PROJECT MANAGEMENT: HISTORY & EVOLUTION

“History is not the past but a map of the past, drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveler” ~?Henry Glassie

THE HISTORY OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

“History” came from the Greek word “Historia” and initially meant inquiry, the act of seeking knowledge and the knowledge that results from the inquiry. In short, the term history has evolved from an ancient Greek verb that means “to know.” (7)

History is the story of who we are and where we come from, guiding where we are going (4). History never stays behind us. Instead, it unfolds how the events in the past made things the way they are today. With lessons from the past, we learn about ourselves and how we came to be and develop the skills and capabilities to correct our mistakes and create better versions for our communities and future generations (5).

Even if we look at our personal lives, we remember how our parents brought us up and which schools or colleges we were sent to. We analyzed our character, knowledge, strengths, weaknesses, situations, crises, and the evolution of prosperity and happiness. Similarly, we learn from it and strive to do our best as parents for our children and their children. By saying this, I do not mean we should be over-sensitive with our children and not give them their right to adventures and self-learning.

Some of the greatest inventions reflected learning from history. For instance, Elisha Otis built his first elevators using springs; he had known about making carriages. Wilbur Wright figured out how to turn the airplane by thinking about how he rode a bicycle. Henry Ford said, “I invented nothing new; I simply assembled into the car the discoveries of other men behind whom were centuries of work” (6). Now, you will be surprised to hear that the famously used Gantt chart in project management today was developed by Henry Gantt between 1910 to 1915, yes, more than a century ago.

Project management has always been around without its modern jargon. It can be dated back thousands of years. Its tools, techniques, and applications can be traced back to the Egyptians who constructed the Great Pyramid of Giza roughly between 2550 and 2490 B.C (0). This suggests that maybe this makes the Project Manager the world’s oldest profession (10).

THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA (8)

Pyramids were built for religious purposes. The entire project needed to be completed before the death of the Pharoah to provide him with a final resting place and grand entrance into the afterlife (9). The Egyptians were one of the first civilizations to believe in an afterlife. They thought a second self, the ka, lived in every human being. The ka enjoyed eternal life when the physical body expired (12). The tombs are relics of Egypt's Old Kingdom era and were constructed 4,500 years ago. Egypt's pharaohs expected to become gods in the afterlife. To prepare for the next world, they erected temples to the gods and massive pyramid tombs filled with everything each ruler would need to guide and sustain himself in the next world (11).

The builders were skilled and lived in a nearby temporary city. It was a highly organized community with resources that a robust central authority must have backed. The ancient engineering achievements at Giza were so impressive that even today, scientists couldn't be sure how the pyramids were built. Yet they have learned much about the people who created them and the political power necessary to make it happen (11).??

The pyramid was the tallest building in the world. It remains the only one of the ancient world's seven wonders. Apart from simply inspiring, the Great Pyramid is a fascinating example of how people in the ancient world faced many of the same challenges project teams face today.?

Let’s look at this example from some of the modern project management knowledge areas:

·??????Giza pyramid project had a clear purpose, charter, and deadline to deliver the project before the Pharoah died.

·??????The project scope was clearly defined with change management. Site preparation, construction, and ramp removal were vital to the work breakdown structure (WBS).

·??????Project delivery timeline was 20 years. Careful sequencing and scheduling of activities kept the skilled workers busy around the year.??A continuous supply of stone was quarried and transported to keep work uninterrupted. Quarrying the massive granite blocks for the burial chamber roof was a critical path activity.

·??????Built by thousands of craftsmen and laborers, paid with food, clothes, and tax breaks. Egypt’s agrarian economy (pop 1.5 million) provided workers when the Nile flooded.

·??????Quality was paramount in site preparation, ensuring a firm and flat base. The Egyptians built with incredible accuracy and precision, even by today’s standards.

·??????No slaves were used. The workers were well looked after in purposedly built villages. They were treated well; they had excellent medical care and a rich meat diet in the middle classes.

·??????Top-down oral communications drove the hierarchical and quasi-military organization.

·??????Workforce risks were high with quantities of materials moved with simple equipment (boats, sleds, ropes, levers). Risks were monitored – chamber roof cracks were plastered to show new expansion.

·??????The project supply chain carried millions of tons of materials over thousands of kilometers. The supply chain had to work in lockstep with the project schedule. Every day 21 buffalo and 23 sheep were sent to feed the workers.

Imhotep was one of the earliest architects and engineers who managed the construction of the pyramid of Djoser approximately between 2630 – 2611 BC. He became the only documented citizen with divine status after death (15).

Some other great projects include the great wall of China, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Panama Canal, the Burj Khalifa Dubai Tower, the English Channel Tunnel, the Hoover Dam, the Aqueduct of Sevogia, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, and the Golden Gate Bridge. I have missed many great projects. If you want to learn, there are excellent resources and books written only on project management history and historical projects.

THE FOUR PERIODS OF MODERN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Before 1958

Project management originated from the chemical industry before World War II (13). During this era, Gantt charts by Henry Gantt were developed considering concepts such as industrial efficiency, the task and bonus system, and the social responsibility of business (15). In 1987, project management was clearly defined as a discipline in the Atlas missile program, especially in the Polaris project (13). The Hoover Dam, Interstate Highway, and Manhattan Project are important projects from these periods. The Manhattan Project exhibited organization, planning, and direction principles that influenced the development of standard project management practices.

1958 – 1979

Significant technological advancement occurred during this era (13). Modern project management is considered to start in 1958, characterized by the development of CPM and PERT methods (1). One advancement was the first plain-paper copier by Xerox. In the 1960s, the development of silicon chips and minicomputers influenced many industries (13). Another significant development during this time was using the work breakdown structure WBS. 1978 Toyota production system (TPS) – consistently recognized as lean or the Kanban method- became popular in mass automobile manufacturing industries (13). In 1965 International Project Management Association (IPMA) and the 1969 Project Management Institute (PMI) were launched.?

1980 – 1994

In this era, personal computers (PC) impacted many aspects of work and business, including project management. In the 1980s, project management programs were mainly based on the Projects Resource Organization Management Planning Technique II (PROMPT II) project management model, later refined into projects in controlled environments (PRINCE). The featured project in this period was the English-France channel project (1989-1991), Space Shuttle Challenger Project (1983-1986), and the XV Calgary Olympic Winter Games (1988).?

1995 – Present

In this era, technology continues to be the driving force for change and significantly impacts what project managers do. The internet made organizations more productive, efficient, and customer-oriented (13). In 1997, critical chain project management was introduced. In 1998, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recognized PMBOK as a standard. In 2001, the agile manifesto was written.?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1.?????Project Management has always been around and can be traced back thousands of years to the earliest human civilizations.?

2.?????Projects are successfully delivered when the purpose is clear and instilled in the project teams, along with the project governance support and influence directly from the project owner.?

3.?????Technological advancement is the key element that has evolved project management practices throughout the four periods of modern project management.?

“Operations keeps the lights on, strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward.”?~ Joy Gumz (14)

REFERENCES

0.?????Hive post “A Brief History of Project Management” by Michaela Rollings, Feb 2019 (https://hive.com/blog/history-of-project-management/)?

1.?????Management Library “The history of project management: Planning the 20th?Century”, Mar 2022 (https://managementhelp.org/history-of-project-management)?

2.?????The History of Project Management by Tom Seymour; International Journal of Management & Information Systems – Third Fourth 2014, Volume 18, Number 04 (https://www.academia.edu/62975413/The_History_Of_Project_Management)?

3.?????Mike Clayton channel (online PM courses), youtube channel

4.?????University of the people post “How is History Important and How Can It Benefit Your Future” n.d. (https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-history-important/)?

5.?????MOOC.org post “Why Is It Important to Study History” by MOOC Blog Team, Dec 2021 (https://www.mooc.org/blog/why-is-it-important-to-study-history)?

6.?????FEE Stories post “4 Lessons From History’s Greatest Inventors” by Adam Naor, n.d. (https://fee.org/articles/4-lessons-from-historys-greatest-inventors/)?

7.?????TIME post “This Is Where the Work “History” Comes From” by Katy Steinmetz, June 2017 (https://time.com/4824551/history-word-origins/)?

8.?????Discovery post “The Eight Faces Of The Great Pyramid of Giza” by Reuben Westmaas, Aug 2019 (https://www.discovery.com/exploration/Eight-Faces-Great-Pyramid-Giza)?

9.?????Foresights works post “Ancient Megaprojects: The Great Pyramid of Giza” by Madeleine Jones-Casey, Mar 2022 (https://foresight.works/the-great-pyramid-of-giza/)?

10.??PMI Atlanta post “How Would a PM Build the Great Pyramids of Giza?” by Mike Ososki, n.d. (https://pmiatlanta.org/announcements-test/810-how-would-a-pm-build-the-great-pyramids-of-giza-dinner-meeting-summary)?

11.??National Geographic post “Pyramids at Giza” by Brian Handwerk, n.d. (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/giza-pyramids)?

12.??US history.org post “Ancient Civilizations” n.d. (https://www.ushistory.org/civ/3e.asp)?

13.??Chapter 2 in “The Story of Managing Projects” by Carayannis, Kwak, and Anbari (editors), Quorum Books, 2003 (https://home.gwu.edu/~kwak/PM_History.pdf)?

14.??Togglblog post “50 Project Management Quotes to Inspire You Before Your Next Project” by Logan Derrick, Sep 2022 (https://toggl.com/blog/50-project-management-quotes)?

15.??Learning people post “Historical project managers”, Oct 2019 (https://www.learningpeople.com/uk/blog/project-management/historical-project-managers/)?