Understanding the technical aspects
So, when you think of the project manager role as a non-technical supporter rather than a technical boss, it’s clear that we don’t expect a project manager to plan and control the project alone, because they can’t know enough about the project to do so. Therefore, instead of doing those things by themselves, we expect them to facilitate team members to create well-formed plans and come up with proper responses to deviations when needed. That’s proper project management.
Should project managers have technical knowledge?
We can think of three responses to this:
- Yes, project managers should have technical knowledge.
- Project managers don’t have to have technical knowledge, but it may help if they do.
- No, it’s not necessary, and in fact it’s even better if they don’t have technical knowledge.
The first response is an old-fashioned way of thinking that causes many problems. The second one is a relatively modern, yet slightly conservative way of thinking, compatible with what I explained before, and I believe we can say that PMI believes in it as well. The last one is a progressive idea that many people would find difficult to accept, but that I’m in favor of.
Imagine you’re managing a project and you don’t know anything about its technical aspects. The only thing you can do is to help the technical people do their best by focusing on facilitation, coordination, etc. If there’s a complicated technical decision and you’re not sure about the opinion of the team members, you can always consult one or a few external experts, and it should be fine.
However, imaging managing a project in an area in which you’re also a technical expert. If you’re like most human beings, you won’t be able to stay quiet when you see the team members doing something imperfectly, and you’ll get yourself involved in the technical aspects. In doing so, you’re not just another technical expert chipping in, but your position as a project manager may also give you an advantage, which can gradually turn you into one of those annoying project managers who micromanage everyone. That’s why the third option of choosing a project manager who doesn’t have technical knowledge can be preferable.