The document discusses the skills needed for effective IT project managers. It provides data from the CHAOS study showing improvements in successful project completion between 1995 and 2003. It then lists the key functions of an IT project manager and the skills required for each function, such as communication, budgeting, risk management, and technical writing. The document emphasizes that strong leadership requires skills like communication, relationship building, and strategy creation, as well as personal characteristics like vision, integrity, and inspiration.

1. SKILL SETS FOR IT PROJECT
MANAGERS
Presentation
by
Prof.M.S.S.Varadan
Chairman
Om Consultants (India) Pvt. Ltd.
C O N S U L T A N T S
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2. ‘CHAOS’ STUDY FINDINGS
‘CHAOS’ Group Study Results
1995 2003
Successful IT Projects 16.2% 34%
Average time overruns 222% 82%
Average Cost overruns 185% 43%
Delivery of required features 61% 52%
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3. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Recruit and manage Personnel Management,
the project team by Relationship Management,
creating an Leadership, Training,
environment conducive Oral and Written
to the delivery of the Communication, Mentoring,
new application in the Teamwork, staffing
most cost-effective
manner
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4. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Facilitate effective Written and Oral
communication Communication, Effective
between customer, Listening, Strategic
management, project Planning, Conflict
sponsors, and the Management, Teamwork,
project team. Business Writing
Create and manage Finance and Accounting,
project budget and Personnel Management,
perform cost estimation Estimate and Mathematics
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5. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Negotiate, create, and Problem Solving,
maintain project charter, Persuasion, Decision
project recruitments, Making, Forward Thinking,
and project plan by Vision, Organizational
establishing its format, Alignment, Big Picture
direction, and base lines View, Sales / Marketing,
that allow for any Technical Writing, System
variance measurements and Business Analysis,
and change control Manage Uncertainty
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6. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Manage the technology Oral and Written
people, and change with Communication,
regards to schedule, Motivation, Positive
staffing, budgeting, and Attitude, Flexibility,
equipment Influence, Teamwork
Oversee the Technical Project
implementation of standard Management Knowledge,
project management Organization,
practices throughout the Organizational Alignment
project lifetime
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7. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Track project metrics and Organization, Metrics
changes in the appropriate Tracking
repositories
Provide continued project Discipline, Problem
tracking and ensure Solving
acceptable work products
from the project team
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8. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Develop appropriate risk Forward Thinking, Risk
management tactics, Management, Problem
contingency plans, and Solving, Intuition, Change
problem management Management, Ability
Manage Uncertainty
Attend project and Oral Communication,
management meetings Leadership, Meeting Skills
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9. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Prepares appropriate Relationship Management,
project management Written Communication,
reports and powerful Technical Writing, Business
project presentations to Writing
convey project progress
Project management Technical foundation
software tool expertise
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10. PROJECT MANAGER SKILL SET
Functions Skills
Partner with the end users, Business and Politics,
work with project sponsors Goal Setting, Problem
and other management to Solving, Teamwork
establish progress and
direction of the project by
achieving goals, reaching
targets, solving problems,
mitigating risks
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11. CRITICAL SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Of the following Most Strongest Needs
skills, which three do Critical Improvement
you feel are most
critical for IT
executives to be
effective leaders?
Which do you
consider to be your
strongest? Which do
you most need to
improve?
Communication 64.5% 46.6% 31.4%
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12. CRITICAL SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Most Strongest Needs
Critical Improvement
Relationship 52.7% 44.1% 30.7%
Building
Strategy creation 41.7% 47.9% 23.9%
Recruiting 36.8% 29.5% 21.0%
competent people
Coaching and 36.0% 43.3% 27.7%
mentoring
Change 24.7% 24.3% 30.4%
Management
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13. CRITICAL SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Most Strongest Needs
Critical Improvement
Project 24.5% 36.9% 22.1%
management
Negotiating 15.7% 21.2% 50.6%
Adapted from CIO survey on effective leadership
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14. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Of the following Most Strongest Needs
personal Critical Improvement
characteristics, which
three do feel are most
critical for IT executives
to be effective leaders?
Which do you consider
to be your strongest?
Which do you most
need to improve?
Ability to inspire 64.2% 46.5% 37.5%
others
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15. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Most Strongest Needs
Critical Improvement
Ability to inspire 64.2% 46.5% 37.5%
others
Vision of the future 63.5% 51.7% 29.0%
Integrity 51.9% 55.6% 4.7%
Creativity and 31.6% 42.5% 32.2.%
innovation
Willingness to take 26.9% 26.3% 41.5%
risks
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16. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERS
Most Strongest Needs
Critical Improvement
Intelligence 21.2% 35.9% 9.0%
Self-Confidence 19.4% 21.6% 40.6%
Maturity 12.7% 14.7% 19.2%
Adapted from CIO survey on effective leadership
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