"PCMM addresses the growth and development of software departments in terms of well-defined stages"

Patrick David has been in the field of human resource for over twelve years.

He recently joined Quality Assurance Institute (QAI), India, after heading HR

management practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, India for long. David will be

responsible for implementing the PCMM or the people capability maturity model

for the software clients of QAI. He shares his experience and knowledge of HR

and PCMM with DATAQUEST and its importance in the software space.

You’ve had a long association with HR. How do you see that role meshing

with the ‘people capability maturity model’ for software companies?



Traditionally, HR has predominantly looked mainly at recruitment, personnel,

packages and such issues. Only symptomatic rather than cause-directed HR

interventions were used. Thus HR took a stand-alone approach rather than a

holistic one. This is where the PCMM model assumes significance. Software

developing companies and departments have a particular propensity to the PCMM

model because it addresses the growth and development of the software department

in terms of well-defined stages.

Level 1 is where all companies are at, and levels 2 to 5 are those which the

departments are taken through a systematic benchmarking approach. Software

companies are realizing the three key benefits of applying the PCMM approach:

justifying high investments in people and their optimum productivity in the

organization, identifying the need to retain and simultaneously develop people,

and ensuring a culture of excellence and career development in a flat and

hierarchy-less structure. Finally, one major issue, which the PCMM model

addresses for software companies, is that of knowledge management and its

retention within the company through retention of people.

What are the specific issues, which the PCMM model addresses within its

various levels?



In the earlier approach to HR, the emphasis was on acquisition of talent and

addressing personnel- and package-related matters. The PCMM’s approach is

different–it starts with the individual in the organization but from there

moves on to his role in the organization. Issues like job content, job

satisfaction, role clarity and responsibility, identification with the company

and behavioral matters are therefore central in the PCMM model. They ensure what

the final objectives should be in any HR program–happy, satisfied employees,

high productivity and revenue growth.

How do you explain the mass exodus of Indian software, engineering and IT

professionals to the West?



Apart from the lure of the dollar, a major factor, which is at play is one

of an environment conducive to effective and satisfying work. At least that’s

what the perception is and the US is seen as a prime destination for IT and

engineering people (unlike, say, Australia or New Zealand where the quality of

life is in several ways superior).

But this situation is changing today. Money incidentally is no longer the

prime driving force for many, specially for people who want to come back to

India for other values. Also, many IT and software people are re-examining

whether there is at all a need to go to the west and whether there are similar

or even better working opportunities here–within the IT industry.