| Over the past ten years, the US-based Project | | | | material contracts, to fixed-price contracts. Fixed |
| Management Institute has grown from around 25,000 | | | | priced contracts require more aggressive project |
| members to almost 250,000. This ten-fold increase | | | | management on the part of tier-one vendors, and |
| represents a marked departure from the steady but | | | | increase the likelihood they will subsequently |
| slow growth of the organization since its creation in | | | | subcontract to tier-two vendors on a fixed price |
| 1969 and is a significant indication of an increased | | | | basis. This quickly cascades an increased need for |
| interest in project management. | | | | project management down the supply chain. |
| Certainly the institute has played a vital role in its own | | | | - As organizations strive to complete, so they |
| growth. PMI's Project Management Body of | | | | attempt to standardize their processes and make |
| Knowledge (PMBOK) has become a standard in many | | | | them as repeatable as possible. Project management |
| industries, along with its Project Management | | | | is often one of the processes that is standardized |
| Professional certification. International marketing has | | | | and spread across the organization, not only because |
| also created a global membership, versus a primarily | | | | it's an example of best practice, but also because it |
| US-based membership ten years ago. | | | | helps to ensure that other best practices are |
| However there are other, more broad-based changes | | | | followed. |
| that have also contributed to PMI's growth. These | | | | - Those organizations that are competing successfully |
| include: | | | | are growing and often very quickly. They're bringing |
| - Recognition that many of us are managing projects, | | | | large numbers of employees into an organization to |
| whether or not we have the title of project | | | | work on projects, often in multiple locations, which |
| manager, and that project management skills are | | | | presents significant challenges that need to be well |
| beneficial for a wide range of employees. Similarly, | | | | managed. But even those organizations that are not |
| there has been a wider recognition that projects in all | | | | aggressively growing, are striving to be more |
| industries benefit from project management, not just | | | | productive with the resources they have available; |
| the traditional industries of engineering, construction, | | | | requiring better project management. |
| and more recently IT. | | | | - The final reason is that there are simply more |
| - As global competition has increased in many areas | | | | projects to be done today than a decade ago. Each |
| over the past decade, so have customer | | | | new technological innovation requires more R&D |
| expectations. This has meant larger and more | | | | projects, more product design projects, more |
| complex projects that need to be managed more | | | | manufacturing design projects, and so on. This is in |
| efficiently to remain competitive. | | | | addition to maintaining and upgrading existing facilities, |
| - With the advent of global competition, and | | | | products, and technologies, and it's happening in an |
| therefore a global supply-chain, so outsourcing has | | | | environment where each product needs to be |
| become more popular on projects. This may be more | | | | brought to market more quickly, and for less money. |
| cost-effective, but it also increases project risk (as | | | | There is little evidence to suggest any of these |
| multiple organizations in separate locations with | | | | factors will be going away any time soon, and so we |
| different processes and cultures strive to work | | | | should expect this increased interest in project |
| together), thus requiring better project managers. | | | | management to continue during the next decade. If |
| - With more potential suppliers around the world, and | | | | you haven't already, you might want to consider |
| a desire to reduce their project risk, major | | | | taking on one more project within your organization; |
| manufacturing OEMs are moving away from time and | | | | that of implementing project management. |