Chapter 2

The Manager, the Organization,

and the Team

MEM 612 Project Management

THE PMS ROLES

MEM 612 Project Management

Facilitator
Manager-as-supervisor versus manager-as-
facilitator
Systems approach versus analytical
approach
Suboptimization
Must ensure project team members have
appropriate knowledge and resources
Micromanagement

MEM 612 Project

Management
Communicator
Figure 2-1 Communication Paths Between a
Projects Parties-At-Interest

MEM 612 Project

Management
Virtual Project Manager
Geographically dispersed projects
Communication via
Email
Web
Telephone
Video conferencing
Never let the boss be surprised!

MEM 612 Project

Management
 THE PMS
RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE
PROJECT

MEM 612 Project Management

Three Overriding
Responsibilities
Acquiring resources
Getting necessary quantity and quality can be
key challenge
Irrational optimism
Fighting fires and obstacles
Leadership and making trade-offs

MEM 612 Project

Management
Negotiation, Conflict
Resolution, and Persuasion
Necessary to meet three overriding
responsibilities

MEM 612 Project

Management
SELECTION OF A PROJECT
MANAGER

MEM 612 Project Management

Key Criteria
Credibility - The PM is believable
technical credibility
administrative credibility
Sensitivity - Politically astute and aware
of interpersonal conflict
Leadership, Style, Ethics - Ability to
direct project in ethical manner

MEM 612 Project

Management
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AS
A PROFESSION

MEM 612 Project Management

Project Management as a
Profession
Project Management Institute
More than 64,000 members
Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK)
Project-oriented organization

MEM 612 Project

Management
FITTING PROJECTS IN THE
PARENT ORGANIZATION

MEM 612 Project Management

More on Why Projects?
Emphasis on time-to-market
Need for specialized knowledge from a
variety of areas
Explosive rate of technological change
Accountability and control

MEM 612 Project

Management
Figure 2-2 The Pure Project
Organization

MEM 612 Project

Management
The Pure Project
Organization
Advantages
Effective and efficient for large projects
Resources available as needed
Broad range of specialists
short lines of communication
Drawbacks
Expensive for small projects
Specialists may have limited technological depth
May require high levels of duplication for certain
specialties

MEM 612 Project

Management
Figure 2-3 Functional Project
Organization

MEM 612 Project

Management
Functional Project
Organization
Advantages
technological depth
Drawbacks
lines of communication outside functional
department slow
technological breadth
project rarely given high priority

MEM 612 Project

Management
Figure 2-4 Matrix Project
Organization

MEM 612 Project

Management
Matrix Project Organization
Advantages
flexibility in way it can interface with parent organization
strong focus on the project itself
contact with functional groups minimizes projectitis
ability to manage fundamental trade-offs across several
projects
Drawbacks
violation of the unity of command principle
complexity of managing full set of projects
conflict

MEM 612 Project

Management
Figure 2-5 Mixed Project
Organization

MEM 612 Project

Management
THE PROJECT TEAM

MEM 612 Project Management

Characteristics of Effective
Project Team Members
Technically competent
Politically sensitive
Problem orientation
Goal orientation
High self-esteem

MEM 612 Project

Management
Matrix Team Problems
Weak (functional) matrix
PM has no direct reports
Ability to communicate directly with team
members important
Matrix projects
Important to maintain good morale
Project office

MEM 612 Project

Management
Intrateam Conflict
Life cycle phase and source of conflict
Name-only team
Interpersonal conflict

MEM 612 Project

Management
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MEM 612 Project

Management