This paper examines the longstanding debate over whether project management is best understood as a science — governed by systematic principles and predictable outcomes — or as an art requiring intuition, flexibility, and context-specific judgment. Drawing on key literature, including Greer's 14 Key Principles for PM Success and Berkun's The Art of Project Management, the paper argues that neither framing alone is sufficient. Through analysis of project types, success criteria, and the role of failure in organizational learning, the paper concludes that project management functions as both a science and an art, depending on the nature and complexity of the project at hand.
In recent years, the concept of project management has received a great deal of attention. Some argue that project management is a science, while others view it as an art form. The purpose of this discussion is to examine whether project management is sufficiently controllable according to good design principles that we should expect routine successes, or so inherently unpredictable and political that our expectations should be lowered. In other words, is project management a science or an art?
Project management is defined as "a systematic approach to managing projects. It's a way to generate consistent results when undertaking new initiatives and a powerful business tool that can transform an organization's ability to perform. Project management can be used throughout the organization to boost personal and collaborative productivity by building a standardized system that embeds best practices into the way projects are managed" (Labrosse, 2007, p. 25). Although this particular author describes project management as a systematic approach, he also describes it as an art form and a form of accountability. This definition is a prime example of why there is a constant debate concerning the nature of project management.
What is not debatable is the need that many organizations have for project management. For most organizations, project management is viewed as the only way a project can be completed properly. According to Michael Greer, there are 14 Key Principles for PM Success. These principles include: focusing on the three dimensions of project success — time, budget, and quality; planning; maintaining a sense of urgency; following a time-tested, proven project life cycle; providing detailed explanation of project activities; gradually building up deliverables; seeking approval by sponsors; meeting the needs of the client through deliverables; ensuring project managers have the time needed to complete the project correctly; ensuring project managers have the authority needed to carry out the project; requiring clients and other stakeholders to participate in the project; maintaining communication with the sponsor until the project is complete; acquiring the best workers to complete the project; and always having the capacity to establish priorities (Greer, 1999).
The author concedes that each of these steps should be followed if project management is to be successful. In this instance, project management can be viewed as a science because, if the proper steps are followed, a successful outcome will be the result.
On the other end of the spectrum, project management can also be viewed as an art. In this respect, it is seen as a process tailored to fit the needs of the particular project. When project management is viewed as an art form, it may not follow a systematic plan but instead borrow elements from a systematic plan to create the project management paradigm that is needed.
It could be argued that viewing project management as a science or an art depends upon the type of project to be completed. For instance, when a homebuilder has a contract to build a home identical to one previously built, the management of the project will be fairly predictable, and a systematic or scientific approach can be utilized. The builder knows what to expect, a plan can be followed, and a successful outcome is likely.
However, a systematic or scientific approach may not be as effective when managing a project in which numerous unpredictable issues can arise. For example, a firm contracted to create an advertising campaign for a company it has never worked with before — advertising a type of product it has never advertised — may not benefit much from a strictly systematic approach to project management. The firm would have to utilize project management as a kind of art form and design the project management schema in a manner that reflects the needs of the client. Utilizing project management as an art form is necessary for many different types of projects.
According to The Art of Project Management, project management is an art that requires a great deal of intuitiveness and special skill sets (Berkun, 2005). The project manager must understand both the steps that need to be taken and those that need to be avoided when attempting to complete a particular project. When the project manager possesses these skills, he or she will have the capacity to develop a project management schema consistent with what the project requires (Worthington, 2001). The art of project management, then, involves having the skills and the flexibility to manage a project that may encounter unique obstacles.
"How outcomes and failures inform organizational learning"
"Synthesis: project management as both science and art"
"Cited works and sources"
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