How do Managers Control Technology-Intensive Work?

Technology is all around us. In this day and age consumers are constantly anticipating and expecting companies to develop and produce technology that is bigger, better, and faster than the technology released the day before. Companies that choose to operate in this environment understand that their work is of a temporary nature. An idea is born, developed, produced, and as it hits the shelf the same company that produced this technology is already back at the drawing board starting on the next big thing. Effectively controlling technology intensive work is imperative and best achieved through the tenants of project management. Projects are best controlled first by good planning, then through measuring performance, and finally by taking corrective action when necessary. This purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the tools and techniques of project management that can also be used to effectively control technology intensive work.