Transparency Vs Security! -
A Growing Dilemma for Project Managers and Organizations

By David Pells

For the last few years, I have been on the “more transparency is good for project management” band wagon.  It has seemed to me that project stakeholders should be better served when project plans and progress are more visible, where project risks, project performance and return on investment can be observed and monitored.  This, it seemed to me, was the more honest and professional approach.  And I was convinced that more transparency would improve project planning, management and performance.  I think that might still be true.

However, in this ever more unstable and insecure world, the issue of security must now be considered more seriously than ever before.  In fact, I think this is a new major issue, and dilemma, in the world of professional project management.  It is an issue that should now be addressed on every project and included in every project risk management plan, with appropriate activities planned and budgeted to protect project and organizational assets, data, facilities and people.

In this editorial, I attempt to identify some of the issues to be considered in the trade-off between more transparency on programs and projects on the one hand, and on the other hand, adequate security to protect the projects, people and organizations involved.  This is an area that now deserves more research and discussion.  It might also be an area where new techniques or tools may be needed.

Read complete editorial in English