Project skills are essential tools and knowledge that enable us to fulfil roles efficiently and achieve successful outcomes in enterprise IT projects.
As we initiate various projects, understanding the specific skills each framework demands is crucial. The Waterfall model requires detailed planning and sequential execution, calling for strong organisational and analytical skills. This model benefits from clearly defined roles and a structured approach to task execution. In contrast, Agile demands adaptive planning, flexibility, and a rapid response to change. Skills such as effective communication, problem-solving, and collaborative teamwork are vital in this setting. The Hybrid model, which combines elements of both Waterfall and Agile, requires a versatile skill set that includes strategic thinking, adaptability, and the ability to balance structured planning with agility.
Table 14 below presents a comparative guide to the skills required across different roles in enterprise IT project delivery within the Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid models.
| Discipline | Waterfall | Scrum | SAFe | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme management | Programme Manager | Not defined under Scrum | Release Train Engineer | Programme Manager |
| Leadership, Strategic planning | - | Agile methodologies, Leadership | Strategic agility, Leadership | |
| Project management | Project Manager | Scrum Master | Scrum Master, Agile Project Manager | Project Manager |
| Project planning, Risk management | Facilitation, Agile practices | Facilitation, Agile practices | Project planning, Agile practices | |
| Project analysis | Project Analyst | Not defined under Scrum | Agile Analyst | Project Analyst |
| Data analysis, Reporting | - | Agile metrics, Data analysis | Data analysis, Agile reporting | |
| Scheduling | Master Scheduler | Scrum Master | Agile Release Train Engineer | Scheduler |
| Time management, Scheduling | Sprint planning, Coordination | Program increment planning, Coordination | Integrated scheduling, Agile coordination | |
| Project assurance | Project Assurance Manager | Product Owner | Product Owner, Agile Coach | QA Manager |
| Quality assurance, IT governance | Requirement prioritisation, Quality standards | Stakeholder engagement, Quality standards | Process improvement, Quality agility | |
| Risk management | Risk Manager | Scrum Master, Product Owner | Risk Manager, Agile Coach | Risk Manager |
| Risk assessment, Mitigation planning | Risk identification, Agile risk management | Risk agility, Mitigation strategies | Risk assessment, Agile mitigation | |
| Compliance management | Compliance Manager | Not defined under Scrum | Compliance Officer | Compliance Manager |
| Regulatory compliance, Audit management | - | SAFe compliance practices, Regulatory alignment | Compliance agility, Regulatory oversight | |
| Solution architecture | Solution Architect | Not defined under Scrum | Solution Architect | Solution Architect |
| Technical design, Architectural governance | - | Agile design principles, Solution evaluation | Technical design, Agile evaluation | |
| Business analysis | Business Analyst | Product Owner | Business Analyst | Business Analyst |
| Requirement gathering, Business process modelling | Backlog management, User stories | Agile requirements, User story mapping | Agile requirements, Process modelling | |
| Organisational change management | Change Manager | Scrum Master, Agile Coach | Lean-Agile Change Agent | Change Manager |
| Change strategies, Stakeholder engagement | Change facilitation, Agile culture | Change leadership, Agile adoption | Change leadership, Stakeholder agility | |
| Process analysis | Process Analyst | Not defined under Scrum | Process Analyst, Agile Coach | Process Analyst |
| Process mapping, Improvement initiatives | - | Agile process improvement, Efficiency | Process efficiency, Continuous improvement | |
| Data architecture | Data Architect | Not defined under Scrum | Agile Team Member (Data Architect) | Data Architect |
| Data modelling, Database design | - | Data analysis, Data governance | Data integration, Data lifecycle management | |
| Data analysis | Data Analyst | Not defined under Scrum | Data Analyst | Data Analyst |
| Data mining, Analysis techniques | - | Agile data analysis, Insights reporting | Data mining, Agile reporting | |
| User experience and User interface design | UX/UI Designer | Development Team Member (UX/UI Designer) | Agile Team Member (UX/UI Designer) | UX/UI Designer |
| User research, Interface design | Prototyping, User testing | User-centred design, Agile UX | User research, Agile user testing | |
| System architecture | System Architect | Development Team Member (System Architect) | Agile Team Member (System Architect) | System Architect |
| System design, Integration oversight | Design specifications | User-centered design | Technical design, Architectural governance | |
| System design | System Designer | Development Team Member (System Designer) | Agile Team Member (System Designer) | System Designer |
| Design specifications, User interface design | Design thinking, Prototyping | Collaborative design, Rapid prototyping | User-centered design, Rapid prototyping | |
| System analysis | System Analyst | Development Team (System Analysis) | Agile Team Member (System Analysis) | System Analyst |
| System evaluation, Functional requirements analysis | Systems analysis, Integration oversight | Agile systems analysis, Integration oversight | Systems agility, Integrated requirements analysis | |
| System development | Developer, Software Engineer | Development Team Member | Agile Team Member (Developer) | Developer |
| Programming, System integration | Coding, Unit testing | Agile development practices, Continuous integration | Continuous integration, System integration | |
| Environment management | Environment Manager | Not defined under Scrum | Environment and Release Manager | Environment Manager |
| System configuration, Environment setup | - | Release management, Environment strategy | System setup, Agile environment strategy | |
| Release management | Release Manager | Scrum Master | Release Train Engineer, Release Manager | Release Manager |
| Release planning, Deployment | Sprint releases, Deployment facilitation | SAFe release strategy, Coordination | Integrated release planning, Agile deployment | |
| Test management | Test Manager | Development Team Member | Agile Team Member (Tester) | Tester |
| Test planning, Automated testing | Test automation, Quality assurance | Agile testing methods, Continuous testing | Automated testing, Continuous quality assurance | |
| Implementation management | Implementation Manager | Scrum Master | Release Manager, Scrum Master | Implementation Manager |
| Deployment strategies, User training | Sprint review, Deployment planning | Agile deployment, Stakeholder coordination | Deployment planning, Agile coordination |
Project Skills Matrix
The Project Skills Matrix is a tool for aligning participants' skills with specific role requirements in enterprise IT projects. It orga project roles within disciplines in rows and displays a comprehensive range of skills across the columns, facilitating effective project management and accountability.
This matrix can be implemented in two forms:
- Project Skills Requirement Matrix: This planning tool assists project managers and HR teams in identifying essential skills and capabilities tailored to specific project needs. Defining the skill requirements for each role ensures that the right expertise is in place for successful project delivery.
- Project Skills Inventory Matrix: This matrix complements the requirements matrix by providing an inventory of the project team's current capabilities. It promotes transparency regarding available skills and identifies discrepancies with the initially defined skill requirements. By highlighting skill gaps, it facilitates the ongoing evaluation of participant performance. If these gaps pose a risk to project delivery, assessing team members' suitability for their roles may become necessary.
The practical application of these matrices in enterprise IT projects is illustrated in Table 15 below.
| Role | Leadership | Strategic Planning | Agile Practices | Risk Management | Technical Design | Data Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme Manager | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Scrum Master | N | N | Y | Y | N | N |
| Project Analyst | N | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Solution Architect | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
| Business Analyst | N | N | Y | N | N | Y |
The following case study explores the key roles and the skills needed for successful enterprise IT project delivery, utilising the Project Skills Matrix.
Navigating the Capability Turbulence
Background
SkyReach Airways, a large international airline, embarks on the SkySync project to implement a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that unifies its communication and data-sharing platforms. The project aims to enhance collaboration across Marketing, Customer Service, Operations, and IT departments while streamlining operations to improve customer service and efficiency. Successful implementation requires a diverse team of specialists.
Challenges
Past projects at SkyReach Airways fail due to unqualified participants in specialist roles. For instance, a Business Operations Manager appointed as a Programme Manager excels in overseeing departmental operations but lacks essential knowledge and experience in programme management frameworks, standards, and best practices. They are also unfamiliar with cross-functional coordination and managing people in a fast-paced, time-critical project environment. Additionally, a tech-savvy Business SME transitions from business operations to an enterprise IT project as a Business Analyst. Having previously created unsupported CRM tools to streamline processes, they now find themselves in a role that demands core business analysis competencies rather than just expertise in system usage, without essential qualifications, such as training in business analysis methodologies or knowledge of requirements-gathering techniques, misalignments in roles and responsibilities arise, hindering project success.
The Project Skills Matrix
To tackle these challenges, the SkySync project team utilises the Project Skills Matrix, ensuring qualified individuals fill roles requiring the appropriate skills. This matrix serves three key purposes:
1. Identify critical skills for the project: As an enterprise IT initiative, SkySync requires a diverse range of expertise, including business analysts, data architects, cloud engineers, and customer insights specialists. The matrix identifies all the roles and the necessary skills to ensure success in global data integration, multi-channel customer engagement, and system scalability.
2. Recruit team members that closely match project needs: SkyReach’s recruitment strategy, based on the matrix, focuses on finding participants with the core competencies, technical skills, and soft skills necessary to excel in their roles. For instance, a Data Architect is responsible for designing information systems that handle vast volumes of data from multiple countries and languages. This role requires qualifications like the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) certification. The Data Architect must also have technical skills such as proficiency in database design and data integration tools. Soft skills, including effective communication and teamwork, are essential for successful collaboration with cross-functional teams.
3. Evaluate each team member's performance: The Project Skills Matrix identifies the necessary skills for each role, serving as a foundation for hiring. Its use extends to assessing whether those hired demonstrate the required skills based on their performance. For example, a production support individual who has performed data cleaning initiatives may overstate their knowledge and experience during the hiring process. Now, they struggle to meet expectations in the specialist Data Architect role, revealing a gap between their claimed expertise and the competencies needed for project success.
Conclusion
This case study highlights the importance of using a Project Skills Matrix to ensure that people with the right skills fill critical roles in enterprise IT projects. By addressing the challenges of unqualified participants, SkyReach Airways enhances its ability to implement the SkySync project successfully, ultimately improving its services worldwide.
