SAP-Centric Project Management Solutions and SAP-Primavera Integration

Key 8: Don't be Obsessed with Theory

Written by Berthold Kastel

The field of project management is not as clearly defined as many people may believe. How many project management professionals know that there is more than one way of defining the body of knowledge? That the nine knowledge areas of the PMBOK are not universally accepted as the "body of knowledge" of project management, but only by members of the US-based Project Management Institute (PMI)? That Japanese project management philosophy is more centered on stakeholders? That European project management principles divide functions in more detail than US organizations?

These aspects need to be considered before rendering judgment on tools used. Let's not be misunderstood: Formal eduction in project management concepts and philosophies is important and helpful. In the end, though, specific principles should not be overly focused on. Enterprise organizations often stretch the world and encounter diversity. This means that back to the basics and to simplicity is not just important to make complex projects better manageable, it may be the only way that complex international projects can be managed.