RE: In what percentage or ratio must a project manager...
This need not be mandatory. A manager can me more of a technical person with comparitively less domain knowledge. Some can have more domain knowledge and managerial skill and less of technical knowledge. So there need not be any hard and fast rule for the ratio.
RE: In what percentage or ratio must a project manager...
In my own opinion, having technical know-how, although nice, may serve as a distraction from the main tasks of a Project Manager. A Project Manager must therefore detach his/herself form the technicability and remain focused on the reason he/she is being paid which is to deliver deliverable on-time and within budget. If he/she is concerned about the Technical know-how of the persons carrying out the task, he should address that by replacing or, if time permits, retraining individual(s). Whichever way, he should consider the two restraints, time and budget.
RE: In what percentage or ratio must a project manager...
Having technical know-how, although nice, may serve as a distraction from the main tasks of a Project Manager. A Project Manager must therefore detach his/herself form the technicability and remain focused on the reason he/she is being paid which is to deliver deliverable on-time and within budget. If he/she is concerned about the Technical know-how of the persons carrying out the task, he should address that by replacing or, if time permits, retraining individual(s). Whichever way, he should consider the two restraints, time and budget.
RE: In what percentage or ratio must a project manager possess technical and managerial skills?
There are no hard and fast rules regarding the ratio of technical to managerial skills. Any PM should have a good balance in three functional areas - business management, technology and behaviour.
The important point to note here is that any PM should have a clear and unambiguous understanding of his/her roles and responsibilities and know the boundaries of the job and not step on anyone else's shoes.
As a PMP myself, I believe that a good foundation of technical skills is a mandate for any manager. The PMI also recommends that the best and most effective form of power a person could weild in any organization is 'Expert power', which means that you are an expert in your knowledge area. For instance, if you are going to lead a team of engineers and if you are an recognized engineer in your field, then your team will trust and respect you and it would be easy for you to lead them.
