Project Managers Forum

Thats my particular point of interest, IT Proj Mgt cuz i currently work in an IT position.

I am very glad to see the Nigerian private sector embrace project mgmt to an extent. However it is safe to say that from several posts I have read alot of Nigerians are diving into this field only in response to the lucrative pay they hear Project managers earn. I have practiced project management for 6yrs and worked with more than 7 fortune 100 companies in the U.S on IT infrastructure projects

Alot of people that are project team members, sponsors or resources develop the desire to earn PMPs as it increases their skill level in delivering successful projects from initiation through closeout. It is very appalling to see several people advertising PMP training classes to people that are clueless about the art of project management. It requires 3-4yrs of direct project management involvement for a PMP certification to be on any relevance other than Nigerians looking to add another title to their names Dr, SAN, JP, Chief, PMP John Doe.

Please encourage people not to see this certification as only another source of earning a living but a prestigous career with tremendous opportunities that helps to redefine the way important needs to society are delivered in a disciplined manner.

Let's continue the conversations.

It's a great thing that we can have a common forum to share our knowledge.

Project management is a knowledge to acquire. sincerely, you will become a different person when you are done with it.

Prince 2 is a methodolgy commonly used in the UK. it will only teach you a method of managing project .If you have great zeal of going into project management and advancing into it, i wish you to go through Americam PMI project management , it's all encompassing. it's not discipline dependent,  anybody can do it. if you ever follow the PM method and procedure to manage a project, your project will hardly fail.

The major problems ecountered in Project management which are Stakeholder  identification, management has been fully dealt with in Edition four. for those of us that did edition 3,  Try to revisit Edition 4, if you a PMI member , i am sure this book would have been sent you via Email.

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Pls do not mean to derail this thread but can the PM's in the house be of help.
I am a lawyer whose has got his eye set on improving his resume, how can project management be of help in giving me the required career boost. Also been trying to download PMBOK 4th edition but i hav had no success in that, can anybody be of help by sending it to my box Presy.ng@gmail.com

Well, very lovely thread.

Let me first share my views by answering Aare1. Project Management is applicable in all industry, be it Construction, IT, Banking, Legal. Hence my advise to you is to do it. You never know where your next turn might be in life, or where the economy is taking us.

Secondly, I tried reading through the thread, or rather should I say browsing through and really my general feel is most people do not  understand the difference between PMP and PRINCE2. (I am well aware that this thread is not for highlighting the differences but the challenges of PM's in Nigeria which I will come to very shortly, just bear with me). PMP is the certification received, whilst really it is PMBOK. Like the full meaning says, its a book of knowledge. Can be attributed to an "A-Z" - if you familiar with the UK system. And what A-Z is there for really is a guide that tells you different ways of arriving at your destination. Through your own knowledge and experience you tend to choose the quickest way of getting to your destination. For example, say you need to travel from Hertfordshire to East Croydon, and the A-Z suggests you take inner London route. Because you have done the journey before, you know that at that time of the day, its best to take the A-13, as there will be no traffic! So really PMBOK does not tell you how to get things done, its guides you.

PRINCE2 on the other hand is a methodology. Notice the word methodology! It tells you how to get things done with lots of standards and templates!. It tells you this is the way to do it! No contemplating, nothing!

Now considering this though, they both really COMPLEMENTS each other. If you really want to be serious in this profession, there is nothing wrong with studying both, and applying both knowledge in your day to day activities.

Now to challenges! Well I have had a good opportunity to work in the UK as a Project Manager for over 6 years. Started career really as a project support officer, and now can boldly say a Programme Manager.

But upon coming back home now, Project Management is a whole different kettle of fish - trust me.

The challenges I have experienced includes:

1) COMMUNICATION - especially with major stakeholders/ key decision makers
2) BUDGETING - now, you can plan and budget x,y,z for your project - the best ever, only for someone to come in at the end stage saying there is another contractor he/she would rather use regardless of cost. Now bear in mind that they were carried along throughout the planning stage!
3) In continuation of budgeting, my first project in Nigeria was really an eye opener. Imagine, used to motivating my team to work using different approach but never the money approach, and suddenly my team is refusing to work without me paying them something first! HA!!!
4) many many other challenges that will be shared soon.

In conclusion, project management in Nigeria is not the clear cut way abroad. You need to be able to adapt and manuever easily. If you ever try and attempt to manage projects the way it is written in the books here, trust me you ain't gonna go too far.

@ Afrinity - You are sooooo right. I work with some multinationals on some pretty big greenfield projects in Nigeria and things are certainly not clear cut. Always need to be flexible and always expect the unexpected!! Cost and schedule - usually add 15% contingency. Stakeholders (esp Governmental ones) are bane of my existence. Governance is a mess, interfaces are impossible to map and all internal project leaders are total empire builders! Don't even get me started on lack of regard for risks and mitigation!!

Ha! Risks and mitigation? That word doesn't exist in the dictionary  But gradually though with the likes of you and I, project management will go to the next level here in Nigeria and ultimately Africa.

But I wounder though, that the multinational companies are not sticking to their guns?

It is good to know that this thread I created is still wax strong.
 
ALL,

Project management methodologies need to be adapted to suit the local environment since cultures are different and that will alter your relationship,communication,stakeholder and resistance management approach.

I train project management in the UK and consult for the health and financial sectors and have since found that you cannot move from one sector let alone a country expecting projects to be run in the same manner.

I advise my students to go and learn how change had been implemented by experienced members of that environment and that would serve as a template for successful delivery in that setting.

Factors that must be considered is culture.

For example dealing with foreigners that have no regard for black people or let alone have no respect for you is enough reason to put one off managing projects in that environment but a PM is tenacious and understands the interests of the stakeholders . A PM Understand the individuals that stand to lose from the change or stand to gain from the change.

Resistance management is no worse than it is in the UK or US. Any stakeholder that stands to lose from the change will show no regard for processes and will do everything in their power to resist the change. It is the job of a PM to go and investigate and enlighten the resisting stakeholder on what they will. (PM -Negotiation skills)

PM's should remember that they are managing scape goats and facilitators aid them to get the glory or take the blame, so treat facilitators like colleagues and stop trying to throw your weight around. Communicate the objective of your project clearly and how it adds value to the organisation Ignoring some of these basic principles which are not taught in a PM training class are reasons that some PM's in Nigeria fail to deliver.

You have no excuse whatsoever if a project fails under your watch as a PM.

I am currently consulting for a gas plant construction in Nigeria and have found these issues with project managers that I manage.

Do not blame Nigeria if you have problems managing projects properly in that environment. You have no excuse as a project manager.