Return to Article: Government faces shortage of IT project managers, council reports

By Gautham Nagesh gnagesh@govexec.com March 14, 2008
  • 52134

    I have a PMP; the test does not reflect hands-on and you basically have to train yourself to deal with the idea of what a perfect "waterfall" approach to solutions would be to pass the test (that and the bland, similar wording and acronyms that you have to memorize so you don't confuse them). But do realize you have to have a defensible write-up of your PM experience to get certified as well, so it is not just passing a test. I would suggest anyone interested in project management realities read Reinventing Project Management.

    Paul Posted June 11, 2008 2:28 PM
  • 46633

    The problem is that no one at any agency I've worked at is interested in actually applying the principals of project management. Most ideas get green lighted for political reasons and any use of methods to evaluate their appropriateness or cost effectiveness are purely for show. If I hear another senior manager mindlessly chant "Enterprise Solution" again, I'll go nuts. As for PMPs "certification , I could train a monkey to earn a PMP - it's a multiple choice test you only need a "D" to pass. Not one of the harder certifications I possess.

    Jim Posted March 17, 2008 1:18 PM
  • 46622

    This is a surprise??? What do you expect when a gov't agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has to go through an A-76 study that forced our IT employees to spend two years writing their job descriptions and competing to keep their jobs in-house, only to have our agency win the in-house bid and then to find out an outside non-gov't company is coming in, taking our contract computers (Dell) and switching them out for HP's and taking over the mgt of IT. How did "in-house" get changed to "contracted out?!" The majority of our IT employees quit for other non-gov't jobs; they saw the handwriting on the wall. So help us if when I need computer assistance that when I call I get someone who barely speaks English!

    Bonnie E. Posted March 17, 2008 11:49 AM
  • 46617

    One of the questions that the study should have closely examined is "Why are the experienced and credentialled project managers (PMP - Project Mangement Professional) ready to leave when retirement-eligible?"

    Another study should be commissioned to do a complete inventory of PMPs in government agencies and determine how they are actually being used. Are they in leadership and/or policymaking positions? Are their skills valued and if so, how is this demonstrated?

    A credentialled PMP Posted March 17, 2008 11:21 AM
  • 46598

    Even the government admits there is a shortage of PMs.

    Lt Col Croslen Posted March 17, 2008 10:16 AM

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Government faces shortage of IT project managers, council reports
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