Doing Project Management Ironically

AbstractThe central claim of this paper is that contemporary project management is practiced within the constraint of a single archetype, that of the ‘scientific’ project manager, and identification with that archetype has been a limiting factor in the development of project management as a sophisticated human practice. This paper argues for the inclusion of alternative disciplines within the over-all project management framework, and suggests philosophical hermeneutics as one such approach. Richard Rorty's particular pragmatic variation of the philosophic hermeneutic, which he calls ‘ironism’, is offered as the most suitable with which to support the practice of project management. Rorty's ironism is found to be mirrored in the everyday activities of project managers in the field via a series of phenomenological interviews. Through their own voices, project managers demonstrate that much of what they practice could already be considered ‘ironic’, yet are unable to articulate this aspect of their practice within existing, formal project management methodology. The result of this is significant disruption to the meaning project managers are able to derive from their work, and the results they are able to achieve. In advocating ironism, this paper does not seek to replace the corpus of formal project management theory, but rather to highlight its shortcomings and in so doing contributes to the expansion of the methods at the project manager's disposal

An existential hermeneutic philosophical approach to project management

The philosophies of Martin Heidegger and Richard Rorty are used to redescribe the fundamental assumptions underpinning project management. Rather than viewing project management as merely a science, the significance and value of philosophy for project management are developed. The philosophical practice of redescription as a way of responding to existential disruptions of the lived experience of managing projects is seen as vital not only to being a project manager but to describing project management

The wisdom of conversations: Existential Hermeneutic Phenomenology (EHP) for project managers

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd, APM and IPMA This paper introduces Existential Hermeneutic Phenomenology (EHP) as an approach to reflecting on and studying the lived experience of project management practice. We argue that an EHP way of being is an effective approach for any practitioner confronted by significant existential disruptions to their practice. We develop our proposition of ‘the wisdom of conversations’ as an EHP enabled way for project managers' practical coping with otherwise potentially inhibiting existential disruptions. We understand EHP as a holistic philosophical practice which: 1. allows making the ‘lived experience’ of project management practice explicit for reflection, and 2. is available and useful to practitioners in the field. Heidegger provides the theoretical base through a language of existential categories, which are dimensions of being-in-the-world. Gendlin offers a practical method for accessing the states of being that Heidegger describes. Rorty offers promise, the ability to disclose new possibilities or ways of being-in-the-world through irony and practices of re-description

The principles and practical application of helicopter inverse simulation

Inverse simulation is a technique whereby the control actions required for a modelled vehicle to fly a specified manoeuvre can be established. In this paper the general concepts of inverse simulation are introduced, and an algorithm designed specifically to achieve inverse simulation of a single main and tail rotor helicopter is presented. An important element of an inverse simulation is the design of the input functions i.e. manoeuvre definitions, and the methods used are also detailed. A helicopter mathematical model is also discussed along with the validation and verification of the inverse simulation. Finally, the applicability of the method is demonstrated by illustration of its use in two flight dynamics studies

The use of open data as a material for learning

Open data has potential value as a material for use in learning activities. However, approaches to harnessing this are not well understood or in mainstream use in education. In this research, early adopters from a diverse range of educational projects and teaching settings were interviewed to explore their rationale for using open data in teaching, how suitable activity designs could be achieved, and the practical challenges of using open data. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns and relationships in these open data-based practices that have already emerged. A document analysis of teaching materials and other related artefacts was used to augment and validate the findings. Drawing on this, common approaches and issues are identified, and a conceptual framework to support greater use of open data by educators is described. This paper also highlights where existing concepts in education and educational technology research, including inquiry-based learning, authenticity, motivation, dialogue, and personalisation can help us to understand the value and challenges of using open data in education

Crystallization effects of carbon nanotubes in polyamide 12

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) are a nanofiller that has desirable multifunctional properties. They have been shown to offer improved mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties in composites. Research has been studying their incorporation into polymer composites. Polyamide 12 is a polyamide of interest that has been manufactured to have lower moisture absorption and higher ductility than other commercial polyamides such as 6 and 6,6 at room temperature. In these studies, MWNTs have been incorporated into polyamide 12 at different weight loadings and using MWNTs with differing outer diameters. The composites were melt processed and characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to understand the effects of MWNTs on the crystallization behavior of polyamide 12. A melt peak splitting behavior was observed in the polyamide 12 and composite samples when the specimens were not allowed to fully anneal. Total crystallinity in the samples remained the same between the polyamide 12 and composites when the samples were fully annealed. Total crystallinity increased by 1 to 4 percent in the composites over the polyamide 12 when samples were not fully annealed. The addition of MWNTs to the polyamide 12 system increased the amount of crystallization contained in the lower temperature melting peak. An increase in MWNT concentration resulted in an increase in the crystallinity contained in the lower temperature peak. The addition of smaller diameter MWNTs resulted in a further increase in the lower temperature peak when the outer diameter was below a critical size.M.S.Committee Chair: Shofner, Meisha; Committee Member: Bucknall, David; Committee Member: Thio, Yonatha

From the iron triangle to the hermeneutic circle: redescribing IT project management competency

Thesis by publication.Bibliography: pages 236-246.Par I . The problem of project management. Chapter 1. Introduction ; Chapter 2. A practice in crisis ; Chapter 3. A genealogy of project management ; Chap[ter 4. Opening the space of project management : the hermeneutic phenomenological interview ; Chapter 5. The philosophy of ironism -- Part II. A virtuoso competency framework for project management practice. Chapter 6. Attending to project management practice ; Chapter 7. Redescribing project management ; Chapter 8. 'Being-in' project management practice ; Chapter 9. Conclusion : making project management relevant.The central claim of this dissertation is that contemporary IT project management is largely practised within the constraint of a dominant discipline, that of the 'scientific' project manager, for whom projects are defined in terms of the 'iron triangle' of time, cost and performance. It argues that identification with that archetype has been a limiting factor in the development of project management as a sophisticated human practice.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xx, 246 pages

Opening up the space of project management

Edmund Husserl maintains that phenomenological thinking does not begin with the theoretical roof but with the foundations of immediate and concrete experience. Martin Heidegger claims that to begin with immediate experience is to think in moments of disruption or disturbance of the everyday. Using these positions as a starting point, this paper argues for a phenomenologically-based approach to project management that addresses the immediate and concrete experience of project managers. In doing so it attempts to address an over-emphasis on the universalised and abstracted modes of theorising that currently dominate project management practice. Eugene Gendlin's psychotherapeutic technique of 'focusing' provides a practical example of the phenomenological approach in action through a critical dialogue between researcher and practitioner, the co-authors of this paper. This paper argues that the insight derived from such an approach can do far more for a project manager in terms of their relationship to their work, the meaning they derive from it, and their effectivess in the role, than a dedicated adherence to the strictures of traditional project management practice.28 page(s

Opening the space of the project manager : a phenomenological approach

Edmund Husserl maintains that phenomenological thinking does not begin with the theoretical roof but with the foundations of immediate and concrete experience. Martin Heidegger claims that to begin with immediate experience is to think in moments of disruption or disturbance of the everyday. Using these positions as a starting point, this paper argues for a phenomenological approach to project management that explores the immediate and concrete experience of project managers. In doing so it attempts to address on over-emphasis on the universalised and abstracted modes of theorising that currently dominate project management practice. Eugene Gendlin's psycho-therapeutic technique of "focusing" provides a practical example of the phenomenological approach in action through a critical dialogue between researcher and practitioner, the co-authors of this paper. This paper argues that the insight derived from such an approach can do far more for a project manager in terms of their relationship to their work, the meaning they derive from it,. and their effectiveness in the role, than a dedicated adherence to the strictures of traditional project management practice.18 page(s