Published
Professor Stephen Wearne joined Manchester University in the early 1960s and became part of a group of researchers; people such as Peter Thompson, Martin Barnes, Peter Morris, John Perry and others, who framed how we see the management of complex projects today.
In this interview with Professor Graham Winch, to celebrate 40 years of the Major Projects Association, Stephen recalls how it all started and reflects on his work and the work of this extraordinary group.
Industry was our laboratory
He starts by explaining what led originally to the establishment of the first Manchester School of Project Research and how Manchester built up its formidable team. This was a team which was to influence profoundly the development of the discipline of managing projects and programmes, and whose members were involved in the establishment and early development of both the Major Projects Association and the Association for Project Management.
Don’t think you would do it any better, if you did it again, because that’s life!
Stephen then moves on to talk about how projects have changed in the intervening 60 years and offers observations, insight and advice on the practice of project management today.