David on Project management

“In many ways, project management is similar to functional or traditional management. The project manager, however, may have to accomplish his ends through the efforts of individuals who are paid and promoted by someone else in the chain of command. The pacing factor in acquiring a new plant, in building a bridge, or in developing a new product is often not technology, but management. The technology to accomplish an ad hoc project may be in hand but cannot be put to proper use because the approach to the management is inadequate and unrealistic. Too often this failure can be attributed to an attempt to fit the project to an existing management organization, rather than molding the management to fit the needs of the project. The project manager, therefore, is somewhat of a maverick in the business world. No set pattern exists by which he can operate. His philosophy of management may depart radically from traditional theory.”

“Project engineering is the business of building plants — from the preliminary study through the design, procurement, erection and trial operation. It is a problem in management and a business in itself, with its own procedures and its own opportunities for blunder and oversight by the inexperienced... Medium and small size process industry firms almost always, and the all largest sometimes, find it necessary and profitable to engage the service of outside engineers to help with their projects. Project management is the very business of the consulting and engineering company just as the manufacture and sale of certain products is the very business of the process industry firm. The consulting and engineering company is constantly engaged in project management on a variety of jobs and is constantly studying and striving to improve its methods; it is but natural that they bring to the project experience, ability and facilities not possessed by the process industry firm. To the latter, the project is an activity incidental to their main goals. Project management is not part of their main business, and they cannot afford to divert their time and attention from their chief responsibilities, where they are efficient, to the specialized job of project management, where they are likely to be inefficient.”