14 May 2010

Dear PMI ………….. Chapter Member:

As part of PMI’s on-going effort to continually increase awareness and support the project management profession, the Institute is collaborating with Research Triangle Institute (RTI) on the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. The O*NET program provides information regarding more than 900 occupations nationwide. The USDOL's O*NET data is available free of charge and used by millions of people who are exploring the world of work including students, educators, workforce development staff, veterans, those who've been laid off, as well as many others. 

Request

We are asking for the assistance of all of our IT project manager members’ help in identifying the role of an “Information Technology Project Manager” -- a new and emerging USDOL O*NET standard occupational classification scheduled to debut in the near future.  Those who meet the criteria below and are selected by RTI will receive US$40.00 for their time and effort. 

Criteria

Please review the IT Project Manager description at the bottom to determine if you are a proper occupational match.  In order to qualify, you must:

• •-          Fit the role description (see below)
• •-          Be based in the United States and have at least one year of professional experience performing as an Information Technology Project Manager
• •-           AND have a minimum of five years combined professional experience practicing, teaching, researching, consulting, and/or supervising others who perform in this role
• •-          You must still be actively involved in this field
   

How to Participate

If any of you or any of your colleagues would like to participate, we ask that you please do the following:

• •-          Include in an e-mail the following: full name, title, mailing address, phone number, occupation of expertise (Information Technology Project Manager), subgroup/specialty area (if applicable), years of experience, and association affiliation (PMI)
• •-          Send the email to Jean Leech at jleech@onet.rti.org. 
• •-          If there are any questions – please feel free to email Jean or call her toll-free at 877-233-7348 extension 104. 
• •-          Please respond by 30 June 2010.
   

Process and Participation Incentive
A random sample of members will be contacted by telephone.  If you are selected, an O*NET representative will call you to request your voluntary participation.  The call will last approximately 3 to 5 minutes to verify your eligibility and ask if you are willing to complete a set of questionnaires (paper or online versions available).  By participating, you are contributing to a key resource, providing our nation’s citizens with continuously updated occupational information.  Each randomly selected participant will receive $40.00 cash along with an oak-framed certificate of appreciation from the USDOL. 
 

Confidentiality

All O*NET data collection procedures were approved by RTI’s Institutional Review Board which protects the rights of research participants.  To maintain confidentiality, only a few RTI staffers have access to individual level data and all have signed confidentiality agreements. Your expert input will be combined with that provided by other occupation experts, and will be used to define work values and worker characteristics for this occupation.  The O*NET data is published and released at the occupation level only and/or reported in aggregate form only. 
 
The USDOL's O*NET Program relies on the good nature of our PMI member experts to accurately complete the occupational research.  We greatly appreciate your participation in this research as we continue to advance the project management profession. 
 
Please accept our sincere thanks for your time and participation.

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IT PROJECT MANAGER – DESCRIPTION

Do you fit the description below?  If so, we ask that you spend a few minutes of your time to participate in research helping to define the role of an IT Project Manager for the U.S. Department of Labor.  Randomly selected participants will receive US$40.00 and a certificate of appreciation for your time and effort.

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Title: 

Information Technology (IT) Project Managers

O*NET-SOC Code: 

15-1099.61

Description:

Plan, initiate, and manage information technology (IT) projects. Lead and guide the work of technical staff. Serve as liaison between business and technical aspects of projects. Plan project stages and assess business implications for each stage. Monitor progress to assure deadlines, standards, and cost targets are met.

Alternate Titles:

Information Systems Project Manager

IT Project Manager

These occupations are NOT the same as Information Technology (IT) Project Managers:

11-3021.00 Computer and Information Systems Managers

25-1021.00 Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary

15-1041.00 Computer Support Specialists

15-1051.00 Computer Systems Analysts

15-1071.00 Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Core - Data Task List: (The order of the tasks in this list does not imply relative importance to the occupation.) 

• Develop and manage work breakdown structure (WBS) of information technology projects.
• Develop or update project plans for information technology projects including information such as project objectives, technologies, systems, information specifications, schedules, funding, and staffing.
• Manage project execution to ensure adherence to budget, schedule, and scope.
• Prepare project status reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends.
• Assign duties, responsibilities, and spans of authority to project personnel.
• Coordinate recruitment or selection of project personnel.
• Develop and manage annual budgets for information technology projects.
• Develop implementation plans that include analyses such as cost-benefit or return on investment (ROI).
• Direct or coordinate activities of project personnel.
• Establish and execute a project communication plan.
• Identify need for initial or supplemental project resources.
• Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs.
• Initiate, review, or approve modifications to project plans.
• Monitor or track project milestones and deliverables.
• Negotiate with project stakeholders or suppliers to obtain resources or materials.
• Schedule and facilitate meetings related to information technology projects.

Supplemental - Data Task List: (The order of the tasks in this list does not imply relative importance to the occupation.) 

• Assess current or future customer needs and priorities through communicating directly with customers, conducting surveys, or other methods.
• Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
• Monitor the performance of project team members, providing and documenting performance feedback.
• Perform risk assessments to develop response strategies.
• Submit project deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards.