Concept for a new approach to project management in the activities of public servants

This article presents the results of research into the possibility of adapting flexible methods of project management to the organization of activities of public servants of the Russian Federation and recommendations on combined approaches. The objectives of this research: to identify special aspects of project management in the public service and to evaluate the possibilities for adapting flexible methods of project management to the organization of activities of Russian public servants. The activities of the public service are becoming increasingly innovative and intelligent and, as a consequence, less predictable. These days the public authorities are not only customers in relation to third organizations, but they themselves act as the direct executors of projects in the elaboration of development programs and legislative initiatives in the framework of executingorders of the President, Government and the higher state authorities. In these circumstances, management principles of the PMBOK and similar standards, which are strictly formalized and require clear planning of processes, no longer work. When the problems are large-scale, technologies are known, and the resources are defined, classical design techniques work flawlessly. But when any innovative goals are set, there may be high risk of exceeding budget funds and time; therefore in this case it is necessary to consider the feasibility of applying Agile-like technologies. Possibilities for the combination of tough methods (in terms of responsibility and formalization) and flexible methods (in terms of goal-setting and continuity) of project management in the civil service were investigated using analysis of business processes and based on the results of a survey of the public servants participating in the implementation of certain tasks with respect to execution of public functions. It is noted that in contrast to the business-oriented organizations the government authorities are characterized by a significantly reduced motivation to informal leadership and undeveloped self-organization and selfmanagement. This fact imposes restrictions on the processes of implementing approaches of flexible project management in the activities of public servants, but it does not mean it is impossible to formulate and use them. 1 This article was prepared based on the results of research carried with the support of government funds by the State Order of the University of Finance for the year of 2016 “Analysis of the best international practices of information support to realization of public functions. Development of proposals on improvement of information support to activities of civil public servants”, state registration number AAAA-A16-116070610054-7 Based on the results of the study we carried out, we determined principles of flexible project management in the civil service, the knowledge of which can be useful both for the public servants and businesses working with government agencies.