The Icelandic Project Management Association was established in 1984 by engineers and originally focused on engineering projects. As project management expanded to various sectors like IT, healthcare, finance, and the public sector, the association’s membership and board composition adapted accordingly.
Adalbjorn Thorolfsson, the association’s president, mentions that Iceland has a high number of project managers and certifications despite being a small country. He also discusses Iceland’s IT industry with Computer Weekly.
Key sectors in Iceland include tourism, fishing, renewable energy, healthcare, finance, and creative industries. Though IT may not be central to all industries, it plays a crucial supporting role.
Thorolfsson highlights two innovative Icelandic companies – Sidekick Health and Controlant – that rely on IT for their operations.
Thorolfsson also explains the three main project management approaches – Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid – and how they are applied in Iceland, along with their pros and cons. He emphasizes the importance of flexibility, communication, and collaboration in project management.
Iceland’s flexibility in adapting to changing conditions, embracing change, promoting open communication, adopting new technologies quickly, and valuing gender equality can serve as valuable lessons for project management globally. Icelandic project managers stress the need for diverse perspectives and open communication to enhance decision-making and results.