- Project Manager Certification
First, we developed a project manager certification program. Each new project manager (PM) was required to demonstrate his or her qualifications, skills, training and experience, and answer a series of questions from the senior board members during a formal certification process. Using a scale of one (lowest) to six (highest), project managers were assigned levels of proficiency in various practice areas. Projects were evaluated on this same scale, taking into account the size, complexity, and risk of each project.
Part of Oracle Consulting's quality and governance system involves the monthly reporting on the mismatches between project complexity level and the PM certification level. When there is a mismatch, these 'exception projects' receive more attention from both our NAPMO and regional management teams so additional support is available to make the project and project manager successful.
- Project Manager Training and Development
We then mapped new training and professional development curriculum to each level of the PM certification program. Containing both internal training offerings from Oracle University as well as external classes available from industry providers, the curriculum addresses many of the issues the modern project manager faces on the job.
These issues may include 'soft' skills like negotiating and managing difficult people in the workplace. The group also developed a new class to provide for the increasing use and complexity of managing offshore project elements and was taught by one instructor from our India operation and one from our US-based team.
But classes were also developed to enhance core project management skills. A new project lifecycle (PLC) class was created as a prerequisite for level 3 project managers and focuses on standard operating procedures, emphasizing ongoing business role-playing to immerse the PMs in real-life scenarios. Role play was also a part of the project management masters class (PMM)—a requirement for level 5 and 6 project manager certification—that focused on the Oracle Program Management Method and the techniques necessary for building trusted relationships with our clients. The NAPMO worked with the Project Management Institute (PMI) to gain accreditation for these classes.
- Project Manager Community
Another critical aspect of the growth of organizational maturity depended on the development of collaborative sharing of information among Oracle's PM practitioners. Oracle Consulting created a professional community to facilitate this collaboration. This community uses a number of technologies and communication channels to make sure all of our project managers get the information they need about ongoing projects. Monthly webcasts focus on topics of interest to the overall project management community. A public email distribution list facilitates communication among members. The NAPMO website features information on programs, methods and best practices for all to use. And a quarterly newsletter bundles the best of all of this content into a single source for our PMs.
- Project Manager Tools
Creating new project management tools was a critical part of increasing the productivity of Oracle Consulting's PMs. The team developed and rolled out a Financial Workbench (FWB) tool to meet this need. The FWB consolidates into a single document the multiple status, project, and financial reports for which each project manager is responsible this single document resides in a database. The team is actively rolling out another collaborative work environment that will supplement the tools available as part of Oracle's Global Methods and Tools team.
- Project Manager Recognition
Recognition of Oracle Consulting's best and brightest performers was the primary purpose for creating a project manager awards program. This program is in its third year and recognizes two project managers each quarter. A project manager of the year is selected from these eight quarterly winners. Business unit senior managers submit the quarterly nominations and the NAPMO uses well-defined and communicated criteria to select the winners. All of the eight winners receive automatic invitations to Oracle Consulting's annual recognition and awards meeting.
