The Competencies and Characteristics Required of an Effective Project Manager: A Web-Based Delphi Study

Abstract

In this study, we explore the competencies required for a project manager to be effective in the workplace. We used a Web-based Delphi method to lead experienced project managers through an anonymous consensus-building process consisting of two rounds of surveys. The Round I analysis of 147 respondents, all with 20 or more years of project management experience, yielded 117 project management success factors, 78 of which were identified as trainable competencies. The Round II analysis confirmed 42 of the 78 competencies (53.8%) as very important to extremely important to project manager success. Important contributions of this study include: (a) reporting on project manager competencies that can inform the literature and guide the development of educational programs for instructional designers and other professionals, and (b) demonstrating the Web-based Delphi technique to be an efficient methodology for conducting a front-end analysis, a core process of instructional design (ID) work.Keywords: project management, instructional design, front-end analysis, Delphi technique Institutions of higher education are striving increasingly to implement innovative programs that address the real-world needs of contemporary workers (Klein, 1999). Further, colleges and universities face growing competition from other educational enterprises, commercial and nonprofit, that target working adults (Graves, 1997). The informed and systematic development of new programs is vital to attracting and satisfying today's adult learners,

Project manager insights: An analysis of career progression

“…Seeking to further refine and identify required project manager competencies and characteristics, researchers noted a need for an informed and systematic approach to project manager education in universities (Brill, Bishop, & Walker, 2006). Considering the future of education, Lee-Kelley and Blackman found the need for "stretching learning" to include both on-the-job training and academic education to develop project managers who can challenge the status quo and evaluate new frameworks (2012).…”

“…They also noted that project managers should have: (a) personal attributes, (b) communication skills, (c) leadership ability, (d) negotiations skills, (e) professionalism, (f) social skills, and (g) project management competencies (Skulmoski & Hartman, 2010). Finally, Brill et al (2006) noted that project management requires a lot more than how to define scope and reach deadlines but also involved problem solving and leadership as the two most important competencies among project manager competencies.…”

Applying an Integrated Systems Perspective to the Management of Engineering Projects

“…Effective project leadership is pivotal to project performance (Turner & Muller, 2005) and the project manager will need to have the required skills, competencies, understanding and experience of the project environment to be successful (Brill, Bishop, & Walker, 2006). An appreciation of the technical aspects of the project is required but this needs to be augmented by appropriate soft skills.…”

Using Delphi Panels to Assess Soft Skill Competencies in Entry Level Managers

“…Gordon (2007) reported the use of a global Delphi panel of experts who predicted energy forecasts using the roundless method for collecting panel responses. Brill, Bishop, and Walker (2006) used a similar approach when they determined the competencies of a project manager. The web-based method was evaluated as a very efficient method for conducting Delphi panel research (Brill, Bishop, & Walker, 2006).…”

“…Brill, Bishop, and Walker (2006) used a similar approach when they determined the competencies of a project manager. The web-based method was evaluated as a very efficient method for conducting Delphi panel research (Brill, Bishop, & Walker, 2006).…”