Effective project management is based on the consistent application of proven and established principles and techniques. Mastery of many of these techniques is demonstrated through PMI certification, and through experience on completed projects. Some responsible project sponsors believe it’s most important to have both the manager and the team immersed in the latest technology, but industry experience gained from hundreds of projects shows that just having technical skill isn’t enough. In e-Commerce today, for example, there are countless sites that are "85 % coded." Through a lack of methodology, flitting from crisis to crisis, most of these sites will never attain production status. They will run out of time or money.

Success is achieved one step at a time, from project inception to closure. To be successful, a project needs an objective, a plan, and work breakdown structure. For years, the latest technology was touted as being needed for projects. Even COBOL was once put forward as the technique to do away with programmers. However, just knowing the grammar doesn’t make one a Shakespeare of the new hot languages.

In a project, the means should be appropriate to the ends. Quality standards must be set and met. Timelines must be traced and maintained. Costs must be measured and controlled. While technology is important, it is not primary to a successful project. To strain a metaphor, in Roman times, the captain of the Trireme was expected to know where and how to steer the ship, but not to be the fastest rower.