I rely on PM Tools and Techniques first, since success rate of Project is very much depended on the sound understanding and implementation of renowned and globally accepted standard tools and techniques. If the PM Tools and Techniques are powerful, standardized and apt for the project under consideration then it would aid a Project Manager of any level of experience to take similar effective decisions.
By
M NITIN SHENOY, PMP, IPMA-D, CEng MICE, Manager
| 03 31 2010 17:21:05 +0000
Project Management is mostly managing the uncertanities. But these uncertainities do have common/ standard traits. To understand the problem precisely is more important whish shall lead to the more correct solution. For this use of PM tools are more benifitiary rather than experience. Experience mostly comes handy to implement the solution to a problem. But experience used with correct PM tools is the best combination always
By
Rajesh Jujare, Freelancer, Freelancer
| 07 07 2009 15:54:02 +0000
It is like they are both sides of a coin.Experience obviously counts,in a project, in addition to that having good knowledge of PM Tools/ Techniques would make a person better understand and become more proliferate in achieving the things better.
By
Radha V, Project Lead, Confidential
| 05 15 2009 01:34:49 +0000
Since the debate is between PM Tools & techniques and mere experience, I wonder how anybody can even support the idea of mere experience undermining the usefulness of the tools. PM tools and techniques with the experience is any day better than just experience. Of course projects have been perfectly executed centuries back. We cannot say for sure that no tools and techniques were used. May be they did use WBS and network diagram, etc. But the bottom line is their resources and constraints were totally different, and probably they had no competition at all. In our times we are competing neck to neck. Resources are expensive. We need tools for efficiency and speed. To summarize if one has to choose between only experience and only tools and technique, I would choose experience. Since we have to choose between mere experience and tools and techniques with experience, I would definitely choose the latter.
By
Qazi Irfan Mustafa, CEO/Project Management Consultant, e-Centric Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd.
| 05 13 2009 12:55:50 +0000
A mix of both is required for a project to be on target, within budget and of desired quality. Project management tools are employed to keep a track and help in identifying if any of the parameters have a chance of missing the target at a very ealry stage, and hence help an experienced person in taking effective remedial measures. I think tools have an edge over experience as has been previously said, how do you execute new and unique projects? apart from this, how do you gauze the progress of project and efficiency of strategies used in execution of project in the absence of project management tools.
By
Mohammad Shariq, Planning Engineer, Al Shafar General Contracting LLC
| 05 13 2009 11:55:08 +0000
i think it mostly the tools and techniques as now a days there is a complete flow that the tool provides take redmine which is completely agile and supports all functions of project management
By
neeraj choudhary, Practice manager, CIC
| 05 13 2009 11:43:35 +0000
PM tools are the essential in present scenario, but experience should not be neglected or expressed as "mere". Application of PM tools will make the project a success, adding experience to it will take it beyond 100% assured success.
By
aditya ghare, Multimedia Designer & Developer, Final Edit
| 05 13 2009 11:13:12 +0000
I will go for PM tools & technique as day by day industrial environment is changing.We have to adapt according to that environment to overcome with intense competition.So for this Project Management tools & Technique are absolutely necessary for the oragnisation, as success rate of project is depend on this.
As Srinivas has said that Analytic ability and Reasoning " can take corrective actions and make necessary decisions" which can only be possible through Project Management tools & Technique .
By
Samir Das, Tech Architect, Infosys
| 05 13 2009 10:18:20 +0000
I m with you Dhanaraman ,you had given good example to understand the role PM tools & Technique.Every where experience will not help to achieve the goal,some tools & technique are required to fulfill the uniqueness of the project to complete it. What do you say guys?
By
Ajay Kashyap, Project Manager, Polaris Software
| 05 13 2009 09:50:31 +0000
I would support Srinivas ji completely because if you are carrying out the project then just having experience will not make your task easy as every project have different requirements for which the knowledge of PM tools will be more handy than having experience of a particular project which may not be of any help to you in this project.
What do you guys say?
By
Anjali Bhatia, Construction-Heavy, Sobha Developers
| 04 14 2009 05:28:37 +0000
I strongly oppose Mr., Raghu kastury.
1. Egyptian Pyramids
2. Paris Eiffel tower
3. Italian lening towers
4. Agra Tajmahal and many more completed at what cost?
Since projects are unique, The role of experience is zero compare with PM tools and technique.
By
Dhanaraman , Project Manager, CRN
| 04 04 2009 09:34:44 +0000
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In micro level execution, no software can help...its all about managing / simulating previous knowledge in similar situation.... that's what we call experience
By
R K Suman, Asst. Manager, Reliance Energy
| 09 16 2009 18:21:58 +0000
Even though I feel that the discussion between the two is not fair i.e. you need both, not one or the other! BUT for the sake of this debate, I support Experience over Tools and Techniques. Tools and Techniques are great ways for someone to judge/determine the "source" of the problem. But in most cases, problems are solved by experience and soft knowledge of who are the players, what their interests are, how to get people to do what will make the project successful. These can never be developed or captured by a tool. Experience is king! Also inexperienced PM's get lost between the all the data produced by the Tools and become "lakir ka fakir" ignoring the broad goals while getting lost in the minutia. Experience is the only thing that provides perspective on the larger goal/objective of project success so minor but annoying issues can be ignored, and the important ones brought into focus. Experience Rules!
By
Inder Monga, Chief Technologist, Energy Sciences Network
| 07 03 2009 16:44:35 +0000
let us bring a complete novice and give the best project management tools. Let us see if that person can just initiate a project. Need not go to the extent of completing it. It is the experience that calls for these tools or makes these tools more and more useful. Even at macro level, an expert PM and an experienced PM would continue with the project even if there were no PM tools. That is the expertise. It is not always possible to get all sophisticated tools to manage the project. And that too from day 1 and especially in some remote areas or underdevloped countries. How many projects that India completed successfully, be it construction projects, software development projects or any other scientific research projects with minimal PM tools simply because they are beyond the budget as well as not available or not sufficient skills to use them? It is good to have PM tools and capability to use them to run a project more comfortably.
By
Raghu Kastury, Principal Consultant & Head of Strategic Business Unit - Retail & Distribution, Sundaram Infotech Solutions Limited
| 06 03 2009 05:30:26 +0000
I agree with ranjan's statement that tools will be of less help if the individual is not able to visualise the effects of his planning.The base data comes with experience.Mere tols cannot supplement thew the experience.Ofcourse experience with absolute knowledge of thwe right project management tool is a welcome in project management team.
By
Mallaya Pandravada, GM-Project , GSSInfraTech Pvt Ltd
| 05 14 2009 06:49:27 +0000
Project Management is an unexplored skill which is sharpened on a day today basis which is an experience. Usage of Project Management tools is an art where the audience can visualize the efforts of the Prject Manager and the team
By
Chhaya Chandrasekhar, Program Manager, -
| 05 14 2009 06:48:32 +0000
Tools and techniques will only be of help when you know what to use and when. Nobody becomes a mechanic if he has all the tools. Project Management is a skill and not mere use of applications. A skill is being developed over experience. With more passing days, with more challenges, one slowly learns how to face the challenge and how to come out of it. Any crash course can not make anybody a good PM.
By
Anirban Bhattacharya, Software Architect, Novartis Healthcare Pvt Ltd
| 05 13 2009 15:06:15 +0000
I go with the experience in executing the projects, though I don't want to discourage the usage of PM Tools and Techniques. Tools and Techniques increase the chance of making a project successful. When executing the projects, it is not just the tools or techniques that help but also the soft skills in motivating people to perform better help to make it successful. With just tools and techniques, projects can be completed but their success ratio is doubtful. Let me put it this way - With mere experience projects can be executed and MAY NOT be true with PM tools and techniques. If you give a fresher (fresh from college) these tools and techniques - Can he successfully execute the project? The answer for this will be no. With experience, a person develops his own way of tools and techniques to start with and then the usage of tools and techniques make him a better project manager
By
Rama Pulivendla, Program Manager, Agnity Technologies
| 05 13 2009 12:57:45 +0000
In addition to what Raghu said, Exp is more important than tools. Exp can develop the tools and lead to evolve the tools. We cannot ignore the signifacance of tools, but exp is at top. In past PMs did not have all the latest tools, they managed well with simple excel sheet, spreadsheet, even with a pen and paper. So pen and paper were the only tools. In current scenario, Exp and Tools go hand in hand, but Exp has the upper side. To conclude, if a person does not have exp, he can make a blunder or will gain the exp, tools will be of less help. But if a person has exp and no tools, he will get the project done with some cost, and eventually succeed in project and will develop the tools for fools to follow.
By
Rajan Agarwal, Program Manager, Ebix
| 05 13 2009 12:08:06 +0000
Experience inthe project have more weightage when compared to the PM Tools and techniques.Experience gives the methodology of doing the activity.The more the experience the refined is the technology.A Tool is a tool.if the person using thew screw driver is not knowledgeable he will use it as rod instead of using to unscrew the screws.Tools and techniques cannot be the technician ofr theengineer utilizing them.
By
Mallaya Pandravada, GM-Project , GSSInfraTech Pvt Ltd
| 05 12 2009 11:53:47 +0000
I am supporting this idea because I beleive this has got major role. But in any management or leadership there is no "mere".
By
Vivek Singh, Project Manager, L&T
| 03 19 2009 12:54:16 +0000
To me experience counts than the tools as one should also have decent amount of experience to know how to use those tools effectively,, so one needs to have more experience than to know how to use the tools.
By
Gautam Kuriyan, Project Manager, HP
| 03 16 2009 12:32:48 +0000
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