Localization project managers employed by software publishers or service providers play a pivotal role in the delivery of the end product. I would go as far as to say that the success of the product is totally dependent on the skill and expertise of the project manager. Given responsibility of such proportions, doesn't it make sense to invest in developing this all important resource?

Since the early 1990s, the localization process has evolved from a fairly simple process requiring basic management to a complex process involving multiple languages and several service providers, who are usually geographically dispersed. Successfully managing a localization project comprising diverse members of different cultures, each performing vital tasks within the process, as well as liaising effectively with the customer, demands multiple skill sets. These include being able to communicate and negotiate at a high level, managing several cross-functional teams simultaneously, managing budgetary and cost issues and motivating teams to deliver quality product on time and at a cost-efficient level of productivity. As a result of the growth of complex product localization, demand and supply for experienced, skilled localization project managers have not risen simultaneously, thereby creating a lack of expertise in a core competence that is vital to the localization process. Strangely enough, however, it appears that project management in localization has not, in fact, been formally recognized as a core competence. This is borne out to some extent by the result of the survey carried out during the LISA Forum in Washington on 5 June 1997.

Project management certification has been put forward as a means of nurturing a pool of localization project managers with a certain 'pedigree' or skill level. It is an attempt at a formal approach to qualifying project managers to meet the growth we are currently experiencing.

The advantages of project management certification are twofold: to the organization they offer marketing advantage, improved productivity, credibility with the customer, and cost-effectiveness, while for the individual they provide personal and professional recognition.

Certification of general project management skills already exists, and the question is - given that there appears to be a majority interest within the localization community in establishing this as a means to raising the profile of localization project managers - should we use what is already available and complement this by making a concerted effort to push for a localization-specific certification? Do we really need a specific localization certification, or do we take the time to examine closely the skills required of our localization project managers and decide that general certification is sufficient; that if they attain formal attestation of these general skill sets we should be well on the road to recognizing localization project management as a key core competence within our industry and garnering the advantages that would surely accompany this step?

The current certification process involves a combination of third-level education and experience in the field of project management, submission of a detailed application and written proof of competence and on-going training. Self-assessment and personal study programs are also available on-line to enable interested parties to prepare themselves for certification, and these can be tailored to the specific needs of the company concerned in a specific industry.

Localization-specific certification could include all those areas not dealt with in-depth in the existing certification process and which are deemed to be crucial to the success of localization project managers. These could include change management, budgetary control, resource management, contingency planning and virtual communications. Should there be majority consensus on this issue, it would take only weeks to drive and implement a plan to realize a certification model for localization project managers.

Assuming that the industry is ready and willing to acknowledge project management as a core competency and to support those wishing to go through the certification process, a natural follow-up would be the evaluation of the effectiveness of such a process. At the LISA Forum in June, I proposed a project management QA program which would measure, objectively and consistently, the performance of project managers. A metrics system would include key areas such as cost, effort, timeliness, resource management, quality, change management and communications management, and it would supply the quantifiable data necessary to meet this end. Among its many uses would be evaluation of the effectiveness of the certification program, evaluation of the individual project manager for review purposes and the tracking of projects.

So, how do we make sure that our project managers have the best possible chance of success when going for certification, whether general certification or localization-specific certification? Of course, the project manager should show his or her commitment to the program by taking advantage of the material available to assist in being successful - reference material, articles, etc. However, several crucial areas in which the localization project manager needs support have been identified, and there are courses currently under design to meet this need. Some of these courses have already been designed and piloted, and they have been extremely successful. Subject to minor adjustments, they will be available to the public within the next few months. These courses cover risk analysis, resource allocation and virtual team leadership.

I have my views, and I have been very vocal at times about the importance of project managers within the localization process. The outline above is the first step toward realizing a strong pool of qualified resources who should have a considerable impact on the industry as a whole. However, what does the industry feel about the proposals put forward? How important are they to them? Will they sign up to become actively involved in promoting the certification and PM QA Programs - or will they still on the fence and wait for 'something' to happen?

The LISA project manager certification survey was conducted after the presentation on project management certification on 5 June, with the aim of soliciting feedback on the subject from those attending. The respondents represent roughly 30% of LISA membership. A detailed analysis of the results of this type of survey, which was not a conventional survey, is not appropriate, but some of the results are such that we can draw some meaningful conclusions from the data.

Interestingly, the percentage completing this year's survey is very close to the membership percentage of those completing the LISA Industry Survey 1996. The results of this year's survey confirmed the concerns expressed then about the development of professional project managers within the industry. At that time, based on the service providers' remarks about profitability, analysts concluded that more productivity gains and cost savings could be made through better project management than through any other single factor.

The survey was divided into several areas covering background information, project management standards, certification and quality assurance/control. The figure below shows a summary of the results :

Figure 1: PM Survey Results

It should be noted that a very high proportion of respondents agreed that there is a need for project management certification (100% of software publishers, 75% of service providers) and that LISA should not only endorse the certification program, but also be instrumental in developing the PM QA program (almost equal numbers of both categories). But not all respondents were overly enthusiastic, as some of the comments show:

• 'My experience with certification is that it is usually a mere formality.'
• 'Certification would be the standard but difficult to control or enforce.'
• 'Too generic…'
• 'If the criteria are unrealistic people will lose confidence in certification.'

The data regarding the responsibilities of localization project managers raised some interesting questions, giving the impression that there considerable confusion surrounding this area, and that localization project managers may not always have the tools or authority to fulfill their roles.

The breakdown of the various areas of responsibility in Figure 2 shows that planning, scheduling and quality score relatively highly, while strategy, success/failure criteria and budget are at the bottom of the scale. Some conclusions must surely be drawn from this.

In conclusion, there is a definite interest across the board in developing a project management certification and QA program, and the responses in this year's survey confirm last year's view that localization project management remains a major challenge. The problems and concerns are still here and must be addressed for the good of the localization community as a whole. We can start by highlighting the current situation through a project management QA program, and we using certification to define the 'pedigree' of the localization project manager. It beats 'sitting on the fence'!!

Figure 2: PM Responsibilities

If you are interested in becoming involved in this initiative, why not sign up for a SIG on either project manager certification or project manager QA? If you have any thoughts or ideas on this - how the SIG could be formed, topics, logistics, etc. - or if you would like the full survey results, please contact the LISA Administration.

Gunnie Jacobsson
AUGER Ltd.
44 Northumberland Road
Balls Bridge, Dublin 4
EIRE
Tel +353-1-668-8244
Fax +353-1-668-6769
E-mail:gunnie@augur.ie