As engineers (and project managers), we’re naturally attracted to the practical use – and conveyance – of good information. Systems that take complicated or disparate information and “promote” it into knowledge and wisdom are, well, it sounds goofy, but they’re beautiful things. There’s actually a whole science dedicated to the advancement of data to wisdom – see this link on the Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom pyramid. That’s why we like a book like “The Back of the Napkin“, by Dan Roam. He has a knack for taking an idea and illustrating it – and if you read the book he can show you how to do that yourself.
Microsoft Project and some of its add-in programs have this same effect on us. If software can take a 500-component Work Breakdown Structure and generate a chart that shows us when resources will be short – we like that. Alot.
So it’s no wonder that we had a sense of wonder when we came across a site called informationisbeautiful.net . And we liked it even more when it featured several images – or rather diagrams – on “climate”. We of course want to direct you to those but we also encourage you to spend a moment drifting though this site and gazing at the way in which they show how information can be presented in a form that is striking. And it’s not only visual – one of their more recent posting has a music box (complete with music) represented by the planets’ orbits around our sun. Creative, engaging stuff.
We’d like to direct your attention to one particular climate image regarding the skeptic and consensus view of climate change. We don’t want to steer you to either side, we just want to have you look at the way in which the information is presented – balanced, with the data in the center and the opinions on the appropriate “side” of the “argument”. Project managers can take a tip from this style of arbitration. Get the facts on the table. Put the information in perspective.
Now – we realize you won’t be able to read this tiny version of the chart, and that’s why we gave you this link to the image (click here).
We also provide you with a link to the main site (click here).
And, for completeness, the source of the consensus view (click here).
Green on the horizon
In the current issue of PM Network, PMI’s monthly magazine, page 30 starts a feature story called “On The Horizon – what lies ahead for the project management profession?”, by Sandra A. Swanson.
In the story, key project managers predict what will shape the future of the profession.
Three items are mentioned.
Guess what’ s listed first, in terms of shaping the future of Project Management?
Well, here’s a hint: the title is “Green Branches Out“, and it mentions “a greater sense of urgency to sustainability efforts”. Later in the same issue, in an article about China’s adopting and inventing new project managemet practices, “accountability on high” is featured – and in that section, there is mention of “embedding sustainability into project management“.
Everyone agrees, right?
Apparently not.
We direct you to this discussion at LinkedIn’s PMI Credentialed PMPs Group.
Here the entire idea as to whether PM needs to have anything to do with ‘green’ is called into question. And it is a valid question. We obviously have our opinion. But we’d like to have you jump in with yours so that it is a ‘spirited discussion’.
Please, drop into the discussion and let us know whether you see green on the horizon, or if we should see green on the horizon.
Thanks.