when we definedinitially camp and, however, we
did not remember, we did notcall it a method because it
(10:36):
wasn't set in stone, it's notone size fits all.
So from that methodology, justfrom the standard model, we can
develop tailored methods.
So we can tailor, customize andadapt the process to fit a
specific case or fit for purpose, as we continue to explain.
(10:59):
So each of these methods mustconsider various variable and
basically including, you know,vector, sector, domain, industry
type, size, complexity,whatever you might want to call
these variables.
So that leave us to.
(11:22):
Okay, a root PM view, a PMmethod, a PM methodology as
inclusive of six core component.
What are they?
So what we are saying here,every method, every method must
include the six component inorder to call it a method per
(11:44):
root, which means a projectmanagement method.
I reiterate, I repeat myself,just to emphasize upon so a PM
method should include the sixcore component.
So what are they?
A project lifecycle, again, thisis adaptive, customizable.
(12:05):
It could be three stages, itcould be 10 stages.
That have to be some kind oflifecycle.
How would we go from vision toreality, vision to reality,
right?
So that whole concept?
Now, project lifecycle,obviously we're talking about
the entire project.
(12:25):
That mean it's definitely morethan one stage.
So there could be phases orstages, or both, depending on
what you term you like and howdo you like to break down your
project lifecycle A phase or astage?
The piece of that lifecycleusually focus on something
specific and then, because wehave to break the project
(12:48):
lifecycle into stages or phases.
We have to manage a stage ofthe project, so we use what we
call the stage managementprocesses.
Then every stage must deliveran output, a product, a result
of that stage, and that outputmust go through a decision point
(13:08):
which we call stage gate.
Now somebody will be looking atthis and you're not going to get
ahead of yourself seven years.
You're talking about sixcomponents.
There are only five here.
I know how to count.
So that's number six is thesupporting action, and the
reason we put it in the middlehere was touching every one of
(13:29):
them because most likely it canattach on everyone.
Because what is supportingaction?
As you probably have seen inother videos and you will see
here, we're talking about scopemanagement, we're talking about
cost management, we're talkingabout quality or risk.
So when we make a decision, wemust be considering risk.
For example, when we're talkingabout stage, we need to manage
(13:50):
the scope of that stage.
When we talk about the output,the output might probably
include the scope, the cost, theschedule.
So there are different things.
So we put it in the middle andtouching on all these areas.
So these are the six componentsof a project management method
or methodology.
(14:11):
Another way of viewing this isthe following you can see a
project life cycle.
So, if you look at a time span,you have the project life cycle
from, again, vision to reality,whatever that life cycle is,
and you have stages.
That life cycle is divided intostages or phases, and then,
(14:34):
ideally, we need to manage everystage, so we use a stage
management, and then we need toproduce an output of every stage
at the stage deliverable, andthen we have the stage gates.
So these are the five that Iwas talking about earlier the
life cycle, the stages, thestage management, the stage
(14:56):
deliverable, the stage gate.
Of course, now is the time forthe six part, six component,
which is the supporting actionthat we're talking about the
scope, cost management, risk,quality and so on.
So this is what a life, what aproject management should look.
Sorry, a project managementmethod should look like If your
(15:20):
project, what you call projectmanagement method and I'll touch
on that, you know, in the lastslide or the one before the last
is that always come back tothis, whatever somebody talk
about ah, there is an X method,this is an X.
You know, x is the greatestproject management method that
ever existed, right, it's goingto transform project management
(15:44):
wherever right.
Come back and see, does it havethe six component?
Okay, you will find thatprobably have two or three of
them, maybe four of them, butdoes it have all six?
No, is it the most to have allsix?
Actually, I thought about thata lot over the years and I
(16:05):
believe yes.
Now there are other things, ofcourse, which we did not touch
on.
You know the style of theproject manager, the personality
of the project manager.
You know the organizationculture.
Is it more of a control type ofpeople?
You know the leadership orautocratic?
Again, all of these has to dealmore with the people aspect of
(16:26):
how to manage project, or theorganizational cultural aspect.
But regardless, you know, whenit comes to the mechanics, when
it comes to the reality of whata project management method
should be, regardless of whattype of environment you are in,
it should have something likethis.
Now, of course, what we'resaying is that something like
(16:48):
this.
That doesn't mean fixed, setand stone, right it, basically
it come back with the idea.
This is remember, I was talkingabout the standard model of CAM
.
That's the standard model.
However, the idea is that fromthis model we can modify.
Let me just highlight a coupleof items here.
I'm not going to go into thedetail about every step here.
(17:09):
Obviously, we need to startwith the vision for the product,
for the service, whatever youwant that project to give you at
the end.
Again, this is a project owner.
If I am a contractor doingconstruction work or software
development work for a client,I'm not going to be, you know,
my gate zero will be.
You know, in my company itmight be gate four or five from
(17:33):
my project, from my customer.
So this is a project ownermodel, right, and it obviously
could be used for a projectcontractor as well.
But it has to be tailored andcustomized.
So we start with gate zero.
Remember, we include the earlydiscovery phase on the project.
We include the operationalaspect of the project and then,
(17:55):
with this, what you see here onthe screen actually I go back
here that is what we call.
Notice what the last betweenseven and nine, what we call it.
We call it PLC closure.
This is a very important item.
We are closing the PLC at gatenine, right.
However, that doesn't mean theproject is closed In the ROOP
(18:15):
platform when we reach gate nine.
On a model like this theproject will move from.
Actually maybe I step back Inthe ROOP platform where
basically we have, when youstart a project, when you upload
a project, remember the projectset up, the project will go
into a future list.
Now everything is in one majordatabase.
However you can sort based onthis categorization, there will
(18:38):
be future project.
Once the sponsor activates theproject, the project will go
into the active project list andonce we reach gate nine, the
project will go into what wecall the completed project list.
Notice, I'm saying the projectis complete but it's not closed.
We have to go sometime in thefuture.
(19:01):
We do a success assessmentafter project completion to
assess the validity of thebusiness case that did the
project delivered to what wasexpected of it?
Right, and that could be done.
You know, days, weeks, monthsor years after the project is
finished depend on the nature ofthe project and only then, when
we do the final assessment, weconsider the project closed and
(19:25):
the project will move from thecompleted list to the closed
list.
So we start with the futureactive, completed or closed.
Of course we have one morecategory there.
It's not very relevant, butit's important to know this In
case we put the project on hold,if we terminate the project
early.
(19:46):
We just so.
Maybe we need to talk aboutthat.
If, for some reason or another,a project is being terminated
early, then we immediatelywhatever we are gate three or
gate four or gate two we jump toclosure and we go and close it.
So in that case, the projectyou know gate nine or whatever
that gate will be we will skipall the intermediate gate and
we'll go straight to closure andthe project will be added to
(20:08):
the closed project list.
That is if we decide toterminate the project.
However, sometime there mightbe some reason where we decide
to put the project on hold.
In that case we have a decisionwhere that project will go back
to the hold and will stay thereuntil a senior manager
(20:29):
reactivated it again.
That is a special condition.
Remember, this is a standardmodel, which means a tailored
method could look totallydifferent than this.
Not only look different in thisat the high level, it's also
the detail of every step wouldbe quite different, which bring
(20:50):
us to the idea of tailoring.
Tailoring is a must to respectour diversity in the way we
practice project.
So remember, moving frommethodology to method required
tailoring, customizing, adapting, configuring the method to be a
(21:14):
fit for purpose, setting.
And how do we do that?
Well, here are few things weconsider when we build the
tailored method.
And again, remember, we canbuild one for you at the client
the project type, sector, whichbasically what we consider under
the project type typically meanthe sector is a domain category
.
For example, sector could beall in gas or capital project
(21:37):
sorry, capital project for usand the platform.
So when you go to do thetailored method, selection
sector will come out first.
So usually capital project,technology project, academic
project, this will be more ofwhat we call the sector.
Then each sector will be brokendown into domain.
For example, under capitalproject you could have all in
(21:58):
gas, renewable energy, andthat's what we call the domain
and the platform.
And then within those domainthere could be categories.
So for example, in all in gasthey could be offshore, onshore
there could be a new facility,revamp facility, brownfield,
greenfield, whatever that mightbe the case.
Same thing in technology wecould have domain could be
(22:22):
software, hardware,transformation, whatever.
There you could have this manycategorization.
Ideally, down the road, maybetwo, three, four, five years in
the future we could have maybehundreds of tailored method
built into the platform, becausethere could be hundreds of
scenarios.
Right Right now we have builtabout 40 or 50 and we can build
(22:44):
some for you and we will be ableto adjust.
So we first we need to definethe type, then we define the
project classification projectclass, size, complexity, degree,
innovation.
In this case we combine themand RU currently use four
categories, four classes microproject, small, simple project,
medium, moderate, complexity andlarge, complex.
(23:05):
And sometime in the future wewill add the fifth one, which is
mega project.
It's too soon for that.
So these are the ones.
Now, what does it mean?
Micro project?
So the complexity that have tobe again tailored to you as an
organization.
You know, in all, in gas, amacro project could be $2
million.
In technology, a $2 millionproject could be a mega project,
(23:26):
right, so well, not mega, maybelarge and complex.
So that that has theclassification has to fit your,
your need, and we can work withyou as a company on what would
be considered the properclassification.
Then we have to consider thedevelopment approach Are we
going to use for the developmentof the product, remember, so we
(23:46):
are dealing here now.
We are focusing on when wereach implementation and we want
to develop the product.
How are we going to develop theproduct?
Are we going to use what somepeople call agile development?
It's a relative incrementaldevelopment.
We can develop the product intoan iteration or an increment,
or or both.
Or we're going to usetraditional sequential or what
(24:07):
we might like to call Big Bang,or are we going to use some kind
of a blended approach thatpeople call hybrid.
You know, in general it dependson the nature of the project.
I'll give you a quick examplehere and I will be doing
actually a case study on the onthe development of the Rook
initiative.
Maybe in a few months I willhave maybe an ebook and
(24:29):
potentially maybe a presentationand videos on that.
When we are developing a Rook,the first time when we develop
the proof of concept, you knowthe first few months of
development, that was a bigthing.
So basically I could not getaccess until the team, the
development team, are actuallygiving me a product that I can
test and use and that which is aproof of concept.
So that's what more of a BigBang.
(24:51):
Since that point, we've beendoing iterative, incremental.
So every time we need to add amodule, we actually design the
first iteration, we build thefirst iteration and then we
could have money.
You know, we can update it,upgrade it so we can have
multiple iteration, or we buildsome functionalities and then we
(25:13):
later on add some morefunctionality and some more
functionality.
So it could be again, it couldbe a blend.
I don't like to use the wordhybrid.
I put it here because I knowsome people think that you know
this is hybrid.
I like to call it blended.
Now why this matters, again,I'll go back to numbers studies
and not by Rook.
(25:34):
Unfortunately we're still inUtah market.
We don't have our own casestudies to demonstrate.
I know from experience ofmultiple decades in the industry
.
I know this stuff works.
Otherwise I would not havededicated almost now, you know,
2007 to today, 17 years of mylife coming to maybe, 20 years
(25:54):
of my life Dedicated to thestudy of methodologies and PM
method, and now the last fewyears working on the Rook
platform, developing the Rookplatform.
So if I don't believe that thisis an actually a very powerful
solution that could helporganizations, say, billions of
dollars, I would not invest mylife and time into this.
Actually, some of you mightknow, a few years ago I was semi
(26:17):
retired and a bunch of mycolleagues, people who've read
my books, who've taken courseswith me.
They came back said, muneer, weneed to take your ideas and put
them into digital solution.
So I came out of semiretirement just basically to
build this.
So to me, this is the legacy ofmy life, probably for my career
, and but again, I'm not goingto convince you with my word or
(26:46):
by saying, trust me, it works.
I'm going to show you similarand what's interesting about the
data on the screen.
This is based on themethodology as a concept.
Now what we have.
Potentially, we could actuallyhelp client achieve better
results than this.
Why?
Because it's a digital solution, right, so everything is in.
(27:08):
You know it can help speed upthe planning process, especially
when we embed AI and you know,the other platform become
AI-enabled platform andbasically, it will allow people
to use the platform and AI toaccelerate the project planning,
(27:29):
the project initiation, theproject execution,
implementation, and we can alsouse historical data and their
community learning.
There are a lot of greatadvantages, all of it within a
digital solution that's set inthe cloud above us and rain down
on us with knowledge andpowerful tools.
(27:50):
So here is these thingsStagegatecom, obviously that
companies specialize into theprinciple.
However, they have actuallyasked for an independent
benchmarking for the third partyto validate the principle of a
Stagegate model.
And they show these kind ofresults Higher speed to market,
which debunks the idea that somepeople think the Stagegate
(28:13):
model is a bureaucratic, slowprocess.
Actually it shows if you use iteffectively it can help
increase the speed of yourproduct development work.
It increase your profit andincrease the chance of achieving
success on cost and schedule.
The data from below it's fixedfrom coming from capital project
industry, from a book onbenchmarking, multiple
(28:34):
benchmarking studies summarizedin capital project and clearly
show the difference as well.
Closing comments two slides onthis.
That's why there will be.
So we often debate and I startedwith my video with this idea we
(28:57):
often debate what is or is nota project methodology.
In this video we shared the sixcomponents of a project method.
Actually it's very interesting.
I have done this presentation afew weeks ago but I haven't had
the chance to record it untiltoday, but yesterday I traveled
and also my colleagues and BillDuncan commenting, and many
(29:17):
other people are commenting onthe idea, on the concept of
methodology, and Trevor Post wasvery interesting, so probably
look for Link Find Trevor onLinkin October I mean, sorry,
january 19, I believe, or 18,and you'll probably find his
post on this topic.
And basically, what's raisingthe question which is
(29:38):
interesting is that we oftentalk about what is not a method,
what's not a method.
What is a method?
That's what we try to do here Aprocess covering the entire
project, not a method limited inscope and used while managing a
project, such as valuemanagement, critical path method
or the kind of concept.
I think I elaborated quite abit on this during the
(29:59):
presentation so I'm not gonnaexplain again.
So that is one part.
That brings us to the secondquestion, which some might still
have.
An engineering question saidwhat about?
Or lingering question whatabout waterfall, agile, pom bot,
iso, prince 2, et cetera, etcetera, et cetera.
Well, I would say, when youhave these questions, go back
(30:21):
and I alluded to this earlier goback to the six component.
Does that offer you the sixcomponent?
The Pumbak Guide is more of a.
I know some people might notlike that terminology is not a
methodology.
I will answer you on that one.
It's a framework.
It provides some guide, it's ageneral guideline of how to
build a methodology and ISOwould be the same way.
(30:43):
So I already answered on this.
On these two items I did notwant to answer, but I think it's
important to highlight.
So, yes, pumbak Guide is a waythey talk about life cycle, they
talk about the stages, but itdoesn't give you the steps, the
sequence, the process.
So that is why these are notmethod Agile waterfall.
(31:05):
Again, I have done many videoson this in the past, but before
you go and watch some of thelinks I share with you here,
think about it yourself.
What do you think?
If you like Pumbak, we have fewinteresting playlists and I
call these are actuallyplaylists, it depends.
Series includes, I think, 10 or11 videos, short videos, one to
(31:28):
two minute videos aboutdefinition.
So it includes definition of amethod and methodology that I
discussed in here, but wouldinclude something what are the
differences Are usually, youknow, somewhere between five and
10 minute videos.
They talk about, for example,what are the difference between
quality and grade?
What is the difference betweenX and Y?
Some of it could include methodand methodology, so that could
(31:49):
be also some additional contentthere.
When debunking the myths, I'mnot going to tell you the last
of the full part because in away, I would have answered.
My first bullet is that thereare a series of videos
Unfortunately, well,unfortunately or fortunately,
you know the, the, the itdepends series.
(32:10):
It was an old series we justrefreshed.
So what you will see onlinetoday in our YouTube channel
probably the first three videosof it, but we are gradually
adding the other videos.
What are the differences indebunking the myths?
Right now they are there in theplatform.
There are many videos in there.
These were recorded at leastfive or six years ago, so before
(32:31):
a root project management.
So if you see Sukhad orsomething that would explain.
So, in general, this brings ustoward the end and basically,
once again, if you'd like tocontinue receiving these things,
visit our website.
But I did not, I did not say inour website there is a tab
(32:51):
called knowledge.
You go there.
You can find some links to ourblog site, podcast site, the
YouTube channel.
So if you are a visual, youwould like to see things
visually.
Obviously, youtube.
If you like to read, you knowthe blog and, of course, the
podcast is something we justreleased so far.
We published three podcaststhis year, so some of these
(33:15):
topics are produced in a podcastformat as well.
So if you are, if you want tolisten and enjoy and, of course,
our link in here page as well,it's there where we share, where
we typically share, these newpublications and the new videos
(33:35):
and audios.
So this we say thank you foryour patience and listening to
30 minute and we wish yousuccess today, tomorrow and
always.
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