6.4 SUMMARY

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The topic of project control illustrates the wide range of areas that include and benefit from an element of measurement. It is a fact that projects that are not controlled or not managed have a high probability of failure in terms of overrunning on cost and duration budgets. Control cannot function effectively if it depends upon gut feel. This is, in microcosm, the problem faced by all managers. The particular problem facing managers in the software engineering industry is that managing by gut feel or flying by the seat of your pants is the norm. This is one reason we have so many problems and they will not go away unless we do something about them.

The other thing to remember about project control is that it is already seen as a necessary piece of bureaucratic control by most engineers. This means that you can introduce things in this area, such as questionnaires, with a lot less controversy than in some other areas. If, however, you also spend some time talking to the engineers, involving them and getting them to help shape the bureaucracy they start to own it. People are generally more careful of things they own than they are of things they do not.

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