the fundamental laws of project management - asqf · 2020-01-22 · first law of project management...

Dr. Anne Kramer, sepp.med gmbh

The fundamental laws of project managementThe fundamental laws of project managementThe fundamental laws of project managementThe fundamental laws of project management

Über unsÜber unsÜber unsÜber uns

■ Unsere Referenzen aus mehr als 30 Jahren Erfahrung im Industriebereich

■ Medizintechnik

■ Pharmazie

PM-Day 2012 Dr. A. Kramer

■ Pharmazie

■ Automobile

■ Kompetenz: komplexe und sicherheitskritische Systeme

© sepp.med gmbh 209.10.2011

Main disciplines of physicsMain disciplines of physicsMain disciplines of physicsMain disciplines of physics

■ Classical mechanics■ Sir Issac Newton (1643-1727)


■ Electromagnetism■ James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)

■ Thermodynamics■ James Joule (1818-1889)

source: www.wikipedia.org


Core processes of SW developmentCore processes of SW developmentCore processes of SW developmentCore processes of SW development

■ Quality Management

■ Change Management


■ Configuration Management

■ Project Management


Core processes of SW developmentCore processes of SW developmentCore processes of SW developmentCore processes of SW development

■ Quality Management

■ Change Management


■ Configuration Management

■ Project ManagementProject ManagementProject ManagementProject Management


AgendaAgendaAgendaAgenda

■ Fundamental laws of thermodynamics mapped on project management■ 1. law■ 2. law■ 3. law


■ 3. law■ 0. law

■ Further analogy

■ Conclusion


First law of thermodynamicsFirst law of thermodynamicsFirst law of thermodynamicsFirst law of thermodynamics

■ Conservation of energy

■ Add heat to a system=> increase internal energy plus work done on surrounding


■ steam cooker ■ mainly increased internal energy

■ steam engine ■ mainly work done



First law of project management (I)First law of project management (I)First law of project management (I)First law of project management (I)

■ Add “heat” to increase work performed by a team�� increase pressure�� control more closely☺☺☺☺ motivate


■ Gallup survey■ good managers are champions in motivation■ they motivate individually

source: “First, break all the rules: what the world’s greatest manager do differently”, Buckingham and Coffman, The Gallup Organization, Simon and Schuster, New York 1999


First law of project management (II)First law of project management (II)First law of project management (II)First law of project management (II)

■ adding “heat” does not necessarily increase work■ could be “internal energy”

■ time pressure, overdue working hours■ increases friction between team members


■ increases friction between team members� people get sensitive� start finger pointing

■ main task of a project manager■ avoid undesirable side effects of stress


So nicht !So nicht !So nicht !So nicht !

Das dauert mindestens sechs Monate.

Das Produkt verkaufen wir in drei Monaten auf der Messe!

PM-Day 2012 Dr. A. Kramer © sepp.med gmbh 1009.10.2011

Wir haben keinerlei Erfahrung mit Wollmilchsäuen.

First law of project management (III)First law of project management (III)First law of project management (III)First law of project management (III)

■ Project managers should not code…■ …nor write product documentation

■ If they do “work” they can no longer add “heat”.


■ If they do “work” they can no longer add “heat”.■ loss of “bird’s perspective”=> difficult to steer in right direction

© sepp.med gmbh 1109.10.2011

Second law of thermodynamicsSecond law of thermodynamicsSecond law of thermodynamicsSecond law of thermodynamics

■ Entropy never decreases■ Things do not break spontaneously apart.■ All systems tend to maximum entropy.


■ Best case is zero change in entropy■ isoentropic system■ only possible for isolated systems

© sepp.med gmbh 1209.10.2011

Second law of project management (I)Second law of project management (I)Second law of project management (I)Second law of project management (I)

■ Possible mapping ■ Low entropy = high level processes

■ Consequences■ Teams will not spontaneously become more efficient.


■ Teams will not spontaneously become more efficient.■ Processes that are not controlled will be neglected.■ Best we can expect without project management is no

deterioration.=> only for isolated systems

© sepp.med gmbh 1309.10.2011

The interest of SOAThe interest of SOAThe interest of SOAThe interest of SOA

■ Isolated systems in SW development do not exist!■ customer, suppliers, end users, …■ directives from holding

■ Quasi-isolated system


■ Quasi-isolated system■ service-oriented business architecture

� definition of IT services� portfolio of a service provider = SOA platform� embedded in SOA lifecycle management

■ clear interfaces■ independent from IT applications or templates

© sepp.med gmbh 1409.10.2011

Third lawThird lawThird lawThird law

■ Thermodynamics■ It is impossible to reach zero temperature.

■ Project management


■ Project management■ There is no perfect process.

© sepp.med gmbh 1509.10.2011

Es gibt immer VerbesserungspotentialEs gibt immer VerbesserungspotentialEs gibt immer VerbesserungspotentialEs gibt immer Verbesserungspotential

Was soll ich hier?Hat er den Text

vorher gelesen?


Langsam hab‘ ich Hunger!

Wo bleibtbloß der

Chef?Was für eine

Geldverschwendung…

Zeroth lawZeroth lawZeroth lawZeroth law

■ Thermodynamics■ All systems tend to equilibrium.

� e.g. open fridge

■ Project management


■ Project management■ The team tends to equilibrium process maturity.

� e.g. freshmen and CMMI 5

© sepp.med gmbh 1709.10.2011

AgendaAgendaAgendaAgenda

■ Fundamental laws of thermodynamics mapped on project management■ 1. law■ 2. law■ 3. law


■ 3. law■ 0. law

■ Further analogyFurther analogyFurther analogyFurther analogy

■ Conclusion

© sepp.med gmbh 1809.10.2011

Paradigm changes in physics (I)Paradigm changes in physics (I)Paradigm changes in physics (I)Paradigm changes in physics (I)


■ Albert Einstein (1879-1955)■ theory of relativity


© sepp.med gmbh 1909.10.2011

Paradigm changes in physics (II)Paradigm changes in physics (II)Paradigm changes in physics (II)Paradigm changes in physics (II)

■ Classical mechanics=> Quantum mechanics

■ Electromagnetism=> Quantum electrodynamics


=> Quantum electrodynamics

■ Thermodynamics=> unchangedunchangedunchangedunchanged

© sepp.med gmbh 2009.10.2011

Paradigm changes in SW developmentParadigm changes in SW developmentParadigm changes in SW developmentParadigm changes in SW development

■ From classical processes■ waterfall model, V-model

■ to iterative processes■ RUP


■ RUP■ agile

■ Consequences for project management=> unchangedunchangedunchangedunchanged

© sepp.med gmbh 2109.10.2011

So nicht !So nicht !So nicht !So nicht !

Du machst das alles gaaanz alles gaaanz alles gaaanz alles gaaanz toll.


Weiß er überhaupt, was ich mache?

So auch nicht !So auch nicht !So auch nicht !So auch nicht !


Kommunikatives DreieckKommunikatives DreieckKommunikatives DreieckKommunikatives Dreieck


ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion

■ Project management is■ coordination■ planning and controlling■ motivating people


■ A project manager needs■ tools and methods■ soft skills

� communication� experience� organizational skills

© sepp.med gmbh 2509.10.2011

ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion

■ Project management is■ coordination■ planning and controlling■ motivating peoplemotivating peoplemotivating peoplemotivating people


■ A project manager needs■ tools and methods■ soft skillssoft skillssoft skillssoft skills

� communication� experience� organizational skills

© sepp.med gmbh 2609.10.2011

Thou shall

not code!

© sepp.med gmbh 2709.10.2011

[email protected] sepp.med gmbh

Gewerbering 991341 Röttenbach+49 (0)9195/931-0

Discussion!Discussion!Discussion!Discussion!

the fundamental laws of project management - asqf · 2020-01-22 · first law of project management...

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