Creative Destruction
In our last post, we discussed an opportunity to conduct an assessment of Portfolio Management suites featured from the Gartner Magic Quadrant. This was from a user point of view. Although there were many customer interviews already conducted, there is always another side to the story.
Before we start that PM Suites discussion, I want to introduce an excellent speech I heard just this morning. The topic was compelling because it deals with right now, at this moment and the changes and troubles we “appear” to be facing. The speaker focused the attention on an Alan Greenspan book, “The Age of Turbulence.” Mr Greenspan talks about the single most significant event in our [meaning the world] history was the fall of the Great Wall. The Berlin Wall. The reason why this was so significant to Greenspan, to the speaker, to me and hopefully now to you, is the idea of “Creative Destruction.” This concept is a natural phenomenon, but was termed by Joseph Schumpeter. What was learned from the Great Wall falling was that the East was actually producing 35% of what the West was able to produce. They learned that while the West was advancing in technology, engineering and management, the East was very stagnant, producing at the same capacity for the same amount of time. This is significant and not natural.
Creative Destruction is the impetus to build better tools. It is change. It is constantly challenging and improving upon. It is innovation, industrial and everything about our world that brings us where we are today. It is also the center of a free market and capitalist economy. Central Planning, which is the term to define the East at that time, actually stifles creative destruction and does not allow for change. Any time you use “stifle” and “not” to describe something, it will not have a good outcome. In this case, it was proven and the impact profound.
With the innovative idea of re-allocating our resources to newer and more productive business, we can begin to understand behaviors and treat change a little than we have before. It is in our nature to change. It is in our nature to be change agents. As Project Managers, we manage the very projects that get us to the change. Projects, not portfolios, are the “real” change agents. They help us to reach value creation and value realization. This is not an easy process. Change also causes stress. This is why this speech was a great introduction to the “dynamic” portfolios that are part of that magic quadrant. They provide us the capabilities to realize our value, guide us through the change and help us with the stress.
The products we will be discussing are the following:
- CA
- Planview
- Primavera
- HP
Not too long ago, I would have included the ever popular MS Project. However, believe me, it did not make the Top 4. So we’ll venture out and explore unchartered territory!
If you have comments that you would like to provide or experiences you would like to share about these “dynamic portfolios,” I encourage you to share them. I will include them in my descriptions. In the meantime, if you are finding yourself stressed out about current events and the changes that “appear” to be around you, turn off your television. Events far great than these decorate our landscape and we have survived them all. With great passion we will be successful through these times as well.
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Comments
[...] There is no question that project management offices, with all their bureaucracies, come with a larger up front price tag. However, this ‘formality’ can be attrative because they can provide those predictable outcomes that executives love so much! Holding people accountable, enhanced communication and ultimately more success can make them start drooling! All company culture is the same, as long as there are people working for them. People are naturally resistant to change, but it also stimulates growth. Break it and they will come! This is another form of “creative destruction” (see our previous post). [...]
What a good summary! I could not have said it better myself.