Comments for Bud Cookson http://www.budcookson.com Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:46:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by Matt http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Matt Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:46:38 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-63 Agree with your response. I was thinking more in terms of the sub-project/individual contributor level. In your particular case I'm guessing there were multiple levels of project managers. I would guess that the PMs at the lowest level often did have experience with the day-to-day activities they were managing. As you work up the reporting chain, the emphasis with PMs becomes more mentoring and 'managing the managers'. This would require a different set of skills as they are less hands-on with daily activities (in theory) and certainly cannot know the details of every sub-project/domain/construction crafts/etc. Agree with your response. I was thinking more in terms of the sub-project/individual contributor level. In your particular case I’m guessing there were multiple levels of project managers. I would guess that the PMs at the lowest level often did have experience with the day-to-day activities they were managing. As you work up the reporting chain, the emphasis with PMs becomes more mentoring and ‘managing the managers’. This would require a different set of skills as they are less hands-on with daily activities (in theory) and certainly cannot know the details of every sub-project/domain/construction crafts/etc.

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by Bud http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Bud Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:19:47 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-62 Matt - I agree that it doesn't hurt to have specific experience and I am quite sure that it is a very good thing to have a good fit between a new hire and the organization. However, a Project Manager could never have expertise in all aspects of a project. One project that I managed had six different Engineering disciplines, training / documentation / technical writing, 12 different construction crafts and a huge interface with more than 400 production floor persons. Not a situation that one could cover all of the bases. A good Project Manager does need to have an appreciation for all of the areas of expertise but in the more classic environments that I experienced, the technical lead(s) bring the appropriate technical skills to the game. It is then the role of the Project Manager to manage, not to make technical decisions. It's a very gray area and I agree that experience never hurts. However, when the requirements get so specific that there are only three people who can fill the position, the hiring manager should be using a head hunter rather than a generic job listing. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks for your comment. Matt – I agree that it doesn’t hurt to have specific experience and I am quite sure that it is a very good thing to have a good fit between a new hire and the organization. However, a Project Manager could never have expertise in all aspects of a project. One project that I managed had six different Engineering disciplines, training / documentation / technical writing, 12 different construction crafts and a huge interface with more than 400 production floor persons. Not a situation that one could cover all of the bases. A good Project Manager does need to have an appreciation for all of the areas of expertise but in the more classic environments that I experienced, the technical lead(s) bring the appropriate technical skills to the game. It is then the role of the Project Manager to manage, not to make technical decisions. It’s a very gray area and I agree that experience never hurts. However, when the requirements get so specific that there are only three people who can fill the position, the hiring manager should be using a head hunter rather than a generic job listing. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks for your comment.

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by Matt http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Matt Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:52:56 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-61 This is a fun topic so I'll add my 2-cents. Why would I want to hire a 'general' project manager when I can define exactly what is desired in a person to get the results I need? Not only technical knowledge and past project experience but other traits that will fit within the dynamics of my org/product/team? Good group managers should know what they need when they are making a hire. Furthermore I think (regardless of industry) the best managers typically are the ones who have actually worked themselves at one point the tasks they are managing (dev, qa, requirements writing, user guides/online help, training classes, UX studies, etc). I do agree that the pm and tech lead need to have a great relationship where both have a good feel for the other. Their needs, general agreement on priorities, direction, process and tools...... in general, "have each other's back". This is a fun topic so I’ll add my 2-cents.

Why would I want to hire a ‘general’ project manager when I can define exactly what is desired in a person to get the results I need? Not only technical knowledge and past project experience but other traits that will fit within the dynamics of my org/product/team? Good group managers should know what they need when they are making a hire. Furthermore I think (regardless of industry) the best managers typically are the ones who have actually worked themselves at one point the tasks they are managing (dev, qa, requirements writing, user guides/online help, training classes, UX studies, etc).

I do agree that the pm and tech lead need to have a great relationship where both have a good feel for the other. Their needs, general agreement on priorities, direction, process and tools…… in general, “have each other’s back”.

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by Bill Duncan http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Bill Duncan Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:59:39 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-50 The problem is worse than you think ... many if not most software developers don't make a clear distinction between software development and project management. Just look at all the articles on "Agile Project Management." They're not discussing project management practices; they're discussing software development. As to your epiphany ... I've been ranting about this since about 1986 ... The problem is worse than you think … many if not most software developers don’t make a clear distinction between software development and project management. Just look at all the articles on “Agile Project Management.” They’re not discussing project management practices; they’re discussing software development.

As to your epiphany … I’ve been ranting about this since about 1986 …

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by Floost http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Floost Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:21:51 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-49 I really like your blog and i respect your work. I'll be a frequent visitor. I really like your blog and i respect your work. I’ll be a frequent visitor.

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by ultra surf http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-48 ultra surf Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:47:11 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-48 Great article, lots of intersting things to digest. Very informative Great article, lots of intersting things to digest. Very informative

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by babafisa http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-47 babafisa Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:03:53 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-47 Thank you for this valuable post. It changed my way Thank you for this valuable post. It changed my way

]]> Comment on Project Manager, Technical Lead or Both by Mackeran http://www.budcookson.com/posts/2009/07/project-manager-technical-lead-or-both/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Mackeran Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:58:14 +0000 http://bud.ridgelinemanagement.com/?p=41#comment-46 I liked it. So much useful material. I read with great interest. I liked it. So much useful material. I read with great interest.

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