100 rules for NASA Project Managers
100 Rules for NASA Project Managers
These have been floating around the Internet for years, however they
are still powerful and worth reviewing often. While the list is long, I
believe that reading them is well worth your time. More information
about the list is presented at the end of this posting.
The Project Manager
Rule
#1: A project manager should visit everyone who is building anything
for his project at least once, should know all the managers on his
project (both government and contractor), and know the integration team
members. People like to know that the project manager is interested in
their work and the best proof is for the manager to visit them and see
first hand what they are doing.
Rule #2: A project manager must
know what motivates the project contractors (i.e., their award system,
their fiscal system, their policies, and their company culture).
Rule
#3: Management principles still are the same. It is just that the tools
have changed. You still find the right people to do the work and get
out of the way so they can do it.
Rule #4: Whoever you deal
with, deal fairly. Space is not a big playing field. You may be
surprised how often you have to work with the same people. Better they
respect you than carry a grudge.
Rule #5: Vicious, despicable,
or thoroughly disliked persons, gentlemen, and ladies can be project
managers. Lost souls, procrastinators, and wishy-washies cannot.
Rule
#6: A comfortable project manager is one waiting for his next
assignment or one on the verge of failure. Security is not normal to
project management.
Rule #7: One problem new managers face is
that everyone wants to solve their problems. Old managers were told by
senior managementâ