Project Team From POME by Gautam Koppala VT

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Kanaka maha lakshmi Thalli
Be bold when you loose and be calm when you

win.
"Changing the Face" can change nothing.

POME’
POME’07
But "Facing the Change" can change everything.
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KANAKA MAHA LAKSHMI THALLI
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE ALMIGHTY, WHO
ALWAYS SHOWERS HER BLESSINGS ON HER
CHILDREN.
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2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved
PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS
MANAGEMENT EXPOSED
(POME)
Part “PROJECT TEAM”
A COLLECTION AMELIORATED BY
GAUTAM KOPPALA V.T.
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You are the only person who can revolutionise your life.
You are the only person who can influence your happiness,
your realisation and your success.
You are the only person who can help yourself.
Your life does not change, when your boss changes,
when your friends change, when your parents change,
when your partner changes, when your company changes.
Your life changes when YOU change,
when you go beyond your limiting beliefs,
when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

Copyright © 2007 POME
All rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, broadcasting, or by any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author Gautam Koppala.
All knowledge in POME book is service marks and/or trademarks of the author Gautam Koppala.
Except as otherwise specified, names, marks, logos and the like used in the educational/teaching content
of these materials are intended to be, and to the best of Licensor’s [Gautam Koppala’s] knowledge and
belief are, fictitious. None of the names, marks, or logos used herein is intended to depict any past or
present individual or entity, or any trademark, service mark, or other protectable mark of any individual or
entity. Any likeness, similarity or sameness between any name, mark, or logo used herein by Licensor and
the name, mark, or logo of any individual or entity, past or present, is merely coincidental and
unintentional. Any such names, marks, and logos used in the educational/teaching content of these
materials are used only to provide examples for purposes of teaching the educational content of the
materials, and are in no way intended to be used in any trademark sense or manner.
The names of actual past or present individuals, entities, trademarks, service marks, logos and the like
(other than those of Licensor used in the educational/teaching content of these materials are used only to
provide examples (including in some instances actual case studies based upon factual events or
circumstances involving the individuals, entities, marks, or logos) for purposes of teaching the educational
content of the materials. Any such names, marks, and logos used in the educational/teaching content of
these materials are intended and used solely for the purpose of providing examples and case studies, and
are in no way intended to be used in any trademark sense or manner.
VITA: FROM THE AUTHOR:
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Academically, I am a cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering (B-Tech E.E.E.) and a post graduate in Masters in Human Resources Management
(M.H.R.M.) and Masters of Foreign Trade (M.F.T.), all from India.
My engineering completed in a remote village in India, Srikakulam, and it’s been a long journey from
there, and journey still continues….I feel this book demonstrates my ability to maintain dedication,
motivation and enthusiasm for a project management over a long period of time. I believe that in
combination with my extensive broad-based operations work experience along with my drive,
resourcefulness and determination would make this book, an excellent opportunity for any
juvenile/experienced one in Projects industry.
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I started my career as a small time engineer and gradually still developing in the Operations Domain.
With over nine years of Professional Experience, am a well-rounded functional Manager with excellent,
documented record of accomplishment and success in the electronic Security and Building Systems
Technology Field.
The reason behind writing this book, is that when am new to this field, I don’t have any one to say, what
is all about the projects, what to do, and when to do? Hence, the detailed information that I gained
through the ages, thought to put in an orderly fashion, so that it would be vitally milked by future
successful managers, avoiding the time lags.
Highlights of my background include Supply chain, Commercial with a magnificent experience in Project
and Operations management, technically oriented towards Automation and Security Systems in Industrial
and Building sectors.
My success in the past has stemmed from my strong commitment and sense of professionalism. I keep
high standards for my work and am known for my persistent nature and ability to follow through.
If this book facilitates you in getting adjusted and grow in this domain. I would feel really successful.
GAUTAM KOPPALA VT
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POME Contents
Staffing Management Plan ........................................................................................................ 14
The staffing environment ......................................................................................................... 41
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT PLAN ....................................................................................... 50
Project Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 71
Key Personnel in Projects: ........................................................................................................ 77
Client Types and Relations: ...................................................................................................... 97
Program Managers ................................................................................................................. 104
Why a Project Manager? ......................................................................................................... 113
Selecting the Project Manager: an executive decision ............................................................ 128
The project manager–line manager interface ......................................................................... 134
The functional manager's role ................................................................................................ 139
Organizing Successful Project Teams ..................................................................................... 147
Selecting the wrong project manager ..................................................................................... 160
Barriers to project team development .................................................................................... 166
Project Manager Capability Assessment: ................................................................................ 174
Some thoughts on Project leadership ..................................................................................... 226
Matching Project Needs and Responsibilities.......................................................................... 237
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1. Lost his job
2. Got defeated for legislature
3. Started business and failed
4. Wife died of a fatal disease
5. Experienced nervous breakdown
6. Contested in election for speaker in legislature and lost
7. Tried for nomination in a political party and lost
8. Applied for post of land officer and didn’t get it
9. Contested for senate and lost
10. Contested for vice president and lost
11. Again contested for senate and lost
AND TWO YEARS LATER8..
GOT ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF AMERICA
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
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STAFFING
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
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Staffing Management Plan
Good employees can be your greatest asset for your Projects, so recruiting and retaining the right person
is very important. Hence, POME gives the first and foremost priority to man Power when compared to
Machinery, Money and Material.
You and your employees have certain obligations to each other under common law. You also have
obligations under national and state and territory laws, industrial awards and agreements, tribunal
decisions and contracts of employment.
Note that some people distinguish a difference between HRM (a major management activity) and HRD
(Human Resource Development, a profession). Those people might include HRM in HRD, explaining that
HRD includes the broader range of activities to develop personnel inside of Projects, including, eg, career
development, training, organization development, etc.
Successful project management, regardless of the organizational structure, is only as good as the
individuals and leaders who are managing the key functions. Project management is not a one-person
operation; it requires a group of individuals dedicated to the achievement of a specific goal. Project
management includes:
A project manager
An assistant project manager
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A project (home) office
A project team
Mechanisms for Sustaining Organizational Culture
Generally, project office personnel are assigned full-time to the project and work out of the project office,
whereas the project team members work out of the functional units and may spend only a small
percentage of their time on the project. Normally, project office personnel report directly to the project
manager, but they may still be solid to their line function just for administrative control. A project office
usually is not required on small projects, and sometimes the project can be accomplished by just one
person who may fill all of the project office positions.
Before the staffing function begins, five basic questions are usually considered:
What are the requirements for an individual to become a successful project manager?
Who should be a member of the project team?
Who should be a member of the project office?
What problems can occur during recruiting activities?
What can happen downstream to cause the loss of key team members?
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On the surface, these questions may not seem especially complex. But when we apply them to a project
environment (which is by definition a "temporary" situation) where a constant stream of projects is
necessary for corporate growth, the staffing problems become complex, especially if the organization is
understaffed.
There is a long-standing argument about where HR-related functions should be organized into large
organizations, eg, "should HR be in the Organization Development department or the other way
around?"
The HRM function and HRD profession have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years.
Many years ago, large organizations looked to the "Personnel Department," mostly to manage the
paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the "HR Department"
as playing a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the
organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.
Hiring people
If you want to hire someone for your Project, you need to decide on their employment status and find out
what requirements there are for each status. There are also a number of obligations and laws that you
need to be aware of when hiring people.
POME Lighter Vein:
Recruitment
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If you need to employ someone, consider what you want the employee to do and what skills you require.
Also consider the employment conditions, level of pay and other costs of employment, including the
physical accommodation of the worker.
Prepare a job description that defines the responsibilities and functions of a job. This will help you identify
the knowledge, experience and skills required for the job.
When you advertise a job remember that, by law, you must not use discriminatory language that may
exclude potential employees on the basis of race, age, sex, marital status, family status or responsibility,
pregnancy, religious and political beliefs, disability, gender history or sexual orientation.
Your recruitment process will run more smoothly if you know how to:
• advertise
• interview
• select the right applicant
• draw up and document a formal offer of employment.
Staffing Management Include:
Overviews of Human Resource requirement
Getting the Best Employees
Paying Employees (and Providing Benefits) with in the budget
Training Employees
Ensuring Compliance to Regulations
Ensuring Safe Work Environments
Sustaining High-Performing Employees
Getting the Best Employees
Workforce planning
Specifying Jobs and Roles
Recruiting
Outsourcing (having services and functions performed by non-employees)
Screening Applicants
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Selecting (Hiring) New Employees
Paying Employees (and Providing Benefits)
Benefits and Compensation
Training Employees
Career Development
Employee Orientation
Leadership Development
Management Development
Personal Development
Supervisoral Development
Training and Development
Ensuring Compliance to Regulations
Personnel Polices and Records
Employee Laws, Topics and Issues
Ethics
Ensuring Safe Work Environments
Diversity Management
Dealing with Drugs in the Workplace
Employee Assistance Programs
Ergonomics: Safe Facilities in the Workplace
Dealing with HIV/AIDS in the Workplace
Personal Wellness
Preventing Violence in the Workplace
Ensuring Safety in the Workplace
Supporting Spirituality in the Workplace
Diversity Management
Sustaining High-Performing Employees
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Employee Performance Management
Group Performance Management
Interpersonal Skills
Personal Productivity
Retaining Employees
General Resources
Additional Information for Nonprofits
HR software, to be a part of PMIS
Fig: Creating a High-Performance Project Team
POME Lighter Vein:
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Taxation - Determine the status of workers
The people working in your business can fall under a range of categories of employment. Each has
a different set of obligations for you, the employer, and the people who work for you. The
categories are:
• Full-time employees
• Part-time employees
• Casual employees
• Probationary employees
• Fixed term employees.
It’s important to clearly distinguish if your workers are employees or independent contractors, so
that you can properly determine the wages and other employment conditions of your workers.
Hiring apprentices & trainees
Taking on apprentices and trainees can provide real benefits for your business. Your new apprentice
or trainee can contribute significantly to your bottom line, with practical skills and knowledge
acquired through their training.
Apprenticeships are available in over 500 occupations in a broad range of industries, from
traditional trades like cabinet maker, motor mechanic, electrician and plumber, to areas of
innovation like electro-technology and aviation.
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Finding the Persons:
Finding the person with the right qualifications is not an easy task because the selection of project
managers is based more on personal characteristics than on the job description. In the below Section, a
brief outline of desired characteristics was presented. Russell Archibald defines a broader range of desired
personal characteristics:
Flexibility and adaptability
Preference for significant initiative and leadership
Aggressiveness, confidence, persuasiveness, verbal fluency
Ambition, activity, forcefulness
Effectiveness as a communicator and integrator
Broad scope of personal interests
Poise, enthusiasm, imagination, spontaneity
Able to balance technical solutions with time, cost, and human factors
Well organized and disciplined
A generalist rather than a specialist
Able and willing to devote most of his time to planning and controlling
Able to identify problems
Willing to make decisions
Able to maintain proper balance in the use of time
This ideal project manager would probably have doctorates in engineering, business, and psychology, and
experience with ten different companies in a variety of project office positions, and would be about
twenty-five years old. Good project managers in industry today would probably be lucky to have 70 to 80
percent of these characteristics. The best project managers are willing and able to identify their own
shortcomings and know when to ask for help.
The below Figures show the basic knowledge and responsibilities that construction project managers
should possess. The apprenticeship program for training construction project managers could easily be ten
years.
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Figure: Project management responsibilities.
Figure: McKee project services.
The difficulty in staffing, especially for project managers or assistant project managers, is in determining
what questions to ask during an interview to see if an individual has the necessary or desired
characteristics. Individuals may be qualified to be promoted vertically but not horizontally. An individual
with poor communication skills and interpersonal skills can be promoted to a line management slot
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because of his technical expertise, but this same individual is not qualified for project management
promotion.
One of the best ways to interview is to read each element of the job description to the potential candidate.
Many individuals want a career path in project management but are totally unaware of what the project
manager's duties are.
Equal employment opportunity & anti-discrimination
• Harrassment & bullying
As per POME, national and local laws must cover equal employment opportunity and anti-
discrimination in the workplace. All employers are required by these laws to create a workplace free
from discrimination and harassment. It’s important that you, as an employer, understand your
rights and responsibilities under human rights and anti-discrimination law.
By putting effective anti-discrimination and anti-harassment procedures in place in your business
you can improve productivity and increase efficiency. The Human Rights Commission of the
respective regions has a range of fact sheets and brochures to help you develop effective policies
and best practice guidelines.
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that humiliates, offends or intimidates people.
Under anti-discrimination law an employer, regardless of size, may be legally responsible for
discrimination and harassment which occurs in the workplace. Employers must actively implement
precautionary measures to minimize the risk of discrimination and harassment occurring.
Bullying is another form of workplace harassment that many employers face. Examples of bullying
behavior include unfair and excessive criticism, publicly insulting victims, ignoring their point of
view, constantly changing or setting unrealistic work targets and undervaluing their efforts at work.
As an employer, you should be aware of the legal risks associated with harassment and bullying
and the steps that can be taken to minimize their potential liability.
POME Lighter Vein:
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Incentives & support
• Grants & assistance
Finding people with the right skills for your business can be difficult. Have you considered taking on
people facing barriers to employment? POME recommends the respective region governments to
offers a range of funding and incentive schemes for businesses that support people with a disability,
Indigenous, the long term unemployed and the mature-aged.
Complaints, disputes & employee relations
All employers are required to create a workplace that is free from discrimination and
harassment. These responsibilities are set out in a range of state and federal laws which help
protect people from unlawful behavior.
The central, state and territory governments provide employers with information and resources to
understand and meet their obligations under the legislation.
Complaints & dispute resolution
• Fair Trading - Dispute resolution
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Problems arise every day between businesses and their employees. Most problems between
employers and employees relate to issues such as wages, awards and agreements, harassment or
discrimination.
While there are many ways to resolve conflicts, most problems can be resolved through simple
discussion and common sense between the parties. In virtually all instances, you should at first
attempt to resolve a dispute through direct discussion and negotiation.
Establishing a process to resolve complaints is an important part of your legal responsibilities as an
employer.
POME Lighter Vein:
Subject: key Performance Indicators
Purpose: To ensure that the SBU Key Performance Indicators are established and regularly
reviewed by the pacific management team. KPI data is used to make organizational and resource
adjustments to meet operational objectives and is communicated to all SBU employees.
Scope: This process applies to all business performance areas including Financial, Customer and
employee satisfaction, Health, Safety, Environment and Quality. This procedure applies to all SBU
locations
Step Who Steps/Notes
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1 Leadership Establish annual key performance indicators for SBU
Team based upon the objectives and targets set through the
planning and objectives setting process.
Both quantitative and qualitative KPI's are to
be established, these could include but are
not limited to:
• Financial
• Health and safety
• Environmental
• Employee satisfaction
• Customer satisfaction
• Quality (productivity etc)
Community opinion
2 Functional Identify KPI measurement criteria and targets.
Manager Establish data gathering process for each
KPI.
3 Functional Gather KPI data and analyse monthly for the following :-
Manager
• progress toward targets
• deterioration in performance
• outstanding areas of performance
Management Team review required prior to
release of KPIs.
4 Functional All KPI progress data is to be updated monthly.
Manager, Business practice management team
representati representatives in each location are to
ves ensure notice boards are updated monthly.
KPI progress is to be communicated to all
employees through the established internal
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communication methods (i.e. Team
Brief/Talk).
All KPIs are to be maintained and, where
determined by the Functional Manager,
made available on the intranet. The KPIs
can be communicated via the Team
Brief/Talk.
• Internal Communications
• Team Brief/Talk
Tread Lightly Intranet Page
5 Management A review of all KPI trends and progress is to be carried out
Team regularly at the Pacific Management Team Meeting
(PACMAN). Reviews are to be minuted.
Identify actions and plans to correct or
modify business activity to maximize
outcomes and achieve targets or goals.
Man Power Work Schedule
Objective
This format Document for use by group leader/departmental head for human resource planning.
Benefit
The overall job plan of the department for the financial year can be seen .
Result
Time plan for the department.
Requirement
This document can be filled up on its own depending on the orders expected in the financial year.
Method
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The group leaders are to update this form one every month or as soon as a major change of plan is made.
The original plan for each person in the department is to be indicated against the ‘p’ rows. The updated
plan comprising actual and adjustments based on the actual status is to be entered against ‘a’ rows. The
‘p’ rows are to be entered only at the time of preparation of the plan. The ‘a’ rows are to be updated every
time this form is updated.
Project Training Schedule Sample Format:
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GAUTAM KOPPALA ORG
Project Management Guidelines
PC: Location:
Course
Name
Date Date Date
p p p
a a a
p p p
a a a
p p p
a A a
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Training
Identifie
d P
Project Time Sheets Sample Format:
GAUTAM
KOPPALA
ORG
Name : GEORGE
Month: MARCH
ACTIVITY WBS 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 23 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ACT.
30

ELEMEN 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 TOTAL
T NO.
PROJECT
0.00
0.00
DRDO-
620P-
DEFENSE,
20151.P 8 7 8 5 9 78 8
BANGALO
.01
RE 60.00
0.00
Y
Y
0.00
A
A
0.00
D
D
Y
Y
A
A
R
R
U
U
D
D
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T
T
N
N
A
A
U
U
GENERAL
4
WORK
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
LEAVE
Total 8 7 8 5 9 78 8 0 0 8 8 8 88 8 8 88 8 0 140.00
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Employee Goals:
The Goals for each employee to be assessed on timely basis in order to evaluate, based upon the targets
achieved in a stipulated time, and accordingly the increments and promotions would be given to the
employee.
Rates for Services of Man power Personnel in the Corporate-- Sample Format:
Internal Rates for Services of Man power Personnel
Effective 01/10/2008 to 30/09/2009 in GAUTAM KOPPALA ORG
Category Rate in USD
Associate Engineers 250/- per day
Engineets 300/- per day
Senior Engineers 350/- per day
• The Daily rates are based on a eight hour day and have been calculated on the basis of
consolidate personnel cost to company. Based on the cost to company concept personnel have
been classified into above three categories.
• The cost if working on specified projects, would be deducted based upon the time sheets, and
hence the project/operations manager must approve the time sheets accordingly.
• These rates are to be used for offer calculation for all solution business with effect from 01/06/08.
• Overtime Hours in excess of 8 hours per day, or working on holidays will be charged at 1.5 times
the normal working hour. It is essential that all Time sheets are filled including the overtime
content, so as to reflect the correct costs on the Project.
• All costs to Projects will be charged on the basis of these rates with effect from October 2008.
• The rates do not included boarding, lodging ,travel and local conveyance for which separate estimate
needs to be made for arriving at cost of services.
• For associate engineers full time will be charged based on the time sheets. for engineers and senior
engineers the time sheet will be prepared only for the time spent physically at site and for these two
categories the estimate needs to be made accordingly.
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• While making an offer to another internal division the internal rates for deputation will be USD 400/=
for Associate Engineer per day (excl travel, boarding, lodging and conveyance) and USD 6500/= for
Engineer and Senior Engineer(again excl...)
• While making the offer to a customer only for service outside warranty, the visit rate of USD 1000/=
per day plus. Travel, boarding, lodging and conveyance) have to be quoted. Service tax as applicable
will be additional.
Staff Allocation:
Staffing Management Plan Illustation Template
Staffing Management Plan
Project Name:
Date: DD Mmmm 20yy
GAUTAM KOPPALA ORG
Project Manager:
Approver: signature
Approver Name and Title
The following are suggested sections for the Staffing Management Plan
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Purpose of the Staffing Management Plan
Describe the purpose of the Staffing Management Plan using the following guidelines. Do not merely
describe the content of the plan, but explain why Staffing Management is necessary for the project.
It takes people to run a project. The Project Manager needs a team to produce the deliverables and
maintain control over the project. Project Team members need certain skills to become truly
productive. The Project Manager needs to ascertain when new people will be required on the project or
when existing team members will be able to leave. This Staffing Management plan provides the Project
Manager with a framework to identify and justify human resource needs and provide an effective work
force to accomplish the project work.
Roles and Responsibilities
Describe how the following project participants, at a minimum, perform in the planning and execution of
project communications
▲ Project Sponsor
▲ Project Manager
▲ Project Team
▲ Project Stakeholders
Project Organization
Describe the project organization including the project team and stakeholders. Include the roles and
responsibilities of the team members and stakeholders. An OBS may be developed indicating the
responsible personnel, the department or functional area, the specific activities of responsibility and
may include the associated budget allocation.
An understanding of the organization and stakeholders is also important in communications planning.
This knowledge helps identify the reporting needs and communications flow within the project. Refer
to the communications plan for a “map” of the communications channels on the project.
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Resource Requirements
An outline of the resource requirements needed to execute the project. In many cases it is possible to
define this based on areas of responsibility or technical capability. Identified areas such as engineering,
software development, system engineering, etc. should be listed as well as the necessary skill sets and
expertise required within each area
Project Managers responsible for complex projects are required to have an extensive knowledge of
project management, including all the discipline areas described in the Project Management Plan, e.g.
schedule management, risk management, change management etc.
Understanding of the project background and requirements is also very important. All project
participants are expected to have knowledge of the GAUTAM KOPPALA ORG culture, organization,
policies and procedures. Communication skills, both verbal and written, are important in any project
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environment. Other soft skills, such as team dynamics, negotiation and facilitation are assets that are
beneficial for any employee.
It is understood that resources may not meet all the knowledge requirements presented here. As
such, employee training has also been captured as part of this plan, and is also included in the project
scope (WBS) and project schedule. Employees are offered training as their skill levels and availability
permit.
Resource Staffing Plan
Describe what resources are required and when they are required. This should be graphical in nature
and indicate the time phased resource loading. This is the basis for managing resources and serves to
assure that the project is resource loaded properly.
Resource Constraints
Document any known constraints regarding resources. Constraints may be project based, defining
specific requirements and limitations within the project objectives, or organizationally based, defining
limitations or requirements of the organization to adequately staff the project and meet project
requirements and needs.
Staffing Reports
Define the reporting frequency and requirements during execution of the project. Indicate on a time
phased basis what resources are required and when.
Staffing Contingency Plans
Describe the process for developing contingency plans, providing alternatives should critical resources
not be available when required.
Staffing changes are common to all projects. Some of these changes can be anticipated and some
cannot. Contingencies are therefore important to ensure that project deliverables can still be met
when staffing changes occur. Contingencies should answer questions such as: What happens if the
Project Manager leaves? What if budgets are curtailed?
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Training Requirements
Specialized training may be identified and required for project team members or staffing. These
requirements should be defined and planned into the project.
RECORD OF AMENDMENTS
Version Author Date Comments
Draft 1 – Based on template created for
1.0 7/25/09
Staffing Management
POME Prescribe:
38
The most selfish one letter
word...........
"I"
Avoid it.
39
STAFFING
ENVIRONMENT
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The staffing environment
To understand the problems that occur during staffing, we must first investigate the characteristics of
project management, including the project environment, the project management process, and the
project manager.
Two major kinds of problems are related to the project environment: personnel performance problems
and personnel policy problems. Performance is difficult for many individuals in the project environment
because it represents a change in the way of doing business. Individuals, regardless of how competent
they are, find it difficult to adapt continually to a changing situation in which they report to multiple
managers.
On the other hand, many individuals thrive on temporary assignments because it gives them a "chance
for glory." Unfortunately, some employees might consider the chance for glory more important than the
project. For example, an employee may pay no attention to the instructions of the project manager and
instead perform the task his own way. In this situation, the employee wants only to be recognized as an
achiever and really does not care if the project is a success or failure, as long as he still has a functional
home to return to where he will be identified as an achiever with good ideas.
The second major performance problem lies in the project–functional interface, where an individual
suddenly finds himself reporting to two bosses, the functional manager and the project manager. If the
functional manager and the project manager are in agreement about the work to be accomplished, then
performance may not be hampered. But if conflicting directions are received, then the individual may let
his performance suffer because of his compromising position. In this case, the employee will "bend" in
the direction of the manager who controls his purse strings.
Personnel policy problems can create havoc in an organization, especially if the "grass is greener" in a
project environment than in the functional environment. Functional organizations normally specify
grades and salaries for employees. Project offices, on the other hand, have no such requirements and
can promote and pay according to achievement. The difficulty here is that one can distinguish between
employees in grades 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 in a line organization, whereas for a project manager the
distinction might appear only in the size of the project or the amount of responsibility. Bonuses are also
easier to obtain in the project office but may create conflict and jealousy between the horizontal and
vertical elements.
Because each project is different, the project management process allows each project to have its own
policies, procedures, rules, and standards, provided they fall within broad company guidelines. Each
41
project must be recognized as a project by top management so that the project manager has the
delegated authority necessary to enforce the policies, procedures, rules, and standards.
Project management is successful only if the project manager and his team are totally dedicated to the
successful completion of the project. This requires each team member of the project team and office to
have a good understanding of the fundamental project requirements, which include:
Customer liaison
Project direction
Project planning
Project control
Project evaluation
Project reporting
Ultimately, the person with the greatest influence during the staffing phase is the project manager. The
personal attributes and abilities of project managers will either attract or deter highly desirable
individuals. Basic characteristics include:
Honesty and integrity
Understanding of personnel problems
Understanding of project technology
Business management competence
o Management principles
o Communications
Alertness and quickness
Versatility
Energy and toughness
Decision-making ability
Ability to evaluate risk and uncertainty
Project managers must exhibit honesty and integrity to foster an atmosphere of trust. They should not
make impossible promises, such as immediate promotions for everyone if a follow-on contract is
received. Also, on temporarily assigned activities, such as a project, managers cannot wait for personnel
to iron out their own problems because time, cost, and performance requirements will not be satisfied.
Project managers should have both business management and technical expertise. They must
understand the fundamental principles of management, especially those involving the rapid development
of temporary communication channels. Project managers must understand the technical implications of a
problem, since they are ultimately responsible for all decision-making. However, many good technically
42
oriented managers have failed because they have become too involved with the technical side of the
project rather than the management side. There are strong arguments for having a project manager
who has more than just an understanding of the necessary technology.
Because a project has a relatively short time duration, decision-making must be rapid and effective.
Managers must be alert and quick in their ability to perceive "red flags" that can eventually lead to
serious problems. They must demonstrate their versatility and toughness in order to keep subordinates
dedicated to goal accomplishment. Executives must realize that the project manager's objectives during
staffing are to:
Acquire the best available assets and try to improve them
Provide a good working environment for all personnel
Make sure that all resources are applied effectively and efficiently so that all constraints are met,
if possible
Authorization Levels
To ensure that the correct process is followed for authorisation levels and to define the Inputs,
responsibilities and information flow for authorization levels.
43
Step Who Details
#
1 Corporate Authorization
Finance Levels are set by
Corporate Finance
and communicated
to the Regional
General
Manager and
Finance Manager
for interpretation
and
implementation.
2 Finance On receipt of
Manager updated
Authorization
Levels the
following steps are
to be completed:
• Review updated
Authorization Levels
against existing Authority
Matrix
• Update the PROJECT
Schedule of Executive
Authority.
• Communicate any
updates via Email to all
Employees
• Update secondary
44
systems such as PMIS/
ERP for approval limits.
3 All Refer to the
PROJECT Schedule
of
Executive Authority
to ensure that
appropriate
approvals are
sought at all times
throughout our
business.
Note: The
Authority Matrix is
the master for
which ERP
Approval Limits are
derived.
POME LIGHTER VEIN:
A Letter to Management...
Be sure to read
45
through to the bottom...
1 Bob Smith, my assistant programmer, can always be found
2 hard at work in his cubicle. Bob works independently, without
3 wasting company time talking to colleagues. Bob never
4 thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and he always
5 finishes given assignments on time. Often he takes extended
6 measures to complete his work, sometimes skipping coffee
7 breaks. Bob is a dedicated individual who has absolutely no
8 vanity in spite of his high accomplishments and profound
9 knowledge in his field. I firmly believe that Bob can be
10 classed as a high-caliber employee, the type which cannot be
11 dispensed. Consequently, I duly recommend that Bob be
12 promoted to executive management, and a proposal will be
13 executed as soon as possible.
Addendum:
Bob was standing over my shoulder while I wrote the report sent to you earlier today. Kindly re-read
only the odd-numbered lines to hear my true thoughts about that idiot!
46
POME Prescribe:
47
The most satisfying two-letter
word.......
"WE"
Use it.
48
PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
49
Perfomance Measurement Plan
A good project manager will make it immediately clear to all new functional employees that if they
perform well in the project, then he (the project manager) will inform the functional manager of their
progress and achievements. This assumes that the functional manager is not providing close supervision
over the functional employees and is, instead, passing on some of the responsibility to the project
manager—a common situation in project management organization structures.
Many good projects as well as project management structures have failed because of the inability of the
system to evaluate properly the functional employee's performance. In a project management structure,
there are basically six ways that a functional employee can be evaluated on a project:
The project manager prepares a written, confidential evaluation and gives it to the functional
manager. The functional manager will evaluate the validity of the project manager's comments and
prepare his own evaluation. Only the line manager's evaluation is shown to the employee. The use
of confidential forms is not preferred because it may be contrary to government regulations and it
does not provide the necessary feedback for an employee to improve.
The project manager prepares a nonconfidential evaluation and gives it to the functional
manager. The functional manager prepares his own evaluation form and shows both evaluations to
the functional employee. This is the technique preferred by most project and functional managers.
However, there are several major difficulties with this technique. If the functional employee is an
average or below-average worker, and if this employee is still to be assigned to this project after his
evaluation, then the project manager might rate the employee as above average simply to prevent
any sabotage or bad feelings downstream. In this situation, the functional manager might want a
confidential evaluation instead, knowing that the functional employee will see both evaluation forms.
Functional employees tend to blame the project manager if they receive a below-average merit pay
increase, but give credit to the functional manager if the increase is above average. The best bet
here is for the project manager periodically to tell the functional employees how well they are doing,
and to give them an honest appraisal. Several companies that use this technique allow the project
manager to show the form to the line manager first (to avoid conflict later) and then show it to the
employee.
The project manager provides the functional manager with an oral evaluation of the employee's
performance. Although this technique is commonly used, most functional managers prefer
documentation on employee progress. Again, lack of feedback may prevent the employee from
improving.
The functional manager makes the entire evaluation without any input from the project manager.
In order for this technique to be effective, the functional manager must have sufficient time to
50
supervise each subordinate's performance on a continual basis. Unfortunately, most functional
managers do not have this luxury because of their broad span of control and must therefore rely
heavily on the project manager's input.
The project manager makes the entire evaluation for the functional manager. This technique can
work if the functional employee spends 100 percent of his time on one project, or if he is physically
located at a remote site where he cannot be observed by his functional manager.
All project and functional managers jointly evaluate all project functional employees at the same
time. This technique should be limited to small companies with fewer than fifty or so employees;
otherwise the evaluation process might be time-consuming for key personnel. A bad evaluation will
be known by everyone.
Evaluation forms can be filled out either when the employee is up for evaluation or after the project is
completed. If it is to be filled out when the employee is eligible for promotion or a merit increase, then
the project manager should be willing to give an honest appraisal of the employee's performance. Of
course, the project manager should not fill out the evaluation form if he has not had sufficient time to
observe the employee at work.
The evaluation form can be filled out at the termination of the project. This, however, may produce a
problem in that the project may end the month after the employee is considered for promotion. The
advantage of this technique is that the project manager may have been able to find sufficient time both
to observe the employee in action and to see the output.
The below Figure represents, in a humorous way, how project personnel perceive the evaluation form.
Unfortunately, the evaluation process is very serious and can easily have a severe impact on an
individual's career path with the company even though the final evaluation rests with the functional
manager.
51
Guide to performance appraisal.
The below Figure shows a simple type of evaluation form on which the project manager identifies the
best description of the employee's performance. This type of form is generally used whenever the
employee is up for evaluation.
52
Figure: Project work assignment appraisal.
Figure below shows another typical form that can be used to evaluate an employee. In each category,
the employee is rated on a subjective scale. In order to minimize time and paperwork, it is also possible
to have a single evaluation form at project termination for evaluation of all employees. This is shown in
Figure below. All employees are rated in each category on a scale of 1 to 5. Totals are obtained to
provide a relative comparison of employees.
53
54
Obviously, evaluation forms such as that shown in Figure above have severe limitations, as a one-to-
one comparison of all project functional personnel is of little value if the employees are from different
departments. How can a project engineer be compared to a cost accountant?
Several companies are using this form by assigning coefficients of importance to each topic. For
example, under a topic of technical judgment, the project engineer might have a coefficient of
importance of 0.90, whereas the cost accountant's coefficient might be 0.25. These coefficients could be
reversed for a topic on cost consciousness. Unfortunately, such comparisons have questionable validity,
and this type of evaluation form is usually of a confidential nature.
Even though the project manager fills out an evaluation form, there is no guarantee that the functional
manager will believe the project manager's evaluation. There are always situations in which the project
and functional managers disagree as to either quality or direction of work.
55
Another problem may exist in the situation where the project manager is a "generalist," say at a grade-7
level, and requests that the functional manager assign his best employee to the project. The functional
manager agrees to the request and assigns his best employee, a grade-10 specialist. One solution to
this problem is to have the project manager evaluate the expert only in certain categories such as
communications, work habits, and problem-solving, but not in the area of his technical expertise.
As a final note, it is sometimes argued that functional employees should have some sort of indirect input
into a project manager's evaluation. This raises rather interesting questions as to how far we can go
with the indirect evaluation procedure.
From a top-management perspective, the indirect evaluation process brings with it several headaches.
Wage and salary administrators readily accept the necessity for using different evaluation forms for
white-collar and blue-collar workers. But now, we have a situation in which there can be more than one
type of evaluation system for white-collar workers alone. Those employees who work in project-driven
functional departments will be evaluated directly and indirectly, but based on formal procedures.
Employees who charge their time to overhead accounts and non–project-driven departments might
simply be evaluated by a single, direct evaluation procedure.
Many wage and salary administrators contend that they cannot live with a white-collar evaluation
system and therefore have tried to combine the direct and indirect evaluation forms into one, as shown
in Figure. Some administrators have even gone so far as to adopt a single form company-wide,
regardless of whether an individual is a white- or blue-collar worker.
56
57
Figure: Job evaluation.
The design of the employee's evaluation form depends on what evaluation method or procedure is being
used. Generally speaking, there are nine methods available for evaluating personnel:
Essay appraisal
Graphic rating scale
Field review
Forced-choice review
Critical incident appraisal
Management by objectives
Work standards approach
Ranking methods
Assessment center
Descriptions of these methods can be found in almost any text on wage and salary administration.
Which method is best suited for a project-driven organizational structure? To answer this question, we
must analyze the characteristics of the organizational form as well as those of the personnel who must
perform there. An an example, project management can be described as an arena of conflict. Which of
the above evaluation procedures can best be used to evaluate an employee's ability to work and
progress in an atmosphere of conflict? Figure below compares the above nine evaluation procedures
against the six most common project conflicts. This type of analysis must be carried out for all variables
and characteristics that describe the project management environment. Most compensation managers
would agree that the management by objectives (MBO) technique offers the greatest promise for a fair
and equitable evaluation of all employees. Although MBO implies that functional employees will have a
say in establishing their own goals and objectives, this may not be the case. In project management,
maybe the project manager or functional manager will set the objectives, and the functional employee
will be told that he has to live with that. Obviously, there will be advantages and disadvantages to
whatever evaluation procedures are finally selected.
58
Figure: Rating evaluation techniques against types of conflict.
FINANCIAL COMPENSATION AND REWARDS
Proper financial compensation and rewards are important to the morale and motivation of people in any
organization. However, there are several issues that often make it necessary to treat compensation
practices of project personnel separately from the rest of the organization:
Job classification and job descriptions for project personnel are usually not compatible with those
existing for other professional jobs. It is often difficult to pick an existing classification and adapt it
to project personnel. Without proper adjustment, the small amount of formal authority of the project
and the small number of direct reports may distort the position level of project personnel in spite of
their broad range of business responsibilities.
Dual accountability and dual reporting relationships of project personnel raise the question of who
should assess performance and control the rewards.
Bases for financial rewards are often difficult to establish, quantify, and administer. The criteria
for "doing a good job" are difficult to quantify.
Special compensations for overtime, extensive travel, or living away from home should be
considered in addition to bonus pay for preestablished results. Bonus pay is a particularly difficult
and delicate issue because often many people contribute to the results of such incentives.
Discretionary bonus practices can be demoralizing to the project team.
59
Some specific guidelines are provided here to help managers establish compensation systems for their
project organizations. The foundations of these compensation practices are based on four systems: (1)
job classification, (2) base pay, (3) performance appraisals, and (4) merit increases.
Job Classifications and Job Descriptions
Every effort should be made to fit the new classifications for project personnel into the existing standard
classification that has already been established for the organization.
The first step is to define job titles for various project personnel and their corresponding responsibilities.
Titles are noteworthy because they imply certain responsibilities, position power, organizational status,
and pay level. Furthermore, titles may indicate certain functional responsibilities, as does, for example,
the title of task manager.[1] Therefore, titles should be carefully selected and each of them supported by
a formal job description.
The job description provides the basic charter for the job and the individual in charge of it. A good job
description is brief and concise, not exceeding one page. Typically, it is broken down into three sections:
(1) overall responsibilities, (2) specific duties, and (3) qualifications. A sample job description is given in
the below Table.
Table: SAMPLE JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Description: Lead Project Engineer of Processor Development
Overall Responsibility
Responsible for directing the technical development of the new Central Processor including managing
the technical personnel assigned to this development. The Lead Project Engineer has dual
responsibility, (1) to his/her functional superior for the technical implementation and engineering
quality and (2) to the project manager for managing the development within the established budget
and schedule.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
1. Provide necessary program direction for planning, organizing, developing and integrating the
engineering effort, including establishing the specific objectives, schedules, and budgets for the
processor subsystem.
2. Provide technical leadership for analyzing and establishing requirements, preliminary
designing, designing, prototyping, and testing of the processor subsystem.
3. Divide the work into discrete and clearly definable tasks. Assign tasks to technical personnel
within the Lead Engineer's area of responsibility and other organizational units.
60
4. Define, negotiate, and allocate budgets and schedules according to the specific tasks and
overall program requirements.
5. Measure and control cost, schedule, and technical performance against program plan.
6. Report deviations from program plan to program office.
7. Replan trade-off and redirect the development effort in case of contingencies such as to best
utilize the available resources toward the overall program objectives.
8. Plan, maintain, and utilize engineering facilities to meet the long-range program requirements.
Qualifications
1. Strong technical background in state-of-the-art central processor development.
2. Prior task management experience with proven record for effective cost and schedule control
of multidisciplinary technology-based task in excess of SIM.
3. Personal skills to lead, direct, and motivate senior engineering personnel.
4. Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing.
Base-Pay Classifications and Incentives
After the job descriptions have been developed, one can delineate pay classes consistent with the
responsibilities and accountabilities for business results. If left to the personnel specialist, these pay
scales may slip toward the lower end of an equitable compensation. This is understandable because, on
the surface, project positions look less senior than their functional counterparts, as formal authority over
resources and direct reports are often less necessary for project positions than for traditional functional
positions. The impact of such a skewed compensation system is that the project organization will attract
less qualified personnel and may be seen as an inferior career path.
Many companies that have struggled with this problem have solved it by (1) working out compensation
schemes as a team of senior managers and personnel specialists, and (2) applying criteria of
responsibility and business/profit accountability to setting pay scales for project personnel in accord with
other jobs in their organization. Managers who are hiring can choose a salary from the established range
based on their judgment of actual position responsibilities, the candidate's qualifications, the available
budget, and other considerations.
Performance Appraisals
Traditionally, the purpose of the performance appraisal is to:
Assess the employee's work performance, preferably against preestablished objectives
Provide a justification for salary actions
61
Establish new goals and objectives for the next review period
Identify and deal with work-related problems
Serve as a basis for career discussions
In reality, however, the first two objectives are in conflict. As a result, traditional performance appraisals
essentially become a salary discussion with the objective to justify subsequent managerial actions.[2] In
addition, discussions dominated by salary actions are usually not conducive for future goal setting,
problem-solving, or career planning.
In order to get around this dilemma, many companies have separated the salary discussion from the
other parts of the performance appraisal. Moreover, successful managers have carefully considered the
complex issues involved and have built a performance appraisal system solidly based on content,
measurability, and source of information.
The first challenge is in content, that is, to decide "what to review" and "how to measure performance."
Modern management practices try to individualize accountability as much as possible. Furthermore,
subsequent incentive or merit increases are tied to profit performance. Although most companies apply
these principles to their project organizations, they do it with a great deal of skepticism. Practices are
often modified to assure balance and equity for jointly performed responsibilities. A similar dilemma
exists in the area of profit accountability. The comment of a project manager at the General Electric
Company is typical of the situation faced by business managers: "Although I am responsible for business
results of a large program, I really can't control more than 20 percent of its cost." Acknowledging the
realities, organizations are measuring performance of their project managers, in at least two areas:
Business results as measured by profits, contribution margin, return on investment, new
business, and income; also, on-time delivery, meeting contractual requirements, and within-budget
performance.
Managerial performance as measured by overall project management effectiveness, organization,
direction and leadership, and team performance.
The first area applies only if the project manager is indeed responsible for business results such as
contractual performance or new business acquisitions. Many project managers work with company-
internal sponsors, such as a company-internal new product development or a feasibility study. In these
cases, producing the results within agreed-on schedule and budget constraints becomes the primary
measure of performance. The second area is clearly more difficult to assess. Moreover, if handled
improperly, it will lead to manipulation and game playing. Table below provides some specific measures
of project management performance. Whether the sponsor is company-internal or external, project
managers are usually being assessed on how long it took to organize the team, whether the project is
62
moving along according to agreed-on schedules and budgets, and how closely they meet the global
goals and objectives set by their superiors.
Table: PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR PROJECT MANAGERS
Who Performs Appraisal
Functional superior of project manager
Source of Performance Data
Functional superior, resource managers, general managers
Primary Measures
1. Project manager's success in leading the project toward preestablished global objectives
Target costs
Key milestones
Profit, net income, return on investment, contribution margin
Quality
Technical accomplishments
Market measures, new business, follow-on contract
2. Project manager's effectiveness in overall project direction and leadership during all phases,
including establishing:
Objectives and customer requirements
Budgets and schedules
Policies
Performance measures and controls
Reporting and review system
Secondary Measures
1. Ability to utilize organizational resources
Overhead cost reduction
Working with existing personnel
Cost-effective make-buy decisions
2. Ability to build effective project team
Project staffing
63
Interfunctional communications
Low team conflict complaints and hassles
Professionally satisfied team members
Work with support groups
3. Effective project planning and plan implementation
Plan detail and measurability
Commitment by key personnel and management
Management involvement
Contingency provisions
Reports and reviews
4. Customer/client satisfaction
Perception of overall project performance by sponsor
Communications, liaison
Responsiveness to changes
5. Participation in business management
Keeping mangement informed of new project/product/business opportunities
Bid proposal work
Business planning, policy development
Additional Considerations
1. Difficulty of tasks involved
Technical tasks
Administrative and orgnizational complexity
Multidisciplinary nature
Staffing and start-up
2. Scope of the project
Total project budget
Number of personnel involved
64
Number of organizations and subcontractors involved
3. Changing work environment
Nature and degree of customer changes and redirections
Contingencies
On the other side of the project organization, resource managers or project personnel are being
assessed primarily on their ability to direct the implementation of a specific project subsystem:
Technical implementation as measured against requirements, quality, schedules, and cost targets
Team performance as measured by ability to staff, build an effective task group, interface with
other groups, and integrate among various functions
Specific performance measures are shown in Table below. In addition, the actual project performance of
both project managers and their resource personnel should be assessed on the conditions under which it
was achieved: the degree of task difficulty, complexity, size, changes, and general business conditions.
Table: PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR PROJECT PERSONNEL
Who Performs Appraisal
Functional superior of project person
Source of Performance Data
Project manager and resource managers
Primary Measures
1. Success in directing the agreed-on task toward completion
Technical implementation according to requirements
Quality
Key milestones/schedules
Target costs, design-to-cost
Innovation
Trade-offs
2. Effectiveness as a team member or team leader
Building effective task team
Working together with others, participation, involvement
65
Interfacing with support organizations and subcontractors
Interfunctional coordination
Getting along with others
Change orientation
Making commitments
Secondary Measures
1. Success and effectiveness in performing functional tasks in addition to project work in
accordance with functional charter
Special assignments
Advancing technology
Developing organization
Resource planning
Functional direction and leadership
2. Administrative support services
Reports and reviews
Special task forces and committees
Project planning
Procedure development
3. New business development
Bid proposal support
Customer presentations
4. Professional development
Keeping abreast in professional field
Publications
Liaison with society, vendors, customers, and educational institutions
Additional Considerations
1. Difficulty of tasks involved
Technical challenges
66
State-of-the-art considerations
Changes and contingencies
2. Managerial responsibilities
Task leader for number of project personnel
Multifunctional integration
Budget responsibility
Staffing responsibility
Specific accountabilities
3. Multiproject involvement
Number of different projects
Number and magnitude of functional task and duties
Overall workload
Finally, one needs to decide who is to perform the performance appraisal and to make the salary
adjustment. Where dual accountabilities are involved, good practices call for inputs from both bosses.
Such a situation could exist for project managers who report functionally to one superior but are also
accountable for specific business results to another person. While dual accountability of project
managers is an exception for most organizations, it is common for project resource personnel who are
responsible to their functional superior for the quality of the work and to their project manager for
meeting the requirements within budget and schedule. Moreover, resource personnel may be shared
among many projects. Only the functional or resource manager can judge overall performance of
resource personnel.
Merit Increases and Bonuses
Professionals have come to expect merit increases as a reward for a job well done. However, under
inflationary conditions, pay adjustments seldom keep up with cost-of-living increases. To deal with this
salary compression and to give incentive for management performance, companies have introduced
bonuses. The problem is that these standard plans for merit increases and bonuses are based on
individual accountability while project personnel work in teams with shared accountabilities,
responsibilities, and controls. It is usually very difficult to credit project success or failure to a single
individual or a small group.
67
Most managers with these dilemmas have turned to the traditional remedy of the performance appraisal.
If done well, the appraisal should provide particular measures of job performance that assess the level
and magnitude at which the individual has contributed to the success of the project, including the
managerial performance and team performance components. Therefore, a properly designed and
executed performance appraisal that includes input from all accountable management elements, and the
basic agreement of the employee with the conclusions, is a sound basis for future salary reviews.
In most organizations the title of task manager indicates being responsible for managing the technical
content of a project subsystem within a functional unit, having dual accountabilities to the functional
superior and the project office.
POME Prescribe:
The most poisonous three-letter
word.....
"EGO"
Kill it.
68
69
PROJECT
STAKE HOLDERS
70
Project Stakeholders
What is a project stakeholder? A project stakeholder can be defined as any group or individual having a
vested interest in the planning, initiation, execution or completion of chosen project initiative. This
interest can be vested in the project outcome, the project management process, or both. The type and
degree of interest will vary according to the role that the individual or group plays in the project, and the
extent to which the said stakeholders are affected by project results and consequences. As such, project
stakeholders can be identified according to the following elements:
• Role
• Interest
• Influence
Who are your stakeholders and what is their role in the project? Project stakeholder roles can be viewed
from two perspectives: active or passive.
An active stakeholder is one who takes a direct role in the project.
A passive stakeholder is one who is indirectly involved in or affected by the project.
Active stakeholders can usually be defined by the following roles (and please note, any given
stakeholder may fill more than one role - i.e. a customer may also be a participant):
• Customer or Client: The individual or group who requested the project and will benefit from the
result.
• Project Participant: Any individual or group who participates in the project process.
• Project Oversight: Any individual or group responsible for project management review and
authorization.
• Project Advocate: Any individual or group needed to support the project effort from a
management perspective.
On the other side of the equation, passive stakeholders include any groups or individuals who will be
impacted by the project, but lack an active role in the process or result. For example, the end-users of a
new system are all "customers", but in a passive sense. As a unit, they will all use the system, but will
not be actively involved in the day-to-day execution of the project responsible for said system.
However, passive stakeholder needs must always be considered as project plans and deliverables are
defined and created. Despite the lack of direct involvement in the project process, passive stakeholders
will ultimately influence overall project success, and if their needs are not properly considered, problems
can result.
71
AVOID THIS PROJECT PITFALL: Don't rely solely on the requirements set by a single customer
representative (the active stakeholder). Any failure to consider the larger needs of the entire end-user
community (the passive stakeholder) might lead to a "requirements / deliverables" mismatch, for which
the project team will likely take the blame. Be sure to examine the bigger picture whenever possible
and appropriate.
Type of interest: Anyone identified as a project stakeholder will have a vested interest in the project, in
terms of outcome (i.e. the results or deliverables), process (i.e. the way the project is planned,
managed and executed), or both. Interests should be examined carefully in order to ensure that project
strategies are properly planned and executed, and so that stakeholder demands and perspectives can be
placed in proper context. For example, a project customer will likely be more concerned with the
delivery of the end-result, than the specific mechanics of the project process delivering that result. As a
practical matter, a customer's interest will be vested more in outcome than process. However, the
interests of the project team may lie more in process than in the result. For the team, a single project is
more than just a means to an end, it is a work environment. As a whole, stakeholder interests have to
be balanced as project plans and strategies are created.
Influence: Within any project environment, stakeholders can have a positive or negative impact on a
project. This influence may be direct or indirect, depending upon stakeholder role (passive or active).
The chart below contrasts potential influences, from a positive and negative perspective:
Stakeholder Positive Influence Negative Influence
• Offers full cooperation. • Lack of cooperation.
• Sets consistent • Constantly changing
Customer requirements. requirements.
• Makes timely decisions. • Delays decisions.
• Sets realistic priorities. • Fails to set priorities.
• Performs role as • Fails to perform role as
expected. expected.
Participant • Raises issues and • Communicates outside the
problems as soon as chain of command.
needed. • "Not my problem" attitude.
• Shows an interest in • Demonstrates obvious
Oversight project quality. disinterest.
• Stays informed on all • Unwilling to hear all sides of
72
project issues. an issue.
• Makes timely decisions. • Fails to respond to issues on a
timely basis.
• Provides consistent • Fails to support the project
project support. manager when needed.
• Makes timely decisions. • Fails to consider all sides of
Advocate
• Listens to all sides of an an issue.
issue. • Shows a lack of interest in the
project.
• Stays informed on the • Bad mouths project for
project even without an political motives.
Passive active role. • "Not invented here" attitude.
Stakeholder • Raises post-project • Fails to cooperate in post
issues according to project activities.
established methods.
While this list is certainly not all inclusive, it does illustrate the the degrees to which individual
stakeholders can influence ultimate project success. Under certain circumstances, stakeholder influence
must be considered as a project risk. Considering political realities, some projects may not always be
warmly welcome by all concerned. And, misinformation, negative comments and poor attitudes can
quickly defeat a project, no matter how well planned the project may actually be. As such, when
stakeholders are identified and analyzed, the allies must be separated from the adversaries, and
relationship plans must be developed to deal with each in a positive way.
Uses and Applications: How can the stakeholder concept put to use within the project planning process?
The Stakeholder Analysis: The process by which stakeholders are identified by role, and then analyzed
according to degree of interest and influence. This information is then used to plan specific project
strategies, procedures and activities throughout the project process:
Phase: Stakeholder Analysis Usage:
Identify and analyze stakeholder role, interest and
Project Initiation
influence.
Project Planning Incorporate stakeholder analysis results into project plans
73
and strategies.
Project Execution & Maintain effective stakeholder relationships and
Oversight communication strategies.
Request stakeholder feedback to improve future project
Post Project Transition
management practices and procedures.
Network of Stakeholders
During project initiation and subsequent planning, stakeholders must be identified and analyzed
according to roles, rights and responsibilities. This is an essential part of the project definition process,
helping you to put the project in proper perspective so that you can plan accordingly, set priorities, and
establish effective management procedures. The ultimate goal of the stakeholder analysis process is to
74
promote positive stakeholder influence and minimize negative influence in order to ensure project
success.
Specifically, the results of the stakeholder analysis process can be used in the following ways:
• To create effective, realistic project definitions (assigning project priority, risk and visibility
values).
• To assign targeted project roles and responsibilities (identifying skills, resources and task
assignments.
• To structure an effective project organization (team organization, reporting relationships, steering
committee setup).
• To create effective communication plans (information needs, communications requirements,
meeting frequency, status reporting procedures).
• To identify targeted management support requirements (enlisting and ensuring consistent and
appropriate management support throughout the entire project effort).
• To create practical relationship management strategies (to consider all stakeholder needs and
expectations, to ensure that all stakeholders [both passive and active] are properly considered
throughout the project process).
The Stakeholder Analysis:
As you perform the stakeholder analysis, you will need to consider the following questions:
• Who are your project stakeholders?
• What interest does each stakeholder have?
• Is that interest active or passive?
• Which stakeholders will have a positive influence on the project?
• Which stakeholders will have a negative influence on the project?
• What stakeholder needs and expectations exist for this project?
• How will you manage these needs and expectations?
• How will stakeholder needs and expectations influence communications requirements?
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KEY PERSONNEL
IN PROJECT’S
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Key Personnel in Projects:
“I’VE SEEN SOME SAD CASES WHERE THE PROJECT
SPONSOR CONTINUALLY WAITS AND ASSUMES
THAT HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO REFORM THEIR
WAYS, WOULD RETURN TO THE FOLD TO TAKE UP
THEIR DUTIFUL MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECTS.
THIS MAY MAKE A NICE PARABLE IN THE
SCRIPTURES, BUT IN PROJECTS, IT TENDS TO BE A
DISASTROUS FANTASY.”
The personnel indicated are to be considered the core
technical team responsible for the management and execution of the project. At various other times,
personnel considered the clients of the system, such as field supervisors; instrument specialist, Network
Administrators etc will be involved. Each of the core personnel has a clearly defined role defined in the
project plan for the implementation process. For the success of the project it is essential that each
member of the team contribute effectively, both individually and as a team. To achieve this synergy, the
roles and responsibilities of the project are defined below:
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The project manager is responsible for gathering information for review meetings and reports and
presents the review. He also tracks all the action items and manages the action plan. He files the copies
of the minutes and other decisions made during the meetings in project file. For the project to maintain
the necessary visibility, priority and commitment for both the organizations, The more attributes
explained in separate chapter pertinent to the Project Manager.
Project Working Committee
This team will meet on regular basis to monitor the progress of the project closely. The respective
Project Managers from various relevant contractors/consultants/enduser will highlight any slippages to
the project schedule and necessary corrective actions taken to bring the project back on schedule.
Revisions to the project schedule or any other changed report that is raised and will be reviewed by the
team.
Project Manager
The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring success to the project and will be the overall head of the
project organization. His duties are as follows:
• Identify the needs of Project, specify proper approach to address these needs and
recommend a preferred solution and the best practices along with implementation standards.
• Plan and schedule for a selected approach, identify resource requirements and generate a
work plan to accomplish the tasks.
• Assign tasks to team members according to the project plan and schedule together with
the engineers and provide direction to the project. Also responsible for co-ordinating multiple site
activities.
• Monitor and report on the status of the deliverables and project milestones to DSO
management. This includes reviewing actual schedules and results against project plans.
• Understand the project requirements and ensure they are thoroughly and unambiguously
documented;
• Prepare a project plan with achievable cost, schedule, and performance goals;
• Identify and manage project risks;
• Ensure the project team is well-organized, adequately staffed, and working well together;
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• Manage project cost, schedule, requirements, and design baselines so they are traceable;
• Report meaningful metrics for cost, schedule, quality, and risk;
• Conduct regular status and design reviews;
• Ensure the adequacy of project documentation and testing;
• Maintain meaningful communications among project stakeholders; and
• Manage the project to attain the project goals and achieve stakeholder satisfaction.
Project Sponsor:
The Project Sponsor/Project Director is responsible for:
• Ensuring an appropriate project or programme management framework is in place, incorporating
the Gateway review process if required.
• Preparing the project brief, Project Initiation Document (or equivalent) and business case
• Appraising options and submitting for approval
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• Securing resources and expertise from the client organization as required, for example,
appointing professional advisers to support the project sponsor role
• Co-ordinating and directing end user input
• Co-ordinating value management strategy
• Controlling changes following approval
• Determining and managing risks to the project
• Managing the project budget, including risk allowance
• Acting as sole point of contact with project manager
• Co-ordinating and fostering teamwork
• Managing the project manager's performance of delegated responsibility
• Establishing formal reporting arrangements on project progress
• Defining criteria for control and management of the project
• Assisting the project manager in the resolution of problems
• Receiving and reviewing detailed reports on the project from the project manager
• Ensuring the project manager receives departmental decisions on time
• Establishing with the project manager a common approach to major issues that arise
• Establishing a mechanism to ensure regular dialogue with contractors to promote problem
solving, team working and risk-sharing
The Project Sponsor/Project Director provides the interface between project ownership and delivery -
The Project Sponsor/Project Director is the client side representative who acts as a single focal point of
contact with the project manager for the day-to-day management of the interests of the client
organization. The Project Sponsor is responsible for ongoing management on behalf of the project owner
to ensure that the desired project objectives are delivered. The person in this role must have adequate
knowledge and information about the business and the project to be able to make informed decisions.
They may be known as the Project Sponsor; sometimes referred to as the Project Director.
For smaller/straightforward projects the roles of Project Sponsor/Project Director and Project Manager
may be combined, subject to the proviso that the person taking on the combined responsibilities
possesses the requisite competencies, expertise, experience and has the available time and resources.
Where roles are combined, it is essential that delegations and responsibilities are clearly understood and
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do not overlap with other roles. This role description assumes that the roles of Project Sponsor/Project
Director and Project Manager are separate.
Specific responsibilities:
The Project Sponsor/Project Director is responsible for:
• Ensuring an appropriate project or programme management framework is in place, incorporating
the Gateway review process if required.
• Preparing the project brief, Project Initiation Document (or equivalent) and business case
• Appraising options and submitting for approval
• Securing resources and expertise from the client organisation as required, for example,
appointing professional advisers to support the project sponsor role
• Co-ordinating and directing end user input
• Co-ordinating value management strategy
• Controlling changes following approval
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• Determining and managing risks to the project
• Managing the project budget, including risk allowance
• Acting as sole point of contact with project manager
• Co-ordinating and fostering teamwork
• Managing the project manager's performance of delegated responsibility
• Establishing formal reporting arrangements on project progress
• Defining criteria for control and management of the project
• Assisting the project manager in the resolution of problems
• Receiving and reviewing detailed reports on the project from the project manager
• Ensuring the project manager receives departmental decisions on time
• Establishing with the project manager a common approach to major issues that arise
• Establishing a mechanism to ensure regular dialogue with contractors to promote problem
solving, team working and risk-sharing
Skills and attributes:
The Project Sponsor/Project Director should be able to:
• Apply quality management principles and processes
• Apply risk assessment and management principles and processes
• Network effectively, negotiate well and influence people, broker relationships with stakeholders
within and outside the project
• Be aware of the broader perspective and how it affects the project.
Notes
As noted above, the roles of Project Sponsor/Project Director and Project Manager may be combined,
especially for smaller and medium sized projects. Alternatively, the roles of Project Owner and Project
Sponsor/Project Director may be carried out by the same individual. However, it is important to ensure
that no single individual carries out all three roles, Project Sponsor/Project Director and Project Manager.
As with the combination of any roles, the principle of clear allocations applies: delegations and
responsibilities must be clearly understood and do not overlap with other roles.
In short, the person in the organization responsible for the project, above the project manager, is the
project sponsor. It is the responsibility of the project sponsor to:
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• Select, develop, and guide, or change, the project manager to achieve project
goals;
• Hold the PM accountable for fulfilling the responsibilities listed above;
• Support the PM in obtaining resources and tools needed to conduct the project;
• Require regular status briefings and design reviews, and pass pertinent information up the line;
• Advise the PM on conditions likely to cause project risks; and
• Be an advocate for the PM and the project team.
Project Engineers:
The Project engineers are the persons who are expected to manage various systems within and will be
responsible for the following activities:
• Define the infrastructure of the systems and the manner in which systems management is being
done in their respective functional area.
• Define the Projects requirements and the infrastructure that have to be in place in the new
system in conjunction with our experts.
These specialists will work under the Project Manager in implementing the solutions.
Supervisors:
Supervisor must have sound knowledge of scope of work, project implementation life cycle. He must
carry out schedules & coordination of various project activities on site, regularly meet with his/her
project leader and brief on project status, and risks involved in the project.
He must carefully study contractual terms, and be well versed with local regulatory conditions and
policies when it comes to implementation. Also monitor the project activities, track the progress and
report the status to the project management team.
Senior manager:
General description:
• The executive head of an organization, chairman of the Executive Board, or a member of that
Board.
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• To articulate the client organization’s mission and vision.
• To set aims and objectives.
• To offer direction and leadership to staff.
• To support staff in the achievement of the set mission, vision, targets, aims and objectives.
• To be ultimately accountable and responsible for the business, its success or failure.
Skills & Attributes:
• To be able to make informed decisions that shape the business direction
• To act as a participative stakeholder.
• To become informed to a sufficient level to perform any programme or project roles adopted.
• To take a wide view, possible thinking globally, inclusive of the political, social and community
impact of the business's actions.
Programme manager:
The programme manager is responsible, on behalf of the Senior Responsible Owner, for successful
delivery of the new capability. The role requires the effective co-ordination of the projects and their
inter-dependencies, and any risks and other issues that may arise.
In most cases, the Programme Manager will work full-time on the programme, as the role is crucial for
creating and maintaining enthusiasm and momentum.
The programme manager is responsible for the overall integrity and coherence of the programme, and
develops and maintains the programme environment to support each individual project within it -
typically through the Programme Office function.
-Planning and designing the programme and proactively monitoring its overall progress, resolving issues
and initiating corrective action as appropriate;
-Defining the programme's governance arrangements;
-Quality assurance and overall integrity of the programme - focusing inwardly on the internal
consistency of the programme; and outwardly on its coherence with infrastructure planning, interfaces
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with other programmes and corporate technical and specialist standards;
-Managing the programme's budget on behalf of the SRO, monitoring the expenditures and costs against
delivered and realized benefits as the programme progresses;
-Facilitating the appointment of individuals to the project delivery teams;
-Ensuring that the delivery of new products or services from the projects is to the appropriate levels of
quality, on time and within budget, in accordance with the programme plan and programme governance
arrangements;
-Ensuring that there is efficient allocation of common resources and skills within the project portfolio;
-Managing third party contributions to the programme;
-Managing the communications with all stakeholders;
-Managing both the dependencies and the interfaces between projects;
-Managing risks to the programme's successful outcome;
-Initiating extra activities and other management interventions wherever gaps in the programme are
identified or issues arise;
-Reporting progress of the programme at regular intervals to the programme director;
-On large and complex projects it may be appropriate to appoint other individuals to support the
Programme Manager for some of the particular responsibilities listed above, for example a risk manager,
a communication manager or a financial manager.
Skills and attributes
The individual appointed as programme manager must have the necessary seniority to be able to take
on the responsibilities required of the role. The balance of skills required of the programme manager
often changes as the programme develops: the person with the skills to set up the programme may not
necessarily be the right person to drive through its implementation.
The Programme Manager should have :
-effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills;
-the ability to command respect and to create a sense of community amongst the often disparate
members of the project teams;
-good knowledge of techniques for planning, monitoring and controlling
Project Programmer:
Comes from the Planning Team.
-good knowledge of project management approaches, such as PRINCE2, POME.
-good knowledge of budgeting and resource allocation procedures;
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-sufficient seniority and credibility to advise project teams on their projects in relation to the
programme; and
-the ability to find ways of solving or pre-empting problems.
General description
Such advisors will usually be professional private sector consultants, who may be expensive, scarce
and probably part time resources.
Their services will need to be obtained as a result of a separate, parallel and probably competitive
procurement.
It may be that you need more than one specialist (e.g. a lawyer and a financial expert for a PFI
deal). This may lead to more than one company being employed, therefore more than one contract for
their provision being required, and maybe also more than one procurement to obtain all the expert
consultancy services that your procurement project requires to support it.
The management of these specialist advisors is very important and specific people should be
assigned on a "one to one" basis to focus them, look after them, and generally ensure that their
(expensive) efforts yield the intended benefits & results. For example, an advisor should not have to go
and search for relevant papers, such papers should be brought to them. They should not be left to their
own devices.
This professional consultancy services procurement, and the management of the advisors once
procured, should not be forgotten within the planning, timing, costing and resourcing of the overall
procurement for service provision.
There may be difficulty in scheduling each advisor's time in, at the right time for the project's needs.
Are specialist advisors to a portfolio project, part of the "parent" programme?
Advisors and consultants should not be used in key decision making roles on projects and
programmes
To provide the procurement team with specialist advice (in accordance with specific terms of
reference), on the areas, to the depth, and at the time needed. Such TORs would include scope and
depth of advice, timing of advice delivery and delivery mechanism for their advice
Such delivery mechanisms could be:
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• Verbally, straight into the contract negotiation with the Provider;
• a presentation (with slides / handouts) to a Project Board, Programme Manager, or a meeting; or
• a written report to a particular audience.
• It could be that the specialist advisor, is in fact the Project Manager or the Programme Manager,
and what you are "buying-in" is the expertise and experience of a qualified project / programme
manager.
Investment decision maker:
Purpose
This is the role that commits funding for the project - for example, Principal Finance Officer. The role
may be combined with the project owner role where the individual is able to take on the responsibilities
of both.
Specific responsibilities
The investment decision maker is responsible for:
• Ensuring that a viable and affordable business case exists for the project
• Ensuring that the business case remains valid throughout the project
The investment decision maker should be able to:
• Understand the financial basis of the business operation and how the project will operate within it
• Understand and advise on project/programme business cases (costs v benefits)
• Have the authority or seniority to allocate funds.
Business Manager:
General description:
• A manager knowledgeable in a functional area affected by the service delivery of a provider.
• May be a member of the senior business management.
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• To lead and control a particular business or functional area within a client organization. This may
be a central area "serving" others (e.g. finance), or a discrete and largely autonomous area.
• Accountable and responsible for the delivery of specific functions or services.
• Take decisions in respect of the delivery of specific functions or services.
• To be a participative stakeholder.
• To be a source of expert level knowledge of their business area, as input to the development of
the detailed requirements document that founded the procurement.
• To be a source of expert level knowledge on the transition to services delivered by a provider,
including acceptance testing.
Skills and Attributes:
• Detailed knowledge of the business and its wider context
• Knowledge, expertise and experience in the client organization’s management infrastructure and
its workings.
• Ability to influence and steer a higher level decision, to meet an intended outcome.
• Knowledge of the client organization’s products and services in general, and their functional
area's products and services in particular, including their development.
Relationship manager:
The main functional responsibilities of the relationship manager are:
• encourage an atmosphere of trust, openness and communication and an attitude based on
working together and shared objectives
• proactively look for ways to improve the relationship wherever possible
• ensure that all stakeholders in the arrangement feel that they are involved, that their views are
important and that they are acted upon
• establish and manage a communication framework and ensure that it is used effectively
• establish and manage communication flows between customer and provider, and ensure that
they are used
• ensure that communications at all levels are peer-to-peer
• manage the dispute resolution process
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• resolve 'soft' tensions between customer and provider, that is, situations where tension is felt or
perceived but no formal issue has yet arisen
• 'manage upwards' to ensure that senior management are informed about issues before they
escalate, and can intervene as appropriate
• establish regular reporting procedures, both formal and informal, and ensure that they are used
• organise forums, working groups, seminars, roadshows, training sessions, and other information-
sharing activities involving staff from both the customer and the provider side
• promote understanding of each other's business practices and common techniques
• It is vital that the relationship manager has the authority to make or suggest changes to the
arrangement - working practices, communication flows, the contract itself - to ensure that the
relationship is safeguarded.
Support Staff and Technicians (SST):
The Support staffs are typically concerned with their individual milestones on the project and related
collaborative tasks. They shall provide the support on various products and system related issues, such
as troubleshooting. The SST will be responsible for performing assigned tasks based upon published
schedules and for providing periodic updates to the tasks that define work accomplished and estimates
of remaining effort required. They might be supply chain personnel, auditors, Quality and Quantity
Surveyor, Stake holders and others.
Project Team:
The project team is a group of individuals with appropriate and complementary professional, technical or
specialist skills who, under the direction of the project manager, are responsible for carrying out the
work detailed in the project plan. The size of the team will of course depend on the nature of the work
being undertaken.
The project team is collectively responsible for:
• Assisting the project manager to deliver the projects objectives
• Within their technical expertise carrying out the elements of the project they are tasked with
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• Providing administrative support to the project manager (this may be through the setting up and
resourcing of a project support office)
• Advising the project manager if any risks arise that likely to affect delivery of the projects
objectives and to be part of the risk reduction process
• Providing information for project documentation as required
The project team should be able to:
• Provide their technical expertise in support of project objectives
• Understand the overall aim of the project and how their expertise contributes to that aim
• Understand and use the project management standards used by the project
• Maintain the project documentation in line with the project quality plan
Service manager :
Service Manager (or Service Management Team)
General description
The service manager (or Service Management Team) role is about monitoring and controlling the service
as delivered by the Provider throughout the duration of the contract, to ensure that:
• performance targets (and any other targets e.g. cost and quality) continue to be met;
• the end customer remains satisfied with the services;
• the expected service delivery benefits continue to be achieved;
• the services continue to be performed and delivered in the expected manner
• services continue, in any changed circumstances that may occur in the client organization, or the
Provider over time, to be the right services, delivered to the right people, at the right time.
Monitor and Control Phase
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In some cases the role of service manager will be combined with that of contract manager. The essential
difference between the two, is that the service manager is concerned with the detailed aspects of service
delivery to the end customer, but is not concerned with contracts; whereas the contract manager is
concerned with the parties performing their obligations under the contract, of which services is just a
part, and is not concerned with the services being delivered.
• Service audit.
• Appropriately scaled and timed data collection and analysis to support performance measurement
(and perhaps charging mechanisms / calculations) bearing in mind the cost overhead of such
operations.
• Regular review of performance measures - are they still the right ones?
• Service performance improvement.
• Conduct of customer satisfaction surveys, in accordance with the contract.
• Regular liaison with the contract manager (or the contract management team) as to how and
when required changes and/or improvements to the service can be brought about.
• Exercising jointly with the provider change control, acceptance testing etc over any changing or
new service elements, over the duration of the contract.
• Periodic review of the services, including future plans and risk assessment as required.
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• In support of the senior manager who owns the service, through whom strategic management of
the service should be exercised:
-consider the services at a strategic level in the light of emerging external events, the client
organization’s latest business and development strategy, and the provider's business condition and
aspirations;
-identify any possible additional activity which may be taken forward within the contract to become
part of the services (including the incorporation of services which are different in nature from those
currently delivered);
-consider as necessary, any changes to improve the structure or management of the services.
• Review the provider's performance of the services, including revenue generated for the period,
service trends; service achievements; and any service exceptions.
• Develop and jointly review plans for the service for the future (at periodic intervals).
• Identification of any service related issues or problems that may have arisen, including discussion
on the formulation of possible solutions to such issues and/or problems (in accordance with the
problem management procedures and/or the escalation procedures in the contract.
• Oversee the performance of the services on a day-to-day basis.
• Act as a single point of contact for all queries and issues in connection with the services.
• Take day to day responsibility for the ownership and resolution (including any referral or
escalation as may be necessary) of all issues which arise in connection with the Services.
• Leading the discussions on any proposed changes or improvements to the Services with the
contract manager(or the contract management team) and any other relevant parties.
• Ensure continuous alignment of the services with the customers needs, i.e. changing work
patterns, workloads, revised aims and objectives.
• Have sufficient standing and empowerment within the Client organization in terms of ability to
allocate resources, as may be necessary, in support of the services.
• Detailed knowledge of the service requirements of the business.
• Ideally, experience of and involvement in the development of the requirements document which
founded the procurement.
• Knowledge of how the services perform of against both agreed and "best of breed" criteria.
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• Knowledge of industry best practice in service delivery (benchmarking) and in the use of
appropriate measurement metrics and techniques.
• Ability to co-ordinate multiple services and needs from providers, client organisations customers
and end-users;
• Ability to prioritise, and make appropriate trade-offs.
• A track record in ensuring availability, capacity etc over time (minimal service outage and no
surprises) with ongoing VFM.
• Ability to adapt services to changing requirements within agreed parameters.
• Interface with customers, end-users and provider.
• Maintaining effective relationships.
• Good knowledge transfer from the procurement team, as to the negotiation of the services to be
delivered, i.e. was the scope or scale changed? was anything left out? was there anything extra
offered?
• Ability to identify and realize an opportunity for improvement.
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POME LIGHTER VEIN:
POME Prescribe:
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CLIENT
RELATION’S
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Client Types and Relations:
A client or business manager (usually also the project owner if not also the sponsor) is the person who
will either use, or be responsible for using, an end product. The implications of such a person failing to
meet their responsibilities is
Client/business manager
Function Responsibility Implications if not met
Scope Clearly state the business objective Disconnection between business and
the project is to meet project objectives
Time Business (timing) imperatives Inadequate and inappropriate
stated schedules established for the project;
flow-on and impact on other projects
Cost Provide adequate funding, particularly The project funding will be inadequate
for contingencies
Quality Set the standards required Project will fail to meet the
organisation’s or client’s requirements
HR Set priority for allocation of staff Understaffed
Client Types in Projects and Operations :
Local King Client
• The local king client is a client who can answer developer questions and make decisions
without having to ask anybody else.
• The local king has deep knowledge of the application domain and is usually collocated
with the project.
• Local kings do not report to anybody else and can effectively collaborate with the
developers and the project manager.
Proxy Client
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• Proxy clients are sent for the “real client”. Reasons:
• Real client has no time
• Physical distance would make collaboration of real client with the organization difficult.
• Proxy clients have sufficient knowledge of the application domain to answer clarification
questions from the developers
• Proxy clients do not have sufficient power of representation to make major decisions.
Pseudo Client
• The pseudo client is a member of the development organization (e.g., the marketing
department)
• The pseudo client acts as a client, because the system is targeted at a new market
segment, as opposed to a single individual or company.
• Pseudo clients can make decisions within a short time and can collaborate well with the
development organization
• Pseudo clients have a limited knowledge of the application domain.
• Often developers act as pseudo clients.
“No Client”
• A project can start without a client, for example, when a visionary product is developed
before a market segment is opened.
• In most of these cases, however, the project selects a pseudo client, so that the stakes
of the developers can be balanced against the stakes of the future user.
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Spend time with customers
►The single most
important thing a
Sales manager can do
is to understand the
market
►The best way to
understand the
market is to spend
time with customers
Surveys suggest that service-driven companies are able to charge up to 9% more for the goods and
services they offer and grow twice as fast as the average. These are powerful incentives for becoming
the best client-service company in any industry.
Equally, poor service has a cost penalty. It costs up to five times as much to go out and get a new
customer as to retain those we have.
The Importance of Good Customer Care
So, good customer care matters because keeping existing customers is easier than finding new ones,
and satisfied customers will do a lot of our advertising for us. Most people consider doing business with a
certain company because of recommendation by a friend or acquaintance. Dissatisfied customers spread
the bad news and undermine our business which ultimately threatens everyone's jobs.
Good customer service can also be very satisfying and is good for self esteem it is always nicer going
home at night feeling that we have been able to help someone.
So, our objective must be to provide the highest standard of Customer Care possible and to always aim
for excellence
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YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION.
A customer who feels good doing business with you (and through you, the company) is more than likely
to stay with you and recommend you to others.
People react to the way they are treated and act accordingly. With this in mind, think about why a
customer is rude/angry/uncommunicative and ask yourself:
• Am I getting the customer-reactions that I deserve?
• Is my treatment of the customer at fault?
Why is the customer acting that way and what can I do to improve the relations?
The average person who has a bad-service experience tells at least nine others about it and
l3% of complaints relate their experience to more than 20 other peoples. In comparison,
people who receive an excellent service only tell three or four others about it"
Research Institution of America
Perceptions of Clients and Contractors
Although Clients and contractors may have different perceptions on project management
especially in construction industry, they have a common interest in creating an environment
leading to successful projects in which performance quality, completion time and final costs are
within prescribed limits and tolerances. It is interesting therefore to note the opinions of some
leading contractors and Clients who were interviewed in 1984, in some survey
From the responses of six contractors, the key factors cited for successful projects are:
• well defined scope
• extensive early planning
• good leadership, management and first line supervision
• positive client relationship with client involvement
• proper project team chemistry
• quick response to changes
• Engineering managers concerned with the total project, not just the engineering elements.
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Conversely, the key factors cited for unsuccessful projects are:
• ill-defined scope
• poor management
• poor planning
• breakdown in communication between engineering and construction
• unrealistic scope, schedules and budgets
• many changes at various stages of progress
• lack of good project control
The responses of eight Clients indicated that they did not always understand the concerns of the
contractors although they generally agreed with some of the key factors for successful and
unsuccessful projects cited by the contractors. The significant findings of the interviews with
Clients are summarized as follows:
• All Clients have the same perception of their own role, but they differ significantly in assuming
that role in practice.
• The Clients also differ dramatically in the amount of early planning and in providing information
in bid packages.
• There is a trend toward breaking a project into several smaller projects as the projects become
larger and more complex.
• Most Clients recognize the importance of schedule, but they adopt different requirements in
controlling the schedule.
• All agree that people are the key to project success.
From the results of these interviews, it is obvious that Clients must be more aware and involved
in the process in order to generate favorable conditions for successful projects. Design
professionals and construction contractors must provide better communication with each other
and with the owner in project implementation.
POME LIGHTER VEIN:
Narrator's name is George.
I was in the airport VIP lounge en route to London a couple of weeks ago.
While in there, I noticed Bill Gates sitting comfortably in the corner, enjoying a drink. I was meeting a
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very important client who was also flying to London , but she was running a little bit late. Well, being a
straightforward kind of guy, I approached the Microsoft chairman, introduced myself, and said,
>>"Mr. Gates, I wonder if you would do me a favor." "Yes?"
>>"I'm sitting right over there," pointing to my seat at the bar, "and
I'm
waiting for a very important client.
>>Would you be so kind when she arrives as to come walk by and just say
"Hi George ?"
>>"Sure."
>>I shook his hand and thanked him and went back to my seat.
>>About ten minutes later, my client showed up. We ordered a drink and
started to talk business.
>>A couple of minutes later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It Was Bill
Gates.
"Hi, George ," he said.
>>
>>I replied, "Shut up Bill! Don’t you see that I'm in a meeting."
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PROGRAM
MANAGERS
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Program Managers
Managing complex programs represents a challenge requiring skills in team building, leadership, conflict
resolution, technical expertise, planning, organization, entrepreneurship, administration, management
support, and the allocation of resources. POME examines these skills relative to program management
effectiveness. A key factor to good program performance is the program manager's ability to integrate
personnel from many disciplines into an effective work team.
The program level of an organisation has as much responsibility for the success of a project as the
project manager. If a program manager is also a project sponsor and has given approval for a project to
begin, then support throughout the life of that project will be essential. Without such support it is
unlikely that a project will succeed.
Program manager
Scope Ensure the project objectives Project becomes irrelevant
meet business needs
Time Monitor the project’s progress Incomplete business solutions,
overruns schedule
Cost Provide prudent financial Exceed budget
direction
Quality Monitor the project’s outputs, Rework
provide quality assurance
HR Provide leadership, allocate Disorganisation and inefficiency
staff
Communications Communicate the project Project lacks support
outcomes and status to the
business level or client
Risk Consider business risks as well Poor issues and change
as project risks management
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Program manager
Contracts Monitor adherence to scope, Incomplete deliverables, legal
ensure legal issues are resolved disputes
Integration Linking the project to the Lack of corporate support
business outcome through
benefits management
To get results, the program manager must relate to
(1) The people to be managed,
(2) The task to be done,
(3) The tools available,
(4) The organizational structure
(5) The organizational environment, including the customer community,
(6) The collection of revenue of the operations,
(7) Unbilled follow up
(8) Managing escalations of the diversified projects
(9) Working Capital of the his group of Projects
(10) Collection Plan of the his group of Projects
(11) Contractual Obligations
(12) Compliance and Legal issues
(13) Others, which are pertaining to the Projects in the eagle eye view.
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With an understanding of the interaction of corporate organization and behavior elements, the manager
can build an environment conducive to the working team's needs. The internal and external forces that
impinge on the organization of the project must be reconciled to mutual goals. Thus the program
manager must be both socially and technically aware to understand how the organization functions and
how these functions will affect the program organization of the particular job to be done. In addition, the
program manager must understand the culture and value system of the organization he is working with.
Effective program management is directly related to proficiency in these ten skills:
Team building
Leadership
Conflict resolution
Technical expertise
Planning
Organization
Entrepreneurship
Administration
Management support( Finance, Contracts, Supply Chain, Logistics, Sales, Facilities)
Resource allocation
It is important that the personal management style underlying these skills facilitate the integration of
multidisciplinary program resources for synergistic operation. The days of the manager who gets by with
technical expertise alone or pure administrative skills are gone.
Figure: Project integration with levels of management
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Team-Building Skills
Building the program team is one of the prime responsibilities of the program manager. Team building
involves a whole spectrum of management skills required to identify, commit, and integrate the various
task groups from the traditional functional organization into a single program management system.
To be effective, the program manager must provide an atmosphere conducive to teamwork. He must
nurture a climate with the following characteristics:
Team members committed to the program
Good interpersonal relations and team spirit
The necessary expertise and resources
Clearly defined goals and program objectives
Involved and supportive top management
Good program leadership
Open communication among team members and support organizations
A low degree of detrimental interpersonal and intergroup conflict
Three major considerations are involved in all of the above factors: (1) effective communications, (2)
sincere interest in the professional growth of team members, and (3) commitment to the project.
Leadership Skills
A prerequisite for program success is the program manager's ability to lead the team within a relatively
unstructured environment. It involves dealing effectively with managers and supporting personnel
across functional lines and the ability to collect and filter relevant data for decision-making in a dynamic
environment. It involves the ability to integrate individual demands, requirements, and limitations into
decisions and to resolve intergroup conflicts.
As with a general manager, quality leadership depends heavily on the program manager's personal
experience and credibility within the organization. An effective management style might be characterized
this way:
Clear project leadership and direction
Assistance in problem-solving
Facilitating the integration of new members into the team
Ability to handle interpersonal conflict
Facilitating group decisions
Capability to plan and elicit commitments
Ability to communicate clearly
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Presentation of the team to higher management
Ability to balance technical solutions against economic and human factors
The personal traits desirable and supportive of the above skills are:
Project management experience
Flexibility and change orientation
Innovative thinking
Initiative and enthusiasm
Charisma and persuasiveness
Organization and discipline
Conflict Resolution Skills
Conflict is fundamental to complex task management. Understanding the determinants of conflicts is
important to the program manager's ability to deal with conflicts effectively. When conflict becomes
dysfunctional, it often results in poor program decision-making, lengthy delays over issues, and a
disruption of the team's efforts, all negative influences to program performance. However, conflict can
be beneficial when it produces involvement and new information and enhances the competitive spirit.
To successfully resolve conflict and improve overall program performance, program managers must:
Understand interaction of the organizational and behavioral elements in order to build an
environment conducive to their team's motivational needs. This will enhance active participation and
minimize unproductive conflict.
Communicate effectively with all organizational levels regarding both project objectives and
decisions. Regularly scheduled status review meetings can be an important communication vehicle.
Recognize the determinants of conflict and their timing in the project life cycle. Effective project
planning, contingency planning, securing of commitments, and involving top management can help
to avoid or minimize many conflicts before they impede project performance.
The accomplished manager needs a "sixth sense" to indicate when conflict is desirable, what kind of
conflict will be useful, and how much conflict is optimal for a given situation. In the final analysis, he has
the sole responsibility for his program and how conflict will contribute to its success or failure.
Technical Skills
The program manager rarely has all the technical, administrative, and marketing expertise needed to
direct the program single-handedly. It is essential, however, for the program manager to understand the
technology, the markets, and the environment of the business. Without this understanding, the
consequences of local decisions on the total program, the potential growth ramifications, and
relationships to other business opportunities cannot be foreseen by the manager. Further technical
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expertise is necessary to evaluate technical concepts and solutions, to communicate effectively in
technical terms with the project team, and to assess risks and make trade-offs between cost, schedule,
and technical issues. This is why in complex problem-solving situations so many project managers must
have an engineering background.
Technical expertise is composed of an understanding of the:
Technology involved
Engineering tools and techniques employed
Specific markets, their customers, and requirements
Product applications
Technological trends and evolutions
Relationship among supporting technologies
People who are part of the technical community
The technical expertise required for effective management of engineering programs is normally
developed through progressive growth in engineering or supportive project assignments in a specific
technology area. Frequently, the project begins with an exploratory phase leading into a proposal. This
is normally an excellent testing ground for the future program manager. It also allows top management
to judge the new candidate's capacity for managing the technological innovations and integration of
solutions.
Planning Skills
Planning skills are helpful for any undertaking; they are absolutely essential for the successful
management of large complex programs. The project plan is the road map that defines how to get from
the start to the final results.
Program planning is an ongoing activity at all organizational levels. However, the preparation of a
project summary plan, prior to project start, is the responsibility of the program manager. Effective
project planning requires particular skills far beyond writing a document with schedules and budgets. It
requires communication and information processing skills to define the actual resource requirements and
administrative support necessary. It requires the ability to negotiate the necessary resources and
commitments from key personnel in various support organizations with little or no formal authority.
Effective planning requires skills in the areas of:
Information processing
Communication
Resource negotiations
Securing commitments
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Incremental and modular planning
Assuring measurable milestones
Facilitating top management involvement
In addition, the program manager must assure that the plan remains a viable document. Changes in
project scope and depth are inevitable. The plan should reflect necessary changes through formal
revisions and should be the guiding document throughout the life cycle of the program. An obsolete or
irrelevant plan is useless.
Finally, program managers need to be aware that planning can be overdone. If not controlled, planning
can become an end in itself and a poor substitute for innovative work. It is the responsibility of the
program manager to build flexibility into the plan and police it against misuse.
Organizational Skills
The program manager must be a social architect; that is, he must understand how the organization
works and how to work with the organization. Organizational skills are particularly important during
project formation and startup when the program manager is integrating people from many different
disciplines into an effective work team. It requires defining the reporting relationships, responsibilities,
lines of control, and information needs. A good program plan and a task matrix are useful organizational
tools. In addition, the organizational effort is facilitated by clearly defined program objectives, open
communication channels, good program leadership, and senior management support.
Entrepreneurial Skills
The program manager also needs a general management perspective. For example, economic
considerations affect the organization's financial performance, but objectives often are much broader
than profits. Customer satisfaction, future growth, cultivation of related market activities, and minimum
organizational disruptions of other programs might be equally important goals. The effective program
manager is concerned with all these issues.
Entrepreneurial skills are developed through actual experience. However, formal MBA-type training,
special seminars, and cross-functional training programs can help to develop the entrepreneurial skills
needed by program managers.
Administrative Skills
Administrative skills are essential. The program manager must be experienced in planning, staffing,
budgeting, scheduling, and other control techniques. In dealing with technical personnel, the problem is
seldom to make people understand administrative techniques such as budgeting and scheduling, but to
impress on them that costs and schedules are just as important as elegant technical solutions.
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Particularly on larger programs, managers rarely have all the administrative skills required. While it is
important that program managers understand the company's operating procedures and available tools,
it is often necessary for the program manager to free himself from administrative details regardless of
his ability to handle them. He has to delegate considerable administrative tasks to support groups or
hire a project administrator.
Some helpful tools for the manager in the administration of his program include: (1) the meeting, (2)
the report, (3) the review, and (4) budget and schedule controls. Program managers must be thoroughly
familiar with these available tools and know how to use them effectively.
Management Support Building Skills
The program manager is surrounded by a myriad of organizations that either support him or control his
activities. An understanding of these interfaces is important to program managers as it enhances their
ability to build favorable relationships with senior management. Project organizations are shared-power
systems with personnel of many diverse interests and "ways of doing things." Only a strong leader
backed by senior management can prevent the development of unfavorable biases.
Four key variables influence the project manager's ability to create favorable relationships with senior
management: (1) his ongoing credibility, (2) the visibility of his program, (3) the priority of his program
relative to other organizational undertakings, and (4) his own accessibility.
Resource Allocation Skills
A program organization has many bosses. Functional lines often shield support organizations from direct
financial control by the project office. Once a task has been authorized, it is often impossible to control
the personnel assignments, priorities, and indirect manpower costs. In addition, profit accountability is
difficult owing to the interdependencies of various support departments and the often changing work
scope and contents.
Effective and detailed program planning may facilitate commitment and reinforce control. Part of the
plan is the "Statement of Work," which establishes a basis for resource allocation. It is also important to
work out specific agreements with all key contributors and their superiors on the tasks to be performed
and the associated budgets and schedules. Measurable milestones are not only important for hardware
components, but also for the "invisible" program components such as systems and software tasks.
Ideally, these commitments on specs, schedules, and budgets should be established through
involvement by key personnel in the early phases of project formation, such as the proposal phase. This
is the time when requirements are still flexible, and trade-offs among performance, schedule, and
budget parameters are possible. Further, this is normally the time when the competitive spirit among
potential contributors is highest, often leading to a more cohesive and challenging work plan.
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WHY A
PROJECT
MANAGER?
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Why a Project Manager?
“A Project Manager turns chance in to good Fortune.”
Fig: Project Manager Wheel
Project Manager Wheel: The figure demonstrates the organic nature of Project Manager, with
interdependencies connecting goals, resources, and processes.
Among responsibilities that fall to project managers are the following:
• Setting realistic timelines, objectives, and expectations
• Determining the best approach for accomplishing project goals
• Developing and defending budgets
• Facilitating communication among project participants, including outside vendors
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• Monitoring production, quality, and costs
• Looking beyond project's end
As a Operational professional active in many industry circles, I meet a lot of people, and most of them
assume I’m a designer. When they ask what kind of work I do, I say, “Actually, I’m a project manager
for a electronics firm.” That’s when I get the blank stare, furrowed brow, discouraging grimace or some
combination of the three.
“So you’re an account person,” they say.
“Well, kind of, but not exactly,” I reply.
“Are you a production manager?”
“No, I’m really not that good at production. But I help keep track of deadlines and schedules.”
“So do you use Gantt charts and Microsoft Project?”
“Sometimes, but it’s a necessary evil and not really my favorite part of the job.”
“Well, then, what do you do?”
It’s a tough question to answer. Especially because in many electronics firms the project manager is still
an emerging position. The positions like Sr. Project Executive/ Sr. Project Leads acts as a Project
Manager.
I have worked as a project manager for several electronics firms—officially and unofficially—and it’s a
role that I find challenging, engaging and different from one day to the next. One of the reasons I love
what I do is because it is so hard to define. That lack of definition is both a beauty and a peril, but
mostly it keeps the work fun and interesting. And when it comes down to it, I love to help people to
work better together.
So what does a project manager do?
Most of the time a project manager is a project owner. He or she is responsible for the leadership of the
project from inception to completion. The project manager leads the team and helps negotiate the
multiple relationships within any project—whether with clients, team members, firm principals or any
variety of partners (such as freelancers, contractors or even civic committees)—and functions as the hub
of a project.
With most projects, the project manager will begin work after a contract is signed or negotiated.
Although a project manager can be involved in business development, he or she is usually not the
person chasing deals and developing new relationships. Instead, he or she works to maintain a healthy
client relationship throughout the course of the project. This often turns into a long-term business
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relationship, but the project manager does not usually initiate it; that’s because business development
requires a very different set of skills and significant time away from the office, which is not ideal for the
project manager.
Project Manager’s Role
Lead
Communicate
Define Plan Monitor Complete
Communicate
Re-Plan
Fig: Project Manager’s Role
Once the contract is signed, the project manager will assemble a project team, considering the multiple
dynamics and logistics that go into any mid-to-large-sized project. Skill sets are important, but
personalities are just as vital. Personality management is a huge part of any project manager’s job, and
it’s crucial to assemble a team that can play well together.
Once the team is assembled, projects can take any number of directions. Although most projects start
with a team kickoff meeting, that may differ depending on the goals and scope of the work. It is up to
the project manager—with the team’s input—to decide what the best approach to the work should be
and to make sure it is an effort he or she can own or direct. Although the project manager needs to be
careful to lead and not dictate (especially with senior team members), he or she needs to have a vision
and an approach decided before the project starts, as well as have a thorough understanding of the goal
in sight.
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Fig: Manager Accountability
Fig: Project Manager’s Position
A project manager needs to be able to plan, monitor and control project activities and manage resources
and people, as well as collect and disseminate information and look ahead for potential problems. If a
project manager lacks the technical expertise to deliver a project product they would have to rely on an
expert for input. In many organisations such an expert is given the same status as a project manager.
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The project manager is responsible for coordinating and integrating activities across multiple, functional
lines. The integration activities performed by the project manager include:
Integrating the activities necessary to develop a project plan
Integrating the activities necessary to execute the plan
Integrating the activities necessary to make changes to the plan
These integrative responsibilities are shown in the below Figure, where the project manager must
convert the inputs (i.e., resources) into outputs of products, services, and ultimately profits. In order to
do this, the project manager needs strong communicative and interpersonal skills, must become familiar
with the operations of each line organization, and must have knowledge of the technology being used.
Figure: Integration management.
Project manager
Scope Develop scope and gain Deliverables not suited to client needs
stakeholder agreement,
manage a scope control process
Time Maintain schedule as planned, Overruns schedule
incorporate new activities for
unforeseen events, re-estimate
Cost Maintain budget, contingency Exceed budget
management, actuals to plan,
report to business manager or
client
Quality Plan and review outputs Product quality expectations not met
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HR Manage stakeholder plan, Stakeholder dissatisfaction,
manage resources, lead the expectations not met, resource
team schedule/budget unavailability, impact on
Communications Maintain communications Breakdown/miscommunications,
system, effective misperceptions, dissatisfaction
communications
Risk Conduct risk planning, monitor Continuous problems
and control
Contracts Manage contract deliverables Dispute = delay
and variance
Integration Manage all functions to Project failure
baselines for the best project
result (trade-offs), manage
project to business interface
(benefits review), manage
internal/external environment
interface (particularly
supplier/client relationship)
An executive with a computer manufacturer stated that his company was looking externally for project
managers. When asked if he expected candidates to have a command of computer technology, the
executive remarked: "You give me an individual who has good communicative skills and interpersonal
skills, and I'll give that individual a job. I can teach people the technology and give them technical
experts to assist them in decision making. But I cannot teach somebody how to work with people."
The project manager's job is not an easy one. Project managers may have increasing responsibility, but
very little authority. This lack of authority can force them to "negotiate" with upper-level management
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as well as functional management for control of company resources. They may often be treated as
outsiders by the formal organization.
In the project environment, everything seems to revolve about the project manager. Although the
project organization is a specialized, task-oriented entity, it cannot exist apart from the traditional
structure of the organization. The project manager, therefore, must walk the fence between the two
organizations. The term interface management is often used for this role, which can be described as
managing relationships:
Within the project team
Between the project team and the functional organizations
Between the project team and senior management
Between the project team and the customer's organization, whether an internal or external
organization
To be effective as a project manager, an individual must have management as well as technical skills.
Because engineers often consider their careers limited in the functional disciplines, they look toward
project management and project engineering as career path opportunities. But becoming a manager
entails learning about psychology, human behavior, organizational behavior, interpersonal relations, and
communications. MBA programs have come to the rescue of individuals desiring the background to be
effective project managers.
In the past, executives motivated and retained qualified personnel primarily with financial incentives.
Today other ways are being used, such as a change in title or the promise of more challenging work.
Perhaps the lowest turnover rates of any professions in the world are in project management and project
engineering. In a project environment, the project managers and project engineers get to see their
project through from "birth to death." Being able to see the fruits of one's efforts is highly rewarding.
The project manager is actually a general manager and gets to know the total operation of the company.
In fact, project managers get to know more about the total operation of a company than most
executives. That is why project management is often used as a training ground to prepare future general
managers who will be capable of filling top management positions.
A project manager facilitates and manages personalities.
As a mentor of mine continually tells me, “It’s all about the relationships.” In a collaborative project
setting, successful relationships between team members are the baseline, and the job of sustaining that
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baseline often falls to the project manager. Conflict and friction can be an important part of the creative
process, but it’s important that it doesn’t derail the project.
A project manager can facilitate this harmony in multiple ways. One tactic is to take extra effort to make
sure that every member team feels valued and that they are an important part of the overall process.
This includes making sure that team members are effectively coached and praised throughout their
work, especially during challenging phases. Regardless of how challenging certain situations or work
may be, it is the project manager’s job to care about the quality of work and the quality of the working
environment, even when no one else seems to.
Sometimes tensions require the project manager to conduct challenging conversations between team
members and the client. It’s not that team members always have to go through the project manager.
But it may make those tough discussions more palatable, knowing that they have a person to help
facilitate. Although this can often be the most difficult aspect of client relations, it is key to keep
relationships positive—because no one wants to work with someone that they don’t feel respected by,
and the quality of the work will suffer along with the working environment. Maintaining a positive
working environment also builds rapport among the team and keeps enthusiasm levels high, which is
crucial on a challenging project.
Project managers are strategic leaders.
A project manager must have a vision for the course and goals of the project. This should apply not only
to the process, but also to the strategy. Because the project manager keeps an eye on the big picture
from day one, he or she should be able to effectively lead the project’s strategy as well. And the
advantage that the project manager has over any other team member is that he or she is not
participating in the creation of the work.
For the hands-on designer, the profession and the work consist of big ideas and small details. It is not
enough to have a great concept—you have to be able to execute against it, and this often means sorting
through painstaking minutia and multiple iterations of a concept until you get it right and the work sings.
It is up to the project manager to keep an eye on the goals and objectives of the project—both for the
client and the design team. Clients are just as easily seduced by sexy layouts as their creators are, but it
is the project manager’s job to avoid those temptations and make sure the project meets its objectives.
Another way in which the project manager holds the team to its objectives is through documentation of
the creative process, which can take many forms. Concepts are developed in many ways, but there is
always a source: a client interview, a hands-on collaborative team session, industry research or an
informal jam session about what we’re trying to accomplish. Once this information is gathered, most
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designers are itching to start and let the creative juices flow. Where the project manager helps is by
producing the documentation behind the big ideas, perhaps via an idea board, a scrapbook recapping a
brainstorming session or an even more formal creative brief. These documents can help demonstrate the
thinking behind the big ideas without handicapping the designers to document their process every step
of the way.
Do all projects or firms need project managers?
Although lots of firms and projects can benefit from a project manager, it is not always required,
especially if a firm has many seasoned, experienced planning professionals on staff. Project managers
usually fare best in mid-sized to large firms with at least 25 people or more. The role also works best
with teams of three members (plus the project manager) or more, when there is a fair amount of detail
involved, multiple deadlines and frequent communication to be managed either between the team and
the client or within the team itself.
An experienced project manager can also fill in for a studio principal. In a medium-to-large studio
environment, there are still usually only two to three principals and/or creative directors, and these
people usually have such multi-faceted roles that they have little time for creative guidance or perhaps
not as much guidance as projects usually need. This is where an experienced project manager,
especially one with design experience, can help. Always follow four eye principle, as Siemens PMA+
states that two eyes always must be on commercial aspects, and the other tow eyes on Technical
aspects.
Although there is still a need for creative direction or support, particularly at the inception, a project
manager can provide the additional steering and/or hands-on guidance required for a project to meet its
objectives. The planning creative director may be involved in the beginning, for assistance with
conceptual development, but once a project has this general direction the project manager can step in to
continue to steer it in the right direction.
What are the qualifications?
Different firms will require different types of project managers, but some skills are inherent.
• Have a sense of ownership/leadership. When it comes down to it, the project manager is
the person most responsible for the project’s success or failure. It can be a weighty burden to
shoulder, but it is important for this sense of ownership to occur in order for the project to have
direction. With multi-faceted, compartmentalized teams and/or skill sets, the project manager
needs to be the one person to bring everything together and take responsibility for the work’s
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success. This also requires tenacity, determination and confidence—all essential traits in a project
manager.
• Work collaboratively. Because the project manager needs to bring together complex, often
multidisciplinary teams, he or she needs to be able to facilitate a collaborative work environment.
Project managers are responsible for fusing the work skills and styles of individuals into a team
focused on project tasks and goals, rather than their individual role in the project’s success.
• Use both sides of the brain. Because the project manager needs to balance the details and
the big picture, he or she needs to have creative problem-solving skills as well as a head for
numbers and schedules. The best project managers usually have hands-on creative experience—
either as writers or designers—and understand how to work through project challenges based on
past experiences. When faced with difficulties, the project manager needs to guide the team to
make adjustments or changes with all of the pieces in perspective. Be creative, analytical and
tactical.
• Have writing and design skills (and a technical understanding). The project manager does
not need to be an award-winning writer or designer, nor does one need to be a programmer,
signage fabricator or printing press operator. But he or she needs to have a strong understanding
of all of the roles in the process, particularly those most related to the skills of the core team.
And it helps to have direct experience in these areas, even if it is minimal. If the project manager
does not have a strong design sensibility or is unable to communicate, he or she will not be able
to judge the success of the project in meeting its objectives.
• Be able to facilitate. Facilitation is an entire discipline in itself, but project managers
should have some training in this area. Skills developed in facilitation include leading meetings,
negotiating conflicts, building teams and group dynamics, and enabling creative thought
processes—all of which are necessary for a strong project manager and team leader. And a
strong team leader and facilitator can also train other project team members in this discipline,
increasing opportunities for leadership throughout your firm.
Problem solved?
Hiring a project manager will not solve all of your firm’s management issues. But allowing for
leadership of your projects and your firm’s work will enable smoother processes and better
workflow, and encourage leadership within your organization.
Finding the right team, giving appropriate direction and managing the working environment—
while maintaining a strategic focus and staying on top of deadlines and deliverables—are all part
of a project manager’s role. It’s a challenging task for the right individual. But if you can find
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someone who loves it, you can build your firm’s business and improve the quality of your work.
Hopefully you’ll have more fun doing it, too.
Project Manager’s Role
Leadership
Organization
Communication
Finance
Technical savvy
Politicking
Team building
Praising
Punishing
Others
POME LIGHTER VEI%:
Project Managers are a fortunate lot, for, as everyone knows, a project manager
has nothing to do; that is, except...
• To decide what is to be done;
• to tell somebody to do it;
• to listen to reasons why it should not be done,
• why it should be done by somebody else,
• or why it should be done in a different way;
• and to prepare arguments in rebuttal that shall be convincing and
conclusive.
And then:
• To follow up to see if the thing has been done;
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• to discover that it has not been done;
• to enquire why it has not been done;
• to listen to excuses from the person who did not do it;
• and to think up arguments to overcome the excuses.
And then:
• To follow up a second time to see if the thing has been done;
• to discover that is has been done incorrectly;
• to point out how it shall be done;
• to conclude that as long as it has been done it might as well be left as it is;
• to wonder if it is not time to get rid of the person who cannot do a thing
correctly;
• to reflect that in all probability any successor would be just as bad, or
worse.
And finally:
• To consider how much more simply and better the thing would have been
done had he done it himself in the first place;
• to reflect satisfactorily that if he had done it himself he would have been
able to do it right in 20 minutes and that as things turned out, he himself spent two
days trying to find out why it is that it has taken somebody else three weeks to do it
wrong.
• To realise that such an idea would have a very demoralising effect on the
project team, because it would strike at the very foundation of the belief of all
employees that a project manager has nothing to do.
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“Examine yourself, watch yourself,
handle yourself well in front of others. Especially in Projects.”
“Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses in Projects:

Be a winner, build yourself and your reality.”
“The most important relationship you can have;

is the one you have with yourself.”
It is not what happens to us,

it's the way we choose to handle life that makes the difference.
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© 2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved
SELECTING THE
PROJECT
MANAGER- AN
EXECUTIVE
DECISION
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Selecting the Project Manager: an executive decision
Probably the most difficult decision facing upper-level management is the selection of project
managers. Some managers work best on long-duration projects where decision making can be slow;
others may thrive on short-duration projects that can result in a constant-pressure environment. A
director was asked whom he would choose for a key project manager position—an individual who had
been a project manager on previous programs in which there were severe problems and cost overruns,
or a new aggressive individual who might have the capability to be a good project manager but had
never had the opportunity. The director responded that he would go with the seasoned veteran
assuming that the previous mistakes would not be made again. The argument here is that the project
manager must learn from his own mistakes so they will not be made again. The new individual is apt
to make the same mistakes the veteran made. However, this may limit career path opportunities for
younger personnel. George Gautam has commented on the importance of experience:
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Though the project manager's previous experience is apt to have been confined to a single functional
area of business, he must be able to function on the project as a kind of general manager in miniature.
He must not only keep track of what is happening but also play the crucial role of advocate for the
project. Even for a seasoned manager, this task is not likely to be easy. Hence, it is important to
assign an individual whose administrative abilities and skills in personal relations have been
convincingly demonstrated under fire.
The selection process for project managers is not easy. Five basic questions must be considered:
What are the internal and external sources?
How do we select?
How do we provide career development in project management?
How can we develop project management skills?
How do we evaluate project management performance?
Project management cannot succeed unless a good project manager is at the controls. It is far more
likely that project managers will succeed if it is obvious to the subordinates that the general manager
has appointed them. Usually, a brief memo to the line managers will suffice. The major responsibilities
of the project manager include:
To produce the end-item with the available resources and within the constraints of time, cost,
and performance/technology
To meet contractual profit objectives
To make all required decisions whether they be for alternatives or termination
To act as the customer (external) and upper-level and functional management (internal)
communications focal point
To "negotiate" with all functional disciplines for accomplishment of the necessary work
packages within the constraints of time, cost, and performance/technology
To resolve all conflicts
So far we have discussed the personal characteristics of the project manager. There are also job-
related questions to consider, such as:
Are feasibility and economic analyses necessary?
Is complex technical expertise required? If so, is it within the individual's capabilities?
If the individual is lacking expertise, will there be sufficient backup strength in the line
organizations?
Is this the company's or the individual's first exposure to this type of project and/or client? If
so, what are the risks to be considered?
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What is the priority for this project, and what are the risks?
With whom must the project manager interface, both inside and outside the organization?
Most good project managers know how to perform feasibility studies and cost-benefit analyses.
Sometimes these studies create organizational conflict. A major utility company begins each computer
project with a feasibility study in which a cost-benefit analysis is performed. The project managers, all
of whom report to a project management division, perform the study themselves without any direct
functional support. The functional managers argue that the results are grossly inaccurate because the
functional experts are not involved. The project managers, on the other hand, argue that they never
have sufficient time or money to perform a complete analysis. Some companies resolve this by having
a special group perform these studies.
If these responsibilities were applied to the total organization, they might reflect the job description of
the general manager. This analogy between project and general managers is one of the reasons why
future general managers are asked to perform functions that are implied, rather than spelled out, in
the job description. As an example, you are the project manager on a high-technology project. As the
project winds down, an executive asks you to write a paper so that he can present it at a technical
meeting in Tokyo. His name will appear first on the paper. Should this be a part of your job? As this
author sees it, you really don't have much of a choice.
In order for project managers to fulfill their responsibilities successfully, they are constantly required
to demonstrate their skills in interface, resource, and planning and control management. These implicit
responsibilities are shown below:
Interface Management
o Product interfaces
• Performance of parts or subsections
• Physical connection of parts or subsections
o Project interfaces
o Customer
o Management (functional and upper-level)
o Change of responsibilities
o Information flow
o Material interfaces (inventory control)
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Resource Management
o Time (schedule)
o Manpower
o Money
o Facilities
o Equipment
o Material
o Information/technology
Planning and Control Management
o Increased equipment utilization
o Increased performance efficiency
o Reduced risks
o Identification of alternatives to problems
o Identification of alternative resolutions to conflicts
Most companies would prefer to find project managers from within. Unfortunately, this is easier said
than done. The following remarks by Robert Fluor illustrate this point:
On-the-job training is probably the most important aspect in the development of a project manager.
This includes assignments to progressively more responsible positions in engineering and construction
management and project management. It also includes rotational assignments in several engineering
department disciplines, in technical, procurement, cost and scheduling, contract administration, and
others… . We find there are great advantages to developing our project managers from within the
company. There are good reasons for this:
They know the corporate organization, policies, procedures, and the key people. This allows
them to give us quality performance quicker.
They have an established performance record which allows us to place them at the maximum
level of responsibility and authority.
Clients prefer a proven track record within the project manager's present organization.
There are also good reasons for recruiting from outside the company. A new project manager hired
from the outside would be less likely to have strong informal ties to any one line organization and thus
could be impartial. Some companies further require that the individual spend an apprenticeship period
of twelve to eighteen months in a line organization to find out how the company functions, to become
acquainted with the people, and to understand the company's policies and procedures.
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One of the most important but often least understood characteristics of good project managers is the
ability to know their own strengths and weaknesses and those of their employees. Managers must
understand that in order for employees to perform efficiently:
They must know what they are supposed to do.
They must have a clear understanding of authority and its limits.
They must know what their relationship with other people is.
They should know what constitutes a job well done in terms of specific results.
They should know where and when they are falling short.
They must be made aware of what can and should be done to correct unsatisfactory results.
They must feel that their superior has an interest in them as individuals.
They must feel that their superior believes in them and wants them to succeed.
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THE PROJECT
MANAGER-LINE
MANAGER
INTERFACE
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The project manager–line manager interface
We have stated that the project manager must control company resources within time, cost, and
performance. Most companies have six resources:
Money
Manpower
Equipment
Facilities
Materials
Information/technology
Actually, the project manager does not control any of these resources directly, except perhaps money
(i.e., the project budget). Resources are controlled by the line managers, functional managers, or, as
they are often called, resources managers. Project managers must, therefore, negotiate with line
managers for all project resources. When we say that project managers control project resources, we
really mean that they control those resources (which are temporarily loaned to them) through line
managers.
It should become obvious at this point that successful project management is strongly dependent on:
A good daily working relationship between the project manager and those line managers who
directly assign resources to projects
The ability of functional employees to report vertically to line managers at the same time that
they report horizontally to one or more project managers
These two items become critical. In the first item, functional employees who are assigned to a project
manager still take technical direction from their line managers. Second, employees who report to
multiple managers will always favor the manager who controls their purse strings. Thus, most project
managers appear always to be at the mercy of the line managers.
Classical management has often been defined as a process in which the manager does not necessarily
perform things for himself, but accomplishes objectives through others in a group situation. This basic
definition also applies to the project manager. In addition, a project manager must help himself. There
is nobody else to help him.
If we take a close look at project management, we will see that the project manager actually works for
the line managers, not vice versa. Many executives do not realize this. They have a tendency to put a
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halo around the head of the project manager and give him a bonus at project termination, when, in
fact, the credit should go to the line managers, who are continually pressured to make better use of
their resources. The project manager is simply the agent through whom this is accomplished. So why
do some companies glorify the project management position?
To illustrate the role of the project manager, consider the time, cost, and performance constraints.
Many functional managers, if left alone, would recognize only the performance constraint: "Just give
me another $50,000 and two more months, and I'll give you the ideal technology."
The project manager, as part of these communicating, coordinating, and integrating responsibilities,
reminds the line managers that there are also time and cost constraints on the project. This is the
starting point for better resource control.
Project managers depend on line managers. When the project manager gets in trouble, the only place
he can go is to the line manager because additional resources are almost always required to alleviate
the problems. When a line manager gets in trouble, he usually goes first to the project manager and
requests either additional funding or some type of authorization for scope changes.
To illustrate this working relationship between the project and line managers, consider the following
situation:
Project Manager (addressing the line manager): "I have a serious problem. I'm looking at a $150,000
cost overrun on my project and I need your help. I'd like you to do the same amount of work that you
are currently scheduled for but in 3,000 fewer man-hours. Since your organization is burdened at
$60/hour, this would more than compensate for the cost overrun."
Line Manager: "Even if I could, why should I? You know that good line managers can always make
work expand to meet budget. I'll look over my manpower curves and let you know tomorrow."
The following day …
Line Manager: "I've looked over my manpower curves and I have enough work to keep my people
employed. I'll give you back the 3,000 hours you need, but remember, you owe me one!"
Several months later …
Line Manager: "I've just seen the planning for your new project that's supposed to start two months
from now. You'll need two people from my department. There are two employees that I'd like to use
on your project. Unfortunately, these two people are available now. If I don't pick these people up on
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your charge number right now, some other project might pick them up in the interim period, and they
won't be available when your project starts."
Project Manager: "What you're saying is that you want me to let you sandbag against one of my
charge numbers, knowing that I really don't need them."
Line Manager: "That's right. I'll try to find other jobs (and charge numbers) for them to work on
temporarily so that your project won't be completely burdened. Remember, you owe me one."
Project Manager: "O.K. I know that I owe you one, so I'll do this for you. Does this make us even?"
Line Manager: "Not at all! But you're going in the right direction."
When the project management–line management relationship begins to deteriorate, the project almost
always suffers. Executives must promote a good working relationship between line and project
management. One of the most common ways of destroying this relationship is by asking, "Who
contributes to profits—the line or project manager?" Project managers feel that they control all project
profits because they control the budget. The line managers, on the other hand, argue that they must
staff with appropriately budgeted-for personnel, supply the resources at the desired time, and
supervise performance. Actually, both the vertical and horizontal lines contribute to profits. These
types of conflicts can destroy the entire project management system.
The previous examples should indicate that project management is more behavioral than quantitative.
Effective project management requires an understanding of:
Quantitative tools and techniques
Organizational structures
Organizational behavior
Most people understand the quantitative tools for planning, scheduling, and controlling work. It is
imperative that project managers understand totally the operations of each line organization. In
addition, project managers must understand their own job description, especially where their authority
begins and ends. During an in-house seminar on engineering project management, the author asked
one of the project engineers to provide a description of his job as a project engineer. During the
discussion that followed, several project managers and line managers said that there was a great deal
of overlap between their job descriptions and that of the project engineer.
Organizational behavior is important because the functional employees at the interface position
find themselves reporting to more than one boss—a line manager and one project manager for
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each project they are assigned to. Executives must provide proper training so functional
employees can report effectively to multiple managers.
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THE FUNCTIONAL
MANAGER’S
ROLE
138
The functional manager's role
Assuming that the project and functional managers are not the same person, we can identify a specific
role for the functional manager. There are three elements to this role:
The functional manager has the responsibility to define how the task will be done and where the
task will be done (i.e., the technical criteria).
The functional manager has the responsibility to provide sufficient resources to accomplish the
objective within the project's constraints (i.e., who will get the job done).
The functional manager has the responsibility for the deliverable.
In other words, once the project manager identifies the requirements for the project (i.e., what work
has to be done and the constraints), it becomes the line manager's responsibility to identify the
technical criteria. Except perhaps in R&D efforts, the line manager should be the recognized technical
expert. If the line manager believes that certain technical portions of the project manager's
requirements are unsound, then the line manager has the right, by virtue of his expertise, to take
exception and plead his case to a higher authority.
The project manager has the right to request specific staff, but the final appointments rest with line
managers. It helps if project managers understand the line manager's problems:
Unlimited work requests (especially during competitive bidding)
Predetermined deadlines
All requests having a high priority
Limited number of resources
Limited availability of resources
Unscheduled changes in the project plan
Unpredicted lack of progress
Unplanned absence of resources
Unplanned breakdown of resources
Unplanned loss of resources
Unplanned turnover of personnel
Only in a very few industries will the line manager be able to identify to the project manager in
advance exactly what resources will be available when the project is scheduled to begin. It is not
important for the project manager to have the best available resources. Functional managers should
not commit to certain people's availability. Rather, the functional manager should commit to achieving
his portion of the objective within time, cost, and performance even if he has to use average or below-
average personnel. If the project manager is unhappy with the assigned functional resources, then the
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project manager should closely track that portion of the project. Only if and when the project manager
is convinced by the evidence that the assigned resources are unacceptable should he confront the line
manager and demand better resources.
The fact that a project manager is assigned does not relieve the line manager of his functional
responsibility to perform. If a functional manager assigns resources such that the constraints are not
met, then both the project and functional managers will be blamed. One company is even considering
evaluating line managers for merit increases and promotion based on how often they have lived up to
their commitments to the project managers. Therefore, it is extremely valuable to everyone concerned
to have all project commitments made visible to all.
Some companies carry the concept of commitments to extremes. An aircraft components manufacturer
has a Commitment Department headed by a second-level manager. The function of the Commitment
Department is to track how well the line managers keep their promises to the project managers. The
department manager reports directly to the vice president of the division. In this company, line
managers are extremely careful and cautious in making commitments, but do everything possible to
meet deliverables. This same company has gone so far as to tell both project and line personnel that
they run the risk of being discharged from the company for burying a problem rather than bringing the
problem to the surface immediately.
Project management is designed to have shared authority and responsibility between the project and
line managers. Project managers plan, monitor, and control the project, whereas functional managers
perform the work. The below Table shows this shared responsibility. The one exception to the below
Table occurs when the project and line managers are the same person. This situation, which happens
more often than not, creates a conflict of interest. If a line manager has to assign resources to six
projects, one of which is under his direct control, he might save the best resources for his project. In
this case, his project will be a success at the expense of all of the other projects.
Table: DUAL RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility
Topic Project Manager Line Manager
Rewards Give recommendation: Informal Provide rewards: Formal
Direction Milestone (summary) Detailed
Evaluation Summary Detailed
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Table: DUAL RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility
Topic Project Manager Line Manager
Measurement Summary Detailed
Control Summary Detailed
The exact relationship between project and line managers is of paramount importance in project
management where multiple-boss reporting prevails. The below Table shows that the relationship
between project and line managers is not always in balance and thus, of course, has a bearing on who
exerts more influence over the assigned functional employees.
Table: REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Project Manager (PM)/Line Manager (LM)/Employee
Relationship
Employees PM
Take Receives Employee
Type of Type of PM Technical Functional Performance
Project Matrix Negotiates Direction Progress Evaluations
Manager Structure For From From Made By
Lightweight Weak Deliverables LMs Primarily LMs LMs only with
no input from
PM
Heavyweight Strong People who PM and LMs Assigned LMs with input
report employees from PM
informally to who report
PM but to LMs
formally to
LMs
Tiger teams Very People who PM only Assigned PM only
strong report employees
entirely to PM who now
full-time for report
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Table: REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
Project Manager (PM)/Line Manager (LM)/Employee
Relationship
Employees PM
Take Receives Employee
Type of Type of PM Technical Functional Performance
Project Matrix Negotiates Direction Progress Evaluations
Manager Structure For From From Made By
duration of directly to
project PM
Once the line managers commit to the deliverables, it is the responsibility of the assigned functional
employees to achieve the functional deliverables. For years the functional employees were called
subordinates. Although this term still exists in textbooks, industry prefers to regard the assigned
employees as "associates" rather than subordinates. The reason for this is that in project management
the associates can be a higher pay grade than the project manager. The associates can even be a
higher pay grade than their functional manager.
In most organizations, the assigned employees report on a "solid" line to their functional manager,
even though they may be working on several projects simultaneously. The employees are usually a
"dotted" line to the project but solid to their function. This places the employees in the often awkward
position of reporting to multiple individuals. This situation is further complicated when the project
manager has more technical knowledge than the line manager. This occurs during R&D projects.
The functional employee is expected to accomplish the following activities when assigned to projects:
Accept responsibility for accomplishing the assigned deliverables within the project's constraints
Complete the work at the earliest possible time
Periodically inform both the project and line manager of the project's status
Bring problems to the surface quickly for resolution
Share information with the rest of the project team
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The project team consists of the project manager, the project office (whose members may or may not
report directly to the project manager), and the functional or interface members (who must report
horizontally as well as vertically for information flow). Functional team members are often shown on
organizational charts as project office team members. This is normally done to satisfy customer
requirements.
Upper-level management can have an input into the selection process for functional team members
but should not take an active role unless the project and functional managers cannot agree. Functional
management must be represented at all staffing meetings because functional staffing is directly
dependent on project requirements and because:
Functional managers generally have more expertise and can identify high-risk areas.
Functional managers must develop a positive attitude toward project success. This is best
achieved by inviting their participation in the early activities of the planning phase.
Functional team members are not always full-time. They can be full-time or part-time for either the
duration of the project or only specific phases.
The selection process for both the functional team member and the project office must include
evaluation of any special requirements. The most common special requirements develop from:
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Changes in technical specifications
Special customer requests
Organizational restructuring because of deviations from existing policies
Compatibility with the customer's project office
A typical project office may include between ten and thirty members, whereas the total project team
may be in excess of a hundred people, causing information to be shared slowly. For large projects, it is
desirable to have a full-time functional representative from each major division or department
assigned permanently to the project, and perhaps even to the project office. Such representation
might include:
Program management
Project engineering
Engineering operations
Manufacturing operations
Procurement
Quality control
Cost accounting
Publications
Marketing
Sales
Contracts
Both the project manager and team members must understand fully the responsibilities and functions
of each other team member so that total integration can be achieved rapidly and effectively. On high-
technology programs the chief project engineer assumes the role of deputy project manager. Project
managers must understand the problems that the line managers have when selecting and assigning
the project staff. Line managers try to staff with people who understand the need for teamwork.
When employees are attached to a project, the project manager must identify the "star" employees.
These are the employees who are vital for the success of the project and who can either make or
break the project manager. Most of the time, star employees are found in the line organization, not
the project office.
As a final point, project managers can assign line employees added responsibilities within the scope of
the project. If the added responsibilities can result in upgrading, then the project manager should
consult with the line manager before such situations are initiated. Quite often, line managers (or even
personnel representatives) send "check" people into the projects to verify that employees are
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performing at their proper pay grade. This is very important when working with blue-collar workers
who, by union contractual agreements, must be paid at the grade level at which they are performing.
Also, project managers must be willing to surrender resources when they are no longer required. If the
project manager constantly cries wolf in a situation where a problem really does not exist, the line
manager will simply pull away the resources (this is the line manager's right), and a deteriorating
working relationship will result.
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ORGANIZING
SUCESSFUL
PROJECT TEAM
146
Organizing Successful Project Teams
WE CAN CHANGE / SUCCEED
NAME WHAT WAS HE? WHAT DID HE BECOME?
ALBERT ORDINARY PATENT CLERK WORLD FAMOUS
EINSTEIN SCIENTIST
ABRAHAM POOR FARMER’S SON PRESIDENT OF
LINCOLN AMERICA
GOLDAMEIR AVERAGE SCHOOL PRIME MINISTER OF
TEACHER ISRAEL
FRANKLIN. D SICK AND BOTH LEGS PRESIDENT OF
ROOSEVELT PARALYSED AMERICA
HOMER BLIND GREATEST GREEK
WRITER
HELEN KELLER BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB RENOWNED WRITER
DEMOSTHENES NERVOUS STAMMERER WELL KNOWN GREEK
ORATOR
BEETHOVEN DEAF RENOWNED MUSIC
COMPOSER
THOMAS EDISON MATRICULATE GREATEST INVENTOR
147
WE CAN CHANGE / SUCCEED
NAME WHAT WAS HE/SHE? WHAT DID HE BECOME?
M.S. OBEROI SIMPLE CLERK ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CHAIN HOTEL
OWNER IN THE WORLD
K.K. PATEL SON OF AN ORDINARY LARGEST SELLER OF
FARMER WASHING POWDER
(NIRMA BRAND, Rs 1,200
CRORES TURNOVER)
TOPIWALA MATRICULATE WITH INITIAL NOW SELLS RS. 5 CRORE
INVESTMENT OF Rs 100 WORTH SHINGAR BINDI
PER YEAR
MALATHI HOLLA POLIO STRIKEN (25 GOT 150 GOLD MEDALS
SURGERIES DONE) IN DISC THROW, ETC.
SHARD KUMAR 2 HEART ATTACKS; CRIPPLED PERFORMED 45,000
DEEKSHIT IN LOWER SIDE OF THE BODY; SURGERIES FREE OF
VOCAL CORDS REMOVED COST
C.N. JANAKI BOTH LEGS POLIO FAMOUS SWIMMER,
MENTIONED IN BOOK
‘SPECIAL PEOPLE’ BY
OXFORD UNIVERSITY
Project teams are formed for a single and specific purpose - to complete assigned projects according to
plan and budget. The project team is a working unit of individual parts, sharing a common goal,
achieved through the structured application of combined skills. Unity of purpose is essential to success,
but team unity is not a given. Teams start off as a unit, but once the work begins, the individual
"parts" have minds of their own. And, in fact, individuality and creativity is a key component of the
team dynamic. The first step to team success begins with initial organization: to assemble and
organize available resources capable of working together as a whole through the integration of
individual skills, talents and personalities.
Organizational Planning: The Resource Pool Analysis
• What types of resources are needed?
• What resources are available?
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• How can these resources be organized to maximize unity of purpose, while leveraging
specialized skills and personal creativity?
What types of resources are needed?
Resource requirements will depend largely on the project characteristics and the skills needed for
planning, execution and implementation. The team approach to project delivery is the norm due to
the diversity of business, management and technical skills required to complete most projects. As
such, project size, scope, visibility, complexity, cost and risk variants will determine the number of
resources required, and the related skills.
Depending on the needs and characteristics of the project at hand, resources must be selected
according to the following skill requirements:
• Management Requirements
• Business Analysis Requirements
• Planning Requirements
• Technical Requirements (Design, Testing & Implementation)
• Training Requirements
• Administrative Requirements
• Communication Requirements
• Leadership Requirements
• Customer Service Requirements
Is Your Project Team Ready? and Assigning Project Roles and Responsibilities.
What resources are available?
Every project manager would like to believe that the "sky is the limit" where project resources are
concerned, but realities usually prevail. In most cases, the pool of available resources is limited by
finances, skills and organizational boundaries. So the challenge is clear - to balance requirements
against available resources to form the most effective team possible.
The Resource Pool Analysis:
• Source: Does your available resource pool contain internal resources (permanent employees)
and/or external resources (temps, vendors, consultants and contractors)?
• Organizational Reach: Does your resource pool come from a single organizational unit or will
organizational boundaries be crossed?
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• Commitment: What percentage of the current resource pool is available on a full-time basis
and/or part-time basis?
• Overlap: What percentage of the available resource pool can fill multiple roles and perform
varied responsibilities?
• Ad-hoc Availability: To what extent can resources be pulled into the project as needed to meet
targeted short term needs? (i.e. expertise contributors who are not officially assigned to the project
team).
As the project team is organized, these four variables will determine overall team composition
considering:
• The use of external resources. i.e. Can you hire contractors, temps and consultants, and if so,
will this help you get the project done on time and on budget?
• The need to reach out to other organizational units to complete the project. i.e. Do you need to
cross organizational boundaries to get this project done? If so, what are the organizational
implications? How will resource conflicts be resolved?
• The need to allocate resources based on full-time availability, part-time availability, and multi-
role overlay (one person having multiple responsibilities). i.e. Do you need a full-time, dedicated
project team? Can resources handle multiple assignments without damaging burn-out?
• The use of specialized resources, available for interim, ad-hoc project work without official
assignment to the project team. i.e. Do you have access to specialized skills? Can the project be
managed with a core team and ad-hoc assignments as needed?
How can these resources be organized to maximize unity of purpose, while leveraging
specialized skills and personal creativity?
In order to increase the likelihood of project success, project teams must be organized to achieve the
following goals:
• To produce the required deliverables according to plan.
• To use structured communication mechanisms (meetings, status reports and related practices)
to promote information flow, informed consent, decision escalation, and problem resolution.
• To cooperate and collaborate, treating all team members with courtesy and respect.
• To follow assigned work responsibilities, minimizing redundancies, and leveraging
complementary skills.
• To promote a positive work environments designed to encourage an open exchange of ideas,
dissent and feedback.
It's time to put the team together.....
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Step 1: Pick a model. Project team structure should mirror project structure. In small projects, with
limited resources, the project structure might follow a simple linear model, where all resources report
to a single project manager, and individual responsibilities are assigned to team members as needed.
In a larger, more complex project environment, the team can be structured as a complex model of
levels and branches, reflecting major work components and functional responsibilities. Consider the
following example:
"Work Components + Project/Process Deliverables = Workgroups":
• Business Requirements Workgroup: responsible for requirements planning, business case
analysis and customer interface.
• Planning and Administration Workgroup: responsible for project planning and
administrative activities.
• Finance Workgroup: responsible for project finances and budget management.
• Technical Design Workgroup: responsible for the design of project deliverables.
• Technical Testing Workgroup: responsible for deliverables testing.
• Implementation Workgroup: responsible for deliverables implementation.
• Documentation Workgroup: responsible for documentation deliverables.
Step 2: Lay out the organization based on reporting relationships. Once the organizational model is
selected, management levels and reporting relationships must be identified. The structure and
resulting chain of command is essential to project success, ensuring that information flows both top-
down and bottom-up, providing a clear path to decisions and approvals.
Questions to Consider: How many management levels are needed to ensure that this project is
completed on time and on budget?
• Committee Management Level: Will there be a steering committee?
• Executive Management Level: Will there be project director?
• Advisory Management Level: Will there be any advisory groups to guide the project?
• Project Management Level: What skills and responsibilities are needed to provide day-to-day
management of all project team workgroups?
• Team Leader Level: What skills and responsibilities are required to provide ground level, hands-
on leadership of individual team workgroups?
• Stakeholder Relationships: How will the project team interact with the project sponsor and
customers on a management level (project direction, approvals and decision making)?
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Reporting Relationships:
Obviously, reporting relationships will flow directly from the identified management levels .... the team
leaders report to the project manager, the project manager reports to the project director, and so on.
But, in the project environment, reporting relationships are more than just lines on an organization
chart. Based on the available resource pool, project reporting relationships can be compromised by
organizational reporting relationships. When project resources are "borrowed" from varied
organizational units, dual reporting relationships exist, and inevitably, conflicts will arise. Does the
staff resource answer to the project manager or the line manager? In a conflict, does the project have
priority? Undefined reporting relationships can diminish team effectiveness. To avoid this fate, the
following guidelines should prevail:
a. Resources should report to the project manager/team leader for the time they are assigned to
the project.
b. Work priorities should be identified to allow the staff resource to act with an appropriate degree
of independence.
c. Performance evaluations should be completed by the project manager/team leader. Said
evaluations should be incorporated into the employees overall performance evaluation.
d. Assignment duration should be negotiated with the line manager before work begins.
e. Conflicts should be resolved between the project manager and the line manager.
Step 3: Pick your people and allocate to the model according the following variables:
• Role (Committee, Advisory, Management, Team Leader, or Team Member)
• Workgroup Assignment
• Source (Internal or External)
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• Availability (Full or Part Time) Note: Single individuals may appear in more than one
workgroup assignment depending upon availability and overlap).
Step 4: Prepare a Team Mission Statement with Project Charter of stake holder list. The team mission
statement can be used to document team structure, purpose and objective. It is the foundation upon
which the team will operate, providing a common basis for continued action. (see the Project Team
Mission Statement Template)
We have mentioned two important facts concerning the project management staffing process:
The individual who aspires to become a project manager must be willing to give up technical
expertise and become a generalist.
Individuals can be qualified to be promoted vertically but not horizontally.
Once an employee has demonstrated the necessary attributes to be a good project manager, there are
three ways the individual can become a project manager or part of the project office. The executive
can:
Promote the individual in salary and grade and transfer him into project management.
Laterally transfer the individual into project management without any salary or grade increase.
If, after three to six months, the employee demonstrates that he can perform, he will receive an
appropriate salary and grade increase.
Give the employee a small salary increase without any grade increase or a grade increase
without any salary increase, with the stipulation that additional awards will be forthcoming after
the observation period, assuming that the employee can handle the position.
Many executives believe in the philosophy that once an individual enters the world of project
management, there are only two places to go: up in the organization or out the door. If an individual is
given a promotion and pay increase and is placed in project management and fails, his salary may not
be compatible with that of his previous line organization, and now there is no place for him to go. Most
executives, and employees, prefer the second method because it actually provides some protection for
the employee.
Many companies don't realize until it is too late that promotions to project management may be based
on a different set of criteria from promotions to line management. Promotions on the horizontal line
are strongly based on communicative skills, whereas line management promotions are based on
technical skills.
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Suggestions for handling the newly formed team
A major problem faced by many project leaders is managing the anxiety that usually develops when a
new team is formed. The anxiety experienced by team members is normal and predictable, but is a
barrier to getting the team quickly focused on the task.
This anxiety may come from several sources. For example, if the team members have never worked
with the project leader, they may be concerned about his leadership style. Some team members may
be concerned about the nature of the project and whether it will match their professional interests and
capabilities, or help or hinder their career aspirations. Further, team members can be highly anxious
about life-style/work-style disruptions. As one project manager remarked, "Moving a team member's
desk from one side of the room to the other can sometimes be just about as traumatic as moving
someone from Chicago to Manila."
Another common concern among newly formed teams is whether there will be an equitable distribution
of the workload among team members and whether each member is capable of pulling his own weight.
In some newly formed teams, members not only must do their own work, but also must train other
team members. Within reason this is bearable, but when it becomes excessive, anxiety increases.
Certain steps taken early in the life of a team can minimize the above problems. First, we recommend
that the project leader talk with each team member one-to-one about the following:
1. What the objectives are for the project.
2. Who will be involved and why.
3. The importance of the project to the overall organization or work unit.
4. Why the team member was selected and assigned to the project. What role he will perform.
5. What rewards might be forthcoming if the project is successfully completed.
6. What problems and constraints are likely to be encountered.
7. The rules of the road that will be followed in managing the project (e.g., regular status review
meetings).
8. What suggestions the team member has for achieving success.
9. What the professional interests of the team member are.
10. What challenge the project will present to individual members and the entire team.
11. Why the team concept is so important to project management success and how it should work.
Dealing with these anxieties and helping team members feel that they are an integral part of the team
can yield rich dividends. First, as noted in the below Figure, team members are more likely to openly
share their ideas and approaches. Second, it is more likely that the team will be able to develop
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effective decision-making processes. Third, the team is likely to develop more effective project control
procedures, including those traditionally used to monitor project performance (PERT/CPM, networking,
work breakdown structures, etc.) and those in which team members give feedback to each other
regarding performance.
Figure: Team-building outcomes.
Team building as an ongoing process
While proper attention to team building is critical during early phases of a project, it is a never-ending
process. The project manager is continually monitoring team functioning and performance to see what
corrective action may be needed to prevent or correct various team problems. Several barometers
(summarized in the below Table) provide good clues of potential team dysfunctioning.
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First, noticeable changes in performance levels for the team and/or for individual team members
should always be investigated. Such changes can be symptomatic of more serious problems (e.g.,
conflict, lack of work integration, communication problems, and unclear objectives).
Second, the project leader and team members must be aware of the changing energy levels of team
members. These changes, too, may signal more serious problems or that the team is tired and
stressed. Sometimes changing the work pace or taking time off can reenergize team members.
Third, verbal and nonverbal clues from team members may be a source of information on team
functioning. It is important to hear the needs and concerns of team members (verbal clues) and to
observe how they act in carrying out their responsibilities (nonverbal clues). Finally, detrimental
behavior of one team member toward another can be a signal that a problem within the team warrants
attention.
Table: EFFECTIVENESS–INEFFECTIVENESS INDICATORS
The Effective Team's Likely
Characteristics The Ineffective Team's Likely Characteristics
High performance and task efficiency Low performance
Innovative/creative behavior Low commitment to project objectives
Commitment Unclear project objectives and fluid
Professional objectives of team commitment levels from key participants
members coincident with project Unproductive gamesmanship, manipulation of
requirements others, hidden feelings, conflict avoidance at all
Team members highly costs
interdependent, interface effectively Confusion, conflict, inefficiency
Capacity for conflict resolution, but Subtle sabotage, fear, disinterest, or foot-
conflict encouraged when it can lead to dragging
beneficial results Cliques, collusion, isolation of members
Effective communication Lethargy/unresponsiveness
High trust levels
Results orientation
Interest in membership
High energy levels and enthusiasm
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Table: EFFECTIVENESS–INEFFECTIVENESS INDICATORS
The Effective Team's Likely
Characteristics The Ineffective Team's Likely Characteristics
High morale
Change orientation
We highly recommend that project leaders hold regular meetings to evaluate overall team
performance and deal with team functioning problems. The focus of these meetings can be directed
toward "what we are doing well as a team" and "what areas need our team's attention." This approach
often brings positive surprises in that the total team is informed of progress in diverse project areas
(e.g., a breakthrough in technology development, a subsystem schedule met ahead of the original
target, or a positive change in the client's behavior toward the project). After the positive issues have
been discussed the review session should focus on actual or potential problem areas. The meeting
leader should ask each team member for his observations and then open the discussion to ascertain
how significant the problems really are. Assumptions should, of course, be separated from the facts of
each situation. Next, assignments should be agreed on for best handling these problems. Finally, a
plan for problem follow-up should be developed. The process should result in better overall
performance and promote a feeling of team participation and high morale.
Team Contract sample Format:
Team Contract
Project Name:
Project Team Members Names and Sign-off:
Name Sign-off on Team Contract
Code of Conduct: As a project team, we will:
•
•
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•
Participation: We will:
•
•
•
Communication: We will:
•
•
•
Problem Solving: We will:
•
•
•
Meeting Guidelines: We will:
•
•
•
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SELECTING THE
WRONG
PROJECT
MANAGER
159
Selecting the wrong project manager
Even though executives know the personal characteristics and traits that project managers should
possess, and even though job descriptions are often clearly defined, management may still select the
wrong person because they base their decision on the following criteria.
Maturity
Some executives consider gray hair to be a sure indication of maturity, but this is not the type of
maturity needed for project management. Maturity in project management generally comes from
exposure to several types of projects in a variety of project office positions. In aerospace and defense,
it is possible for a project manager to manage the same type of project for ten years or more. When
placed on a new project, the individual may try to force personnel and project requirements to adhere
to the same policies and procedures that existed on the ten-year project. The project manager may
know only one way of managing projects.
Hard-Nosed Tactics
Applying hard-nosed tactics to subordinates can be very demoralizing. Project managers must give
people sufficient freedom to get the job done, without providing continuous supervision and direction.
A line employee who is given "freedom" by his line manager but suddenly finds himself closely
supervised by the project manager will be very unhappy.
Line managers, because of their ability to control an employee's salary, need only one leadership style
and can force the employees to adapt. The project manager, on the other hand, cannot control salaries
and must have a wide variety of leadership styles. The project manager must adapt a leadership style
to the project employees, whereas the reverse is true in the line organization.
Availability
Executives should not assign individuals as project managers simply because of availability. People
have a tendency to cringe when you suggest that project managers be switched halfway through a
project. For example, manager X is halfway through his project. Manager Y is waiting for an
assignment. A new project comes up, and the executive switches managers X and Y. There are several
reasons for this. The most important phase of a project is planning, and, if it is accomplished correctly,
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the project could conceivably run itself. Therefore, manager Y should be able to handle manager X's
project.
There are several other reasons why this switch may be necessary. The new project may have a higher
priority and require a more experienced manager. Second, not all project managers are equal,
especially when it comes to planning. When an executive finds a project manager who demonstrates
extraordinary talents at planning, there is a natural tendency for the executive to want this project
manager to plan all projects.
Technical Expertise
Executives quite often promote technical line managers without realizing the consequences. Technical
specialists may not be able to divorce themselves from the technical side of the house and become
project managers rather than project doers. There are also strong reasons to promote technical
specialists to project managers. These people often:
Have better relationships with fellow researchers
Can prevent duplication of effort
Can foster teamwork
Have progressed up through the technical ranks
Are knowledgeable in many technical fields
Understand the meaning of profitability and general management philosophy
Are interested in training and teaching
Understand how to work with perfectionists
As described by Taylor and Watling:
It is often the case, therefore, that the Project Manager is more noted for his management technique
expertise, his ability to "get on with people" than for his sheer technical prowess. However, it can be
dangerous to minimize this latter talent when choosing Project Managers dependent upon project type
and size. The Project Manager should preferably be an expert either in the field of the project task or a
subject allied to it.
Promoting an employee to project management because of his technical expertise may be acceptable
if, and only if, the project requires this expertise and technical direction, as in R&D efforts. For projects
in which a "generalist" is acceptable as a project manager, there may be a great danger in assigning
highly technical personnel. According to Wilemon and Cicero:
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The greater the project manager's technical expertise, the higher the propensity that he will
overly involve himself in the technical details of the project.
The greater the project manager's difficulty in delegating technical task responsibilities, the
more likely it is that he will overinvolve himself in the technical details of the project. (Depending
upon his expertise to do so.)
The greater the project manager's interest in the technical details of the project, the more likely
it is that he will defend the project manager's role as one of a technical specialist.
The lower the project manager's technical expertise, the more likely it is that he will overstress
the non technical project functions (administrative functions).
Customer Orientation
Executives quite often place individuals as project managers simply to satisfy a customer request.
Being able to communicate with the customer does not guarantee project success, however. If the
choice of project manager is simply a concession to the customer, then the executive must insist on
providing a strong supporting team.
New Exposure
Executives run the risk of project failure if an individual is appointed project manager simply to gain
exposure to project management. An executive of a utility company wanted to rotate his line
personnel into project management for twelve to eighteen months and then return them to the line
organization where they would be more well-rounded individuals and better understand the working
relationship between project management and line management. There are two major problems with
this. First, the individual may become technically obsolete after eighteen months in project
management. Second, and more important, individuals who get a taste of project management will
generally not want to return to the line organization.
Company Exposure
The mere fact that individuals have worked in a variety of divisions does not guarantee that they will
make good project managers. Their working in a variety of divisions may indicate that they couldn't
hold any one job. In that case, they have reached their true level of incompetency, and putting them
into project management will only maximize the damage they can do to the company. Some
executives contend that the best way to train a project manager is by rotation through the various
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functional disciplines for two weeks to a month in each organization. Other executives maintain that
this is useless because the individual cannot learn anything in so short a period of time.
Tables below identify current thinking on methods for training project managers.
Table: METHODS AND TECHNIQUES FOR DEVELOPING PROJECT MANAGERS
I. Experiential training/on-the-job
Working with experienced professional leader
Working with project team member
Assigning a variety of project management responsibilities,
consecutively
Job rotation
Formal on-the-job training
Supporting multifunctional activities
Customer liaison activities
II. Conceptual training/schooling
Courses, seminars, workshops
Simulations, games, cases
Group exercises
Hands-on exercises in using project management techniques
Professional meetings
Conventions, symposia
Readings, books, trade journals, professional magazines
III. Organizational development
Formally established and recognized project management function
Proper project organization
Project support systems
Project charter
Project management directives, policies, and procedures
Table: HOW TO TRAIN PROJECT MANAGERS
Company Management Say Project Managers Can Be Trained in a Combination of Ways:
Experiential learning, on-the-job 60%
Formal education and special courses 20%
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Table: HOW TO TRAIN PROJECT MANAGERS
Company Management Say Project Managers Can Be Trained in a Combination of Ways:
Professional activities, seminars 10%
Readings 10%
Finally, there are three special points to consider:
Individuals should not be promoted to project management simply because they are at the top
of their pay grade.
Project managers should be promoted and paid based on performance, not on the number of
people supervised.
It is not necessary for the project manager to be the highest ranking or salaried individual on
the project team with the rationale that sufficient "clout" is needed.
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BARRIERS TO
PROJECT TEAM
DEVELOPMENT
165
Barriers to project team development
FAILURE
Does not mean (X) It means ()
You are a failure You have not yet
succeeded
You have accom- You have learned
plished nothing something
You will never be able You have to do it in a
to do it different way
You are inferior You are not perfect
You have wasted your You have to start afresh
life
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FAILURE
Does not mean (X) It means ()
You should give up You should try very
hard
You will never achieve It takes a little longer
God has abandoned God has a better idea!
you You will get the idea if
you have faith in Him
The understanding of barriers to project team building can help in developing an environment
conducive to effective teamwork. The following barriers to team building were identified and analyzed
in a field study by Thamhain and Wilemon. They are typical for many project environments.
Differing outlooks, priorities, and interests. A major barrier exists when team members have
professional objectives and interests that are different from the project objectives. These problems are
compounded when the team relies on support organizations that have different interests and priorities.
Role conflicts. Team development efforts are thwarted when role conflicts exist among the team
members, such as ambiguity over who does what within the project team and in external support
groups.
Project objectives/outcomes not clear. Unclear project objectives frequently lead to conflict,
ambiguities, and power struggles. It becomes difficult, if not impossible, to define roles and
responsibilities clearly.
167
Dynamic project environments. Many projects operate in a continual state of change. For example,
senior management may keep changing the project scope, objectives, and resource base. In other
situations, regulatory changes or client demands can drastically affect the internal operations of a
project team.
Competition over team leadership. Project leaders frequently indicated that this barrier most likely
occurs in the early phases of a project or if the project runs into severe problems. Obviously, such
cases of leadership challenge can result in barriers to team building. Frequently, these challenges are
covert challenges to the project leader's ability.
Lack of team definition and structure. Many senior managers complain that teamwork is severely
impaired because it lacks clearly defined task responsibilities and reporting structures. We find this
situation is most prevalent in dynamic, organizationally unstructured work environments such as
computer systems and R&D projects. A common pattern is that a support department is charged with
a task but no one leader is clearly delegated the responsibility. As a consequence, some personnel are
working on the project but are not entirely clear on the extent of their responsibilities. In other cases,
problems result when a project is supported by several departments without interdisciplinary
coordination.
Team personnel selection. This barrier develops when personnel feel unfairly treated or threatened
during the staffing of a project. In some cases, project personnel are assigned to a team by functional
managers, and the project manager has little or no input into the selection process. This can impede
team development efforts, especially when the project leader is given available personnel versus the
best, hand-picked team members. The assignment of "available personnel" can result in several
problems (e.g., low motivation levels, discontent, and uncommitted team members). We've found, as
a rule, that the more power the project leader has over the selection of his team members, and the
more negotiated agreement there is over the assigned task, the more likely it is that team-building
efforts will be fruitful.
Credibility of project leader. Team-building efforts are hampered when the project leader suffers
from poor credibility within the team or from other managers. In such cases, team members are often
reluctant to make a commitment to the project or the leader. Credibility problems may come from
poor managerial skills, poor technical judgments, or lack of experience relevant to the project.
Lack of team member commitment. Lack of commitment can have several sources. For example,
the team members having professional interests elsewhere, the feeling of insecurity that is associated
168
with projects, the unclear nature of the rewards that may be forthcoming upon successful completion,
and intense interpersonal conflicts within the team can all lead to lack of commitment.
Lack of team member commitment may result from suspicious attitudes existing between the project
leader and a functional support manager, or between two team members from two warring functional
departments. Finally, low commitment levels are likely to occur when a "star" on a team "demands"
too much effort from other team members or too much attention from the team leader. One team
leader put it this way: "A lot of teams have their prima donnas and you learn to live and function with
them. They can be critical to overall success. But some stars can be so demanding on everyone that
they'll kill the team's motivation."
Communication problems. Not surprisingly, poor communication is a major enemy to effective team
development. Poor communication exists on four major levels: problems of communication among
team members, between the project leader and the team members, between the project team and top
management, and between the project leaders and the client. Often the problem is caused by team
members simply not keeping others informed on key project developments. Yet the "whys" of poor
communication patterns are far more difficult to determine. The problem can result from low
motivation levels, poor morale, or carelessness. It was also discovered that poor communication
patterns between the team and support groups result in severe team-building problems, as does poor
communication with the client. Poor communication practices often lead to unclear objectives and poor
project control, coordination, and work flow.
Lack of senior management support. Project leaders often indicate that senior management
support and commitment is unclear and subject to waxing and waning over the project life cycle. This
behavior can result in an uneasy feeling among team members and lead to low levels of enthusiasm
and project commitment. Two other common problems are that senior management often does not
help set the right environment for the project team at the outset, nor do they give the team timely
feedback on their performance and activities during the life of the project.
Project managers who are successfully performing their role not only recognize these barriers but also
know when in the project life cycle they are most likely to occur. Moreover, these managers take
preventive actions and usually foster a work environment that is conducive to effective teamwork. The
effective team builder is usually a social architect who understands the interaction of organizational
and behavior variables and can foster a climate of active participation and minimal conflict. This
requires carefully developed skills in leadership, administration, organization, and technical expertise
on the project. However, besides the delicately balanced management skills, the project manager's
169
sensitivity to the basic issues underlying each barrier can help to increase success in developing an
effective project team. Specific suggestions for team building are advanced in the below Table.
Table: BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE TEAM BUILDING AND SUGGESTED HANDLING APPROACHES
Suggestions for Effectively Managing Barriers (How to
Barrier Minimize or Eliminate Barriers)
Differing outlooks, priorities, Make effort early in the project life cycle to discover these
interests, and judgments of conflicting differences. Fully explain the scope of the project and
team members the rewards that may be forthcoming on successful project
completion. Sell "team" concept and explain responsibilities. Try to
blend individual interests with the overall project objectives.
Role conflicts As early in a project as feasible, ask team members where they
see themselves fitting into the project. Determine how the overall
project can best be divided into subsystems and subtasks (e.g.,
the work breakdown structure). Assign/negotiate roles. Conduct
regular status review meetings to keep team informed on progress
and watch for unanticipated role conflicts over the project's life.
Project objectives/outcomes Assure that all parties understand the overall and interdisciplinary
not clear project objectives. Clear and frequent communication with senior
management and the client becomes critically important. Status
review meetings can be used for feedback. Finally, a proper team
name can help to reinforce the project objectives.
Dynamic project The major challenge is to stabilize external influences. First, key
environments project personnel must work out an agreement on the principal
project direction and "sell" this direction to the total team. Also
educate senior management and the customer on the detrimental
consequences of unwarranted change. It is critically important to
forecast the "environment" within which the project will be
developed. Develop contingency plans.
Competition over team Senior management must help establish the project manager's
leadership leadership role. On the other hand, the project manager needs to
fulfill the leadership expectations of team members. Clear role and
responsibility definition often minimizes competition over
170
leadership.
Lack of team definition and Project leaders need to sell the team concept to senior
structure management as well as to their team members. Regular meetings
with the team will reinforce the team notion as will clearly defined
tasks, roles, and responsibilities. Also, visibility in memos and
other forms of written media as well as senior management and
client participation can unify the team.
Project personnel selection Attempt to negotiate the project assignments with potential team
members. Clearly discuss with potential team members the
importance of the project, their role in it, what rewards might
result on completion, and the general "rules of the road" of project
management. Finally, if team members remain uninterested in the
project, then replacement should be considered.
Credibility of project leader Credibility of the project leader among team members is crucial. It
grows with the image of a sound decision-maker in both general
management and relevant technical expertise. Credibility can be
enhanced by the project leader's relationship to other key
managers who support the team's efforts.
Lack of team member Try to determine lack of team member commitment early in the
commitment life of the project and attempt to change possible negative views
toward the project. Often, insecurity is a major reason for the lack
of commitment; try to determine why insecurity exists, then work
on reducing the team members' fears. Conflicts with other team
members may be another reason for lack of commitment. It is
important for the project leader to intervene and mediate the
conflict quickly. Finally, if a team member's professional interests
lie elsewhere, the project leader should examine ways to satisfy
part of the team member's interests or consider replacement.
Communication problems The project leader should devote considerable time communicating
171
with individual team members about their needs and concerns. In
addition, the leader should provide a vehicle for timely sessions to
encourage communications among the individual team
contributors. Tools for enhancing communications are status
meetings, reviews, schedules, reporting system, and colocation.
Similarly, the project leader should establish regular and thorough
communications with the client and senior management. Emphasis
is placed on written and oral communications with key issues and
agreements in writing.
Lack of senior management Senior management support is an absolute necessity for dealing
support effectively with interface groups and proper resource commitment.
Therefore, a major goal for project leaders is to maintain the
continued interest and commitment of senior management in their
projects. We suggest that senior management become an integral
part of project reviews. Equally important, it is critical for senior
management to provide the proper environment for the project to
function effectively. Here the project leader needs to tell
management at the onset of the program what resources are
needed. The project manager's relationship with senior
management and ability to develop senior management support is
critically affected by his own credibility and the visibility and
priority of his project.
172
PROJECT
MANAGER
CAPABILITY
ASSESSMENT
173
Project Manager Capability Assessment:
“Good Project Managers are willing to pay the price of achievement. Overcoming the negative is the
price of achievement, the price of greatness.”
The Problem with assessing Project Management Capability:
Measuring Project Management capability has been a difficult exercise. Traditional measures have been
based on project management metrics such as:
• Projects completed on time and budget
• Function point productivity
• User satisfaction
• Methodologies
• Principles and Policies
• Roles, responsibilities, and authority level
The other alternative is to have an expensive consulting house review your practices and give you a
report on project statistics you probably already know. There is usually no money left to do anything
after you pay the consulting bill for the project management assessment.
The Solution - How to assess Project Management Capability:
174
Highly responsive, customer focused company that fulfilled our needs in a timely and very professional
manner. The survey, analysis, and report were delivered as expected and provided us with insights
into where our organization can benefit from additional project management training. I highly
recommend them!
The first decision is what to measure against. What is best practice? What project management
metrics? Fortunately, the answer is relatively straight forward. The POME used Project Management
Institute PMBOK, RUP, and ISO Guidelines for making a clear structure for successful project
management.
Each of these is broken down into major areas to bring a more components that make up
successful project management. By measuring against these areas, you can develop a
quantitative map of you PM capability.
How to assess Project Management Capability:
In conjunction with a market research specialist, POME have developed a questionnaire that will
provide the answers. The questionnaire is directed at people who have participated in a project in the
last 12 months. Its better to distribute via email the questionnaire, collect the answers, and provide a
report that benchmarks your capability in 9 major PMBOK, and other POME categories. It also provides
guidance as to the steps you might take to improve performance.
Benefits of a Project Management Assessment:
• You get a map of your organization’s project management strengths and weaknesses
• You can focus on quick wins to improve productivity
• Serious shortcomings are identified and can be targeted with major programs
• Repeating the survey after a period measures improvement
• As Project Manager, you can present numerical data to show the work required and results
achieved.
The project Director/ Project Sponsor will assess based upon the competencies of the Project Manager,
and would get an idea for the formal training recommendations, and to be in line with the agreed
formal practices and procedures.
Score POME Rating POME Definition
175
Has no demonstrated experience or knowledge/skill. (or
0 None not required for current responsibilities)
Demonstrates knowledge of fundamentals (Basic
1 Basic knowledge/skill).
Demonstrates knowledge of core competencies (Is capable
2 intermediate of explaining the fundamentals to others).
Mastered core competencies. Application of
3 Advanced knowledge/skill in complex situations. Can teach others.
4 Masters Achieved Documented certification
Calculation Philosophy:
The highest score that can be awarded for any question is three (at this time)
The lowest score that can be awarded for any question is zero.
A review of the scores for each 'Question' within each 'Criteria' will be used to assess the overall
score for that 'Criteria'
176
Name:
Employee ID: Ranking 0 1 2 3 Co

m
me
Question Scoring nts
Q Insert 0
Ref Scope Management -3
Do you carry No evidence Can explain Formal Scope Scope 3

out a scope of any Scope how the Scope Assessment Assessment
assessment and Assessment Assessment documentation formally
produce a process process is available on recorded
Project Charter, carried out most projects (Charter /
Scope
1 Summary or but has not Briefing
assessment
Briefing formally Document) on
document on recorded any every Project
every project
when it is first
handed to you?
177
Do you break No evidence Can explain Some Projects Every Project 2
the scope of of Project the principle have a detailed has a detailed
the work into Scope being of WBS Plan (SAP / MS Plan (SAP / MS
Scope Work more practical broken down planning but Project etc.) Project etc.)
2 Breakdown implementation into WBS has not put incorporating incorporating
Structure (WBS) blocks for activities on into practice activities using a activities using a
planning Project Plans formal WBS formal WBS
purposes on
every project?
Do you use Does not Can explain Uses Scope Uses Scope 3
formal Change understand the principles Change Tools Change Tools
Control tools the concept behind (Change Request (Change Request
(Change of tracking tracking Scope Form / RFI / Form / RFI /
Request Form / Scope Changes but Change Change
RFI / Change Changes has not Notification Notification
Notification translated this letter/ VO logs / letter/ VO logs /
Scope change letter/ VO logs to practical Confirmation of Confirmation of
3
control / Confirmation implementatio Verbal Verbal
of Verbal n Instructions / Instructions /
Instructions / Engineering Engineering
Engineering Change Control Change Control
Change Control Logs) but not on Logs) on every
Logs) to track & every project project and uses
communicate them for
the scope commercial
178
changes? benefit
Does not Can explain Registers these Registers these 2

understand the on most projects on all projects
Do you register
why this is importance of and keeps them
and monitor
important these up to date. Can
4 Customer CTQ's your customers
documents explain the
organisation
but doesn't escalation route
charts?
always collate for problem
them resolution
179
Do you know Does not Can explain Fully Fully 2
what your understand the relevance understands understands
customers the principles of the customer customer
expectations of CTQ's or customer expectations and expectations and
(Critical to VOC expectations strives to meet strives to exceed
5 Quality - CTQ's, but doesn't go them them or drive
Voice of the out of his way additional
Customer to address business from
surveys - VOC) them them
are on your
projects?
Has never Can explain Gets involved in Gets formally 3

Do you get
been why it is pre-sales activity involved in pre-
involved in the
involved in important to on an ad-hoc, sales activities,
'Pre-Sales'
pre-sales get involved in informal basis contributes to
activity of
Sales/Install/Se activities pre-sales the risk
6 potential
rvice cycle activities but assessments in
projects in
does not have Bids
support of the
the
Sales
opportunity to
organisation?
action this
180
Does not Can explain Understands why Understands 3
understand the principle certain projects fully why certain
Do you know why some that Projects were accepted projects were
the strategic projects are are a means (specifically accepted
importance of taken at low to expand the those at low (specifically
your projects margins. (more margin, those at low
(i.e. how and profitable) technically margin,
7 why they were Service part of difficult or technically
taken), the business contractually difficult or
especially those complicated) and contractually
that appear to the concept of complicated) and
be complicated 'Account actively support
or at a low GM? Management' the drive to
convert them to
Service contracts
Has no Can explain Understands the Understands the 3

concept of the future future value of future value of
Do you
the future value of his his projects to his projects to
understand the
value of his projects to the the HBS the HBS
maintenance
projects to HBS business business and business and
8 potential /
the HBS but not what what the Service actively gets
service sales
business is being done Sales strategy is involved in
strategy for all
to convert for each one Service Sales
your projects?
that to a strategy is for
Maintenance each one
181
Contract
Do you always Does not Can explain Always has a Always has a 3
request / understand why it is complete set of complete set of
receive a full why it is important to Contract Contract
copy of the important to have all the documentation documentation
Contract have all the Contract for his projects, for his projects,
9
documentation Contract documentatio but does not and fully
on all your documentatio n but does not understand the understand the
Projects and n always have a relevance of it all relevance of it all
Contractual understand the complete set
(T&C's) contents?
Do you Does not Can explain Understands the Understands 2
understand the understand the different types of where to find the
Insurance the need or importance of Insurance Corporate
10 requirements importance Insurance documents and Insurance 'Cover
and related of Insurance documents the cover levels Note'
position on requirements but doesn't required on his documentation
your projects, know what the projects and what to do
182
where to find different types in the event of a
the Cover Notes are claim situation
and how to
make a claim?
Do you know Does not Can explain Ensures that Actively engages 3
the Billing / understand the principles Billing and the customer to
Payment the principles of asking for, Payments occur ensure that all
requirements of of asking for, and receiving, as dictated by payments are
11 your Contracts and payment for the terms of the received in full
(when to Bill, receiving, Project contract on each and on time
How to Bill, payment for activities and project
When to expect Project the processes
payment)? activities involved
Does not Can explain Drives the Actively gets 3

Do you know
understand the principle securement of involved in the
the Variation /
the principle of getting paid Variation / negotiations and
Change Order
of getting for changes to Change Orders settlement of the
requirements of
12 paid for the original and implements measured
your projects
changes to project scope a formal account on all
(How to
the original but is unclear mechanisms for projects
recognize,
project scope on the tracking them
register, claim
183
and get paid for mechanism to and claiming for
scope apply it for payment for
changes)? each project each project
Does not Can fully Plans all the Pro-actively 2

Do you fully explain the Projects to takes whatever
understand the understand implications of ensure that Time management
Time / Penalty the Time in the constraints are actions are
requirements of implications Contract met necessary to
all your of Time in documents of protect the HBS
projects (When the Contract all projects contractual
13 is the contract documents of position in
due to finish, all projects respect of Time
what are the and any related
penalties for Damages on all
being late, how projects by
do you mitigate driving claims for
damages)? Acceleration and
Time Extensions
184
Do you Does not Can fully Monitors the Actively pushes 2
understand the fully explain the Customer for early release
Retention understand implications of application of the of the Retention
requirements of the Retention in Contract monies at the
your projects implications the Contract Retention Start or End of
14
(How much can of Retention documents of clauses and the Warranty
be deducted, in the all projects passes same to period
when and how Contract Subcontractors
will it be documents of
recovered)? all projects
Do you Does not Can explain Ensures that the Proactively 3

understand the understand how all the Contract produces, and
'closeout' how all the projects will 'closeout' gets approval of,
mechanism of projects will be formally documentation is 'closeout'
15 your projects be formally completed signed by the documentation
(How do you completed to (and what customer at the for customer
get customer the paperwork appropriate time signature where
acceptance customers' needs to be on all projects the Contract is
signature)? satisfaction signed off) not clear
185
Do you Does not Can explain Ensures that all Actively gets 3
understand the understand how any notifications of involved in the
dispute how any disputes on all disputes are negotiations and
resolution disputes on the projects formally settlement of the
Claim mechanisms in all the will be recorded in disputes on all
16
Management your contracts projects will resolved accordance with projects
(How are be resolved (Arbitration, the Contract
contractual Adjudication, conditions
disputes to be Litigation etc.)
resolved)?
Does not Can explain Keeps formal Collates and 1

understand the need for site records for archives all the
Do you (and
the need for Site Records all projects and Site Records
your project
Site Records and the type ensures that all (Diaries) in a
team members)
17 Site Records on all of data to be members of the central location
keep Site
projects recorded on a project team, for possible use
Records
daily basis in including in resolution of
(Diaries)?
a legible Subcontractors, disputes
manner do the same
186
Does not Can explain Keeps a Proactively 3
understand the need for a 'Constraints' log publishes the
Do you keep
the need for 'Constraints' on projects to 'Constraints' log
and publish a
a log on show where on projects, to
'Constraints' log
'Constraints' projects and delay and other parties, in
indicating
log on the data disruption, order to help
18 where you are
projects needed to caused by all mitigate delays
being delayed
show where other parties, is and disruptions
or disrupted by
delay and taking place or provide
other parties on
disruption are evidence in
your projects?
taking place dispute
resolution
Does not Can explain Produces Proactively 3

understand the potential relevant publishes
Do you carry the potential use of 'Photographic' relevant
out and publish use of 'Photographic' survey reports 'Photographic'
Photographic 'Photographic surveys on on projects to survey reports to
19 surveys to ' surveys on projects and show the status other parties on
record progress projects how to record of works or projects to show
or issues on the relevant evidence of the status of
your projects? data issues. works or
evidence of
issues.
Quality Management
187
Does not Can explain Does produce a Proactively 2
understand the concept of plan for every drives the
the concept 'Quality Plans' project to show Quality Plan on
of 'Quality on projects how the Quality projects to
Do you always Plans' on and how the of the supplied ensure that the
complete a projects Quality of the goods and customer is fully
20 Quality Plans
Quality Plan for supplied services can be aware of the
every project? works can be validated Quality
validated processes and
procedures that
are being
implemented
Does not Can explain Has successfully Actively 2

Have you know what a what happens passed 'Quality instigates
carried out, or 'Quality during a Audits' on internal Quality
been subject Assurance' 'Quality projects Audits on own
Quality Audits /
21 to, a Quality audit is Assurance' projects,
Reports
Assurance audit audit independent of
on any of your any other
projects? external
mechanism
188
Can you Is not aware Can explain Applies the ISO Carries out 2
demonstrate of the local the local operating training /
how you are business ISO business ISO procedures to all coaching on the
currently Operating Operating his project Operating
ensuring that Procedures Procedures activities, where Procedures for
you and/or and knows project specific his direct reports
your direct where to find procedures do / subcontractors
22 ISO procedures
reports are them not override and / or
working to the them implements
latest business project specific
ISO Operating procedures
Procedures (or
project specific
equivalent)?
Does not Can explain Carries out 'End Uses the output 2
understand the scope or of Contract' of 'End of
Do you always
the scope or purpose of an reviews on a Contract' reviews
carry out a
purpose of an 'End of regular basis to make 'Lessons
formal project
23 Project Closeout 'End of Contract' learnt' proposals
'End of
Contract' review but has for business
Contract'
review not formally changes
review?
carried one
out
Time Management
189
Does not Can explain Actively uses Can easily see 2
Can you explain understand the both views for potential issues
the difference any of the terminology planning in one view
between Gannt terminology used and how purposes (an without the need
24 Charts, Bar used these are just easy switch to switch to the
Charts and different views between both is other view
Precedence of the same standard on
Diagrams? planning data most planning
tools).
Does not Can explain Understands the Understand the 2

Project Plan understand what a project different ways to
Formats what a Network is processes for link activities
Do you know
Network is and the 'design', (Start / Start,
how to
planning 'procurement', Finish / Start,
construct a
processes 'installation', Delayed Start
formal Network
25 involved to 'commissioning' etc) and uses
of logically
link activities and 'close out' them in a
linked activities
in order to well enough to practical manner
and know what
produce a be able to
benefits it has?
sequence of produce logical
works networks on all
project plans
190
Does not Can explain Plans resources Uses Labour 2
Can you explain know how to that resources on projects Histograms to
the benefits of plan are finite and knowing Holiday 'smooth' peaks
resource resources have to be Schedules / and troughs of
planning, how (Resource planned in Competencies available labour
Resource the process is Utilisation) order to be without
26
allocation carried out and used compromising
what efficiently. project delivery
information is (i.e. knows dates
available/neede about
d? Capacity
Management)
Does not Can explain Ensures that Actively meets 2

Do you always
consult how to consult Subcontractors subcontractors
involve your
Subcontracto Subcontractor provide progress on a regular
subcontractor
rs at all s for initial reports on a basis to
in the planning
Subcontract planning regular basis, continually
27 process and get
Progress aligned with the assess progress
regular formal
project plan and ways of
plan progress
activities doing their
reports from
future work
them?
more efficiently
191
Does not Produces Aligns the Aligns the 3
produce any updates on a update process update process
updates after monthly basis with the scope with the scope
How often do
the initial simply and timescale of and timescale of
Update you update
28 plan because that each project each project and
processes your project
aligns with the (minimum in conjunction
plans?
CTC process Monthly) with the
customers
planning needs
Does not Can explain Produces Ensures that 0

understand what a programmes there is 'float'
what a 'Critical Path' where the built into the
Do you know 'Critical Path' is. Critical Path project activities
what a 'Critical is. activities are where there is
Path' is and deemed to be any possibility of
29 Critical Path
how to deal the least liable to delay and
with activities be delayed or disruption based
on it? disrupted upon previous
experience
(especially on
the Critical Path)
Do you use Does not use Uses Excel or Uses MS Project Uses Primavera 0
professional any planning 'shareware' or SAP (or or Artemis (or
30 Planning Tools
Planning Tools tools tools equivalent) equivalent)
for planning proficiently proficiently
192
your projects,
and which
ones?
Cost & Finance Management
Do you always Does not Can explain Always receives Knows how to 0
request / understand the or generates a use the BOM or
receive a full the terminology BOM or BOQ at BOQ to
priced Bill of terminology and what the the start of substantiate
31 Budgets Material (BOM) used bills contain every project 'Scope Change'
or Bill of prices to the
Quantities customer
(BOQ) for your
projects?
Does not Can explain Actively uses Has generated 0

How do costs understand how and when financial reports own reports
get allocated to when costs labour, (SAP / Oracle / using data from
your projects get assigned material and IBIS / ADAM etc) multiple sources
Tracking / and how do you to projects subcontract to monitor costs
32
control monitor the costs get on each project
cost recognized
expenditure on and knows
every project? which tools to
use for
193
monitoring
purposes
Do you know Does not Can explain Implements the Comes to 0

what is the understand the CTC CTC process on monthly CTC
Forecasting Cost
purpose of a the CTC process and projects every reviews with all
33 to Complete /
Cost to process or purpose month (using the answers /
Earned Revenue
Complete (CTC) purpose SAP or EAC 4.0) explanations /
projection? actions
Does not Can explain Can review Cost Fully 0

understand the process of estimate sheets understands the
Do you
the process how project and identify any process of how
understand and
Estimating of how costs are issues contained the Sell Price
34 can you apply
process project costs estimated therein was generated
the estimating
are estimated from the Cost
process?
Estimate for
every project
194
Does not Can explain Knows where to Is capable of 0
understand the process of get Estimating / self-generating
the process how to Commercial cost / sell values
Do you know of how to estimate the support to for Variation /
how to estimate estimate the cost and facilitate the cost Change Orders,
Variation / cost or selling price of / sell calculation using local
35
Change orders selling price Variations / for Variation / estimating tool
on your of Variations Change Change Orders and knowledge
Projects? / Change Orders of the project
Orders Overhead and
Profit
expectations
Does not Can explain Knows how Knows how, 0

Do you
know where where to look these different when and why to
understand
to look in the budget types of risk use these
where the cost
for the costs reserves on any different types of
of any 'built in'
36 of these risks project affect the risk reserve
risks are
recognized costs on any
included in your
Revenue, Cost project
Project Cost
and GM on any
budgets?
project
195
Can you explain Does not Can explain Knows the major Understands and 0
the contents of understand the concept of components of a can articulate
a Profit & Loss the concept a P&L P&L the impact of
statement, of a P&L Projects on the
37 P&L
detailing where P&L
the major
component
data is derived
Can you explain Does not Can explain Knows the major Understands and 0
the components understand the concept of components of can articulate
that go the concept Working Working Capital the impact of
together to of Working Capital Projects on
38 Working Capital make up a Capital Working Capital
Working Capital and that the goal
statement and is to minimize
their effects on Working Capital
the end result
Does not Can explain Knows how the Understands how 0

understand the concept of Earned Billing unrecognized
the concept Earned Billing Factor (EBF) is Revenue has a
What is Earned
of Earned Revenue calculated negative
39 Earned Billing Billing
Billing influence on the
Revenue?
Revenue EBF and
therefore Earned
Revenue
196
Does not Can explain Applies the Uses Graphical 0
understand the concept of concept of representation of
Do you
the concept Earned Value Earned Value Earned Value
understand the
of Earned Management Management on Analysis to
Earned Value terminology
40 Value relevant projects portray the true
Management used in Earned
Management status of a
Value
project and
Management?
support the CTC
process output
Do you know Does not Can explain Can explain what Has utilized Bank 0
what would you know what a what a Bank the process is to Guarantees on
would Bank Guarantee is raise a Bank projects
potentially use Guarantee is and what Guarantee and
41 Bank Guarantees a Bank purpose it where to find it
Guarantee for could serve
and how you
would raise
one?
197
Does not Can explain Ensures that all Works with the 0
know what what the Billing is in Credit Control
the Accounts Accounts accordance with department to
Can you explain Receivables Receivables the contract ensure resolution
the Accounts process is process is conditions of all of all genuine
Receivables projects and 'Invoice
42
process, and ensures that Disputes' in a
it's impact on 'Invoice timely manner
the business Disputes' are not
the result of
administration
errors
Credit Control Does not Can explain Ensures that a Makes the 0
understand the process of credit check is Account
Can you explain
the process Credit carried out on Receivable
what
of Credit Checking and Customer and department
information can
Checking how it applies Subcontractor aware of any
be derived from
to both prior to information that
Credit Checking
43 Customers commencing could be related
software
and work to the credit
package and
Subcontractor rating of
what purpose
s Customers
that data
(potential
serves
inability to pay
Corporate for
198
works done)
Has no Can explain Understands that Always ensures 0

knowledge of what PM's have to that every CTC
Sarbanes Sarbanes carry out forecast is
Oxley Oxley is monthly CTC genuine and
Do you know forecasts in does not
what Sarbanes order to justify compromise the
Oxley is and that the Revenue Sarbanes Oxley
44 Sarbanes Oxley
how it affects a recognition requirements
Project calculation
Manager? (Earned Billing
Factor) on each
of their projects
is valid and can
be substantiated
199
Does not Can explain Has identified Actively works to 0
understand what GM the reasons, and ensure that
what GM Deviation is. mitigation lessons learnt
Deviation is actions, about the GM
Can you explain associated with deviation
what Gross GM Deviation on (positive or
Margin (GM) all projects negative) are
45 GM Deviation Deviation is on applied to all
any project and future projects
why it would and
occur? disseminates the
learning across
peer PM's or
members of
Project Teams
Does not Can explain Uses the Keeps cash flow 0

What is the understand the principle principal of cash projections up to
purpose of cost the principle of positive or flow to influence date during the
46 Cash Flow and cash flow of positive or negative cash decisions on cost lifecycle of large
curves and do negative cash flow and how expenditure and / long duration
you use them? flow or how it it is calculated cash collection projects
is calculated on all projects
Risk Management
200
Does not Can explain Ensures that a Ensures that the 0
know where where to look formal technical SDC or TAC
to look for for Technical risk assessment always notified
Do you always
Technical risk risk on a is carried out on to review any
Tech Risk & identify the
47 on a project project each project (by identified
opportunity Technical risk in
Project integration
your projects?
Engineer/s, issues at the
where earliest
applicable) opportunity
Does not Can explain Ensures that Pro-actively 0

know where where to look resources are ensures that all
to look for for Resource identified by projects have
Resource risk risk on a name as early as contingency
Do you always on a project project possible on any plans to cover
Labour Risk & identify the project and any resource
48
opportunity Resource risk in advises all availability
your projects? relevant parties issues at the
of shortfalls / beginning and
issues during the
lifecycle of any
project
201
Does not Can explain Always produces Always produces 0
know how to how to a formal Risk a prioritized Risk
formally formally Register or Assessment
Do you formally
record record project equivalent on document
record the
Risk project risks risks relevant projects (Decision Tree
49 identified risk
Assessments Analysis /
on your
Probability &
projects?
Impact charts)
on relevant
projects
Does not Can explain Always keeps Formally re- 0

know how to how to the formal Risk prioritizes Risk
formally formally Register or Assessment
Do you keep an
update update project equivalent up to documentation
active risk
Risk Control project risks risks date on relevant as Projects
50 register and
plans projects by progress
action plan on
closing out
your projects?
resolved issues
and adding new
ones
202
Does not Can explain Always requests Has access into 0
Do you always know what what the CAP and receives the the CAP system
get a hard copy the CAP documentatio CAP and can retrieve
of the Contract documentatio n is documentation project data
Approval n is for all projects without
Bid Approval
51 Process (CAP) assistance. Is
Process
data for your prepared to
Projects or challenge the
know where to data /
find it? assumptions
contained
Have you Does not Has Has received Six Applies FMEA 0
received Six have any knowledge of Sigma Green and other Six
Sigma training knowledge of Six Sigma and Belt certification Sigma processes
and used the Six Sigma or FMEA through (completed a 6S to relevant
52 Six Sigma
FMEA process FMEA Green Belt project) projects to assist
to identify Training in risk
prioritized risks assessment
on projects?
HR Management
203
Does not Can explain Always produces Ensures that all 0
know how to how to a Project Team relevant people
produce a produce a structure have sight of the
Project Team Project Team document Project Team
structure structure (Organisation structure
Do you always
document document Chart) for every document
establish and
(Organisation (Organisation project (Organisation
publish the
Chart) Chart) Chart) including
Project Team Project Team
53 Customer and
structure Structure
Senior
(Organisation
Management and
Chart) for your
that contact
projects?
telephone / fax /
email data is
included for ease
of
communication
Does not Can explain Has produced an Has followed up 0

How do you go know the the induction induction plan to ensure that
about induction processes for new the induction
Team member appointing a processes involved members of a plan was
54
appointment new member to involved project team properly
your team and implemented for
his induction? new members of
a project team
204
Does not Can explain Produces a Roles Produces a 0
Do you always know how to how to & communication
produce a construct a construct a Responsibilities plan and holds
formal Roles & Roles & Roles & matrix Chart for briefing
Responsibilities Responsibiliti Responsibilitie every project meetings with
Matrix chart es Matrix s Matrix chart the project
Communication
55 and ensure all chart or it's and it's personnel on
Strategy
parties on the purpose purpose every project to
project know ensure they
what they have know what the
to do and Communication
when? strategy /
processes are.
Does not Can correctly Has been Has been part of 0

know about explain the involved in a successful
Do you
the concepts concepts of negotiation formal
understand the
of 'What is 'What is situations on negotiation
fundamentals
important to important to projects (formal situation on a
of Negotiating
Negotiation & me', me', or informal and project, such as
56 Tactics (Critical
Tactics 'Understandi 'Understandin as an individual Measured
steps) or been
ng the other g the other or part of a team Account or Claim
formally trained
party' and party' and effort) / Counterclaim
on Negotiation
Creating a Creating a settlement (as
Techniques?
Win/Win Win/Win an individual or
situation' situation' (i.e. as part of a
205
has been team)
successfully
trained /
coached / self
taught)
206
Does not Can explain Carries out Uses the HP&D 0
know about about the HP&D process process to
the HP&D HP&D for direct reports motivate,
processes processes or for self. challenge,
Assigns work promote, or
packages to register concerns
Can you
employees and about direct
demonstrate
effectively tracks reports
knowledge and
and monitors (Appropriate
Performance implementation
57 their completion. setting and
Management of Performance
measuring
Measurement
performance
goals and
against SMART
practices?
Objective and
use of
Performance
Improvement
Plans, where
necessary)
207
Can you explain Does not Can explain Understands Utilizes local 0
the currently know about about what 'Reward'
operational incentive incentive measurement processes to
Incentive schemes or schemes or data elements motivate /
schemes and 'Reward' 'Reward' are used in reward the
can you processes processes Incentive project teams
demonstrate scheme members
58 your calculations and
understanding how a PM can
of the various influence these
'Reward'
processes and
how you have
personally used
them
Can you Has no Can explain Has actively Has pro-actively 0

demonstrate knowledge of the Corporate been involved in led Corporate
your the recruitment the Corporate recruitment and
understanding Corporate and selection recruitment and selection
of recruitment recruitment processes selection processes
59 Hiring
and selection and selection processes
processes and processes
your practical
involvement in
them
208
Can you Has no Can explain Has actively Has pro-actively 0
demonstrate knowledge of the Corporate been involved in dealt with poor
your the disciplinary Corporate performance by
understanding Corporate processes disciplinary instigating
of the disciplinary (Warnings / processes Corporate
60 Disciplinary
disciplinary processes Dismissals (Warnings / disciplinary
processes and (Warnings / etc.) Dismissals etc.) processes
your practical Dismissals (Warnings /
involvement in etc.) Dismissals etc.)
them
Procurement Management
Does not Can explain Always uses Pro-actively 0

know how to how to select Approved/Preferr influences the
select a a Vendor / ed Suppliers / choice of
Do you know
Vendor / Supplier / Subcontractor Approved/Preferr
how to go
Supplier / Subcontractor and follows the ed Suppliers /
about selecting
Subcontracto and how to local vendor Subcontractors
and placing a
r or how to use the local Request for in the Region /
61 Vendor selection request for
place a vendor Quotation (RFQ) District and does
quotation on a
request for a Request for process on all not automatically
Vendor /
quotation Quotation projects use the Vendors,
Supplier /
(RFQ) process or their quotes,
Subcontractor?
which were
included in the
209
project Bid cost
calculations.
Does not Does have the Always carries Involves the 0

know how to necessary out proper Supply Chain
analyze any knowledge or analysis of any organisation
Do you know vendor offer experience to vendor offer / when trying to
how to / quotation explain how to quote before negotiate vendor
62 determine the analyze any considering offers
correct vendor vendor offer / accepting it.
offer to accept? quotation Does not
automatically
accept the
lowest price
210
Does not Can explain Always uses the Includes 0
understand the concept of local Purchase 'Ordering' in the
the concept planning the Requisition WBS of planning
Do you know
of planning ordering process and activities of all
how to go
the ordering activities to keeps records of projects taking
about planning
activities to match the what has been known 'lead
and placing an
63 Order placing match the project plan ordered, when times' into
order on a
project plan activities and and for what. consideration (to
Vendor /
activities nor can explain optimize
Supplier /
the local the local deliveries and
Subcontractor?
Purchase Purchase minimize storage
Requisition Requisition costs or Working
process process Capital)
211
Does not Can explain Ensures that Pro-actively 0
know where where to look Subcontract interviews all
to look for for offers are valid major
Subcontract Subcontract and that their subcontractors
risk on a risk on a terms are 'back on projects
project project to back' with (using standard
Corporate questionnaire
Do you know wherever templates) to
how to identify possible on any fully establish
Subcontract Risk
64 the Subcontract project any risk before
& opportunity
risk in your placing any
projects? order /
subcontract and
has a
contingency plan
in place in case
of Subcontractor
'failure' during
the project
212
Does not Can explain Ensures that all Continually 0
know what the processes the financial controls the
processes are that have to processes are timing of
followed to be followed to followed to Vendors
allow allow Vendors ensure that payments to
Vendors to to get paid vendors get paid ensure
get paid the appropriate Corporate gets
amount for what paid for the
they supply material /
(materials or services before
services) at the the vendor does
Do you know
appropriate time if possible
how the
and with the (without
65 Vendor Payment Vendors get
appropriate compromising
paid by
deductions the issue of 'Pay
Corporate?
(retention, if when Paid') in
applicable) order to
maximize
Working Capital.
Also continually
monitors the
Credit rating of
major
subcontractors
to ensure they
do not go
213
bankrupt simply
due to late
payment from
Corporate
214
Does not Can explain Always carries Ensures that 0
know how to how to carry out a formal End positive as well
carry out a out a formal of Contract as negative
Do you always
formal End of End of Vendor review review data is
carry out
Contract Contract (using local shared with the
Subcontract formal End of
66 Vendor Vendor review tools) appropriate
reviews Contract
review vendor to allow
Vendor
them to know
reviews?
what is expected
of them in the
future
Communication Management
215
Do you monitor Does not Can explain Has a tracking As the project 0
and control understand why every system manager, or
external why this is piece of registering every project director,
correspondence important correspondenc document, in or sees all
(in and out)? e must be out, and logging correspondence
registered, the responses on a daily basis
filed and sent or received. even if other
responded to If emails are a members of the
in a timely recognized team generate
External manner means of them. If this
67
communication (especially communicating means
when the then these also employing an
correspondenc need to be administrator
e is received logged in and then ensures this
to, or issued out happens. (use of
by, many a daybook or an
members of a Aconex type of
project team) electronic
system should
be employed)
216
Do you monitor Does not Can explain Has a process in Holds regular 0
and control understand why every place where any internal
internal why this is piece of internal meetings with
correspondence important correspondenc correspondence the rest of the
(in and out)? e, irrespective relating to issues project team to
of whether it of quality, time review any
is internal or or cost are issues that have
Internal
68 external, is brought to the been
communication
important and PM's attention documented
also why the when they are
Project issued.
Manager must
be aware of
any and all
internal issues
Do you know Cannot Can explain Has made Has made 0

how to make assemble how to put successful successful
presentations presentation presentation presentations in presentations in
to diverse material, or material the past to the past to
internal or is not together and diverse internal diverse External
69 Presentations
external confident feels confident audiences. (and audiences,
audiences? enough to that they knows how to particularly is
make could make modify material support of Sales
presentations presentations and presentation activities.
to either to either format to match
217
internal or internal or the occasion /
external external audience
audiences audiences
218
Do you know Does not Can explain Ensures that all Ensures that, if 0
how to record know how to how to Project meetings the PM is to
what was said properly properly keep, are properly actively engage
at meetings keep, issue issue or recorded with in the
(Minutes of or receive receive who was discussions of
Meetings)? Minutes of Minutes of present, what any meeting,
Meetings Meetings was said by another person
whom and what is taken to the
actions were meeting simply
agreed and who to record those
would carry discussions
them out, by
70 Meetings
when.
Understands that
any Minutes of
Meetings can be
used as official
records and so
registers, reads
and if necessary
raises objections
to inaccurate
M.O.M issued by
other parties.
Health & Safety Management
219
Do you know Does not Can explain Knows the Is familiar 0
what Corporate know either the contents procedures in enough with the
H&S Policy and the H&S of the H&S enough detail to procedures to be
Procedures are Policy or Policy or be able to apply able to coach
H&S Policy & and where they Procedures, Procedures, them to project other members
71
Procedures can be located? nor where and where operations of the project
they can be they can be team on the
found found content relevant
to any project
activity
Do you know Does not Can explain Understands how Can state what 0
how to report know the the process the reported the Regional /
accidents or process or and purpose data is rolled up District Targets
H&S incidents purpose of of reporting into metrics for and Actual
on your reporting accidents or 'Near Misses', Results are for
projects and accidents or 'near misses' 'LWCIR (Lost Near Misses,
how this data is 'near misses' Workday Case LWCIR, TCIR,
72 H&S Reporting
used internally? Incident Report), Corrective
TCIR (Total Case Actions and Core
Incident Report) Process
which are (Maturity
reported to Scorecard)
senior Metrics
management.
220
Do you know Is not aware Can explain Applies Actively reports 0
what current of any local the content of knowledge of (both internally
H&S legislation H&S local H&S local H&S and externally)
affect your legislation legislation that legislation on all any obvious
operations? that would would affect projects to breaches of local
73 H&S Legislation
affect the the projects ensure all parties H&S legislation
projects business and (not just to safeguard all
business knows where Corporate) are personnel
to source the acting in full working on any
data compliance project
Do you know Does not Can explain Ensures that Ensures that 0
how to create understand the concept of H&S Risk H&S Risk
and maintain the concept H&S Risk Assessments and Assessments and
H&S Risk of H&S Risk Assessment Site Safety Plans Site Safety Plans
H&S Risk & Assessments Assessment and Site are created, and are created,
74
Planning and Site or Site Safety Safety Plans maintained, for maintained, and
Specific Safety Plans and knows all relevant site audited for all
Plans? how to create activities on all relevant site
them projects activities on all
projects
Have you Has never Has attended Has delivered Has delivered 0
H&S Training( attended or attended formal H&S informal H&S formal H&S
75 POME’s OSHE given formal formal H&S Training training / Training to
Policy) H&S Training? Training coaching to others
others (site
221
'toolbox' talks
etc.)
222
POME Prescribe:
About Leadership:
Keep your approach friendly: People are not looking to make friends at work, but refraining from an
aggressive approach towards your employees is a good idea. Be diplomatic and assertive, instead.
When taking on a new project/responsibility at work, convey to your management the extent of authority you
need in order to effectively execute your project. Ensure that you have the authority that you need before you
start work on your project.
Being people-oriented does not mean that you cannot be task-oriented (and vice-versa).
One-to-one: Meet regularly with your team members on a one-on-one basis. When you apply this principle to
your kids, it makes each of them feel special.
Nobody appreciates a micro-manager: Don’t sit on the heads of your team members.
Giving autonomy does not mean not keeping track of progress.
Learn how to manage people (more difficult than it sounds, believe you me!), and the rest of your job will that
much easier to execute.
As a leader, you should have the ability to bind the team together and give them a sense of “we’re in this
together.” For instance, as the head of your family, you can promote bonding by setting aside time for family
board games, story-telling sessions, family picnics, family prayers and the like.
Stay visible – As a leader, you need to be visible in good times, as well as when there are problems to
address.
Your reputation depends on your perceived credibility and integrity: A very basic item for leaders is to ensure
that promises made are promises kept. If action is committed, it must be performed.
Personality: As a leader, does your personality influence and inspire your team?
Leadership CAN be learned. Focus on these areas to improve your leadership skills:
• Initiative
• Leverage your charisma to influence others
• Lead purposefully and with commitment
• Develop a result-oriented approach
• Cultivate an attitude of optimism
223
• Work on your self-confidence - especially for weakness areas (for instance, if you are
particularly nervous around people with an intimidating body language, create a plan to tackle that,
and come across as confident and in-control in their presence.)
• Cultivate empathy so that you can encourage and nurture your team
• Learn to identify winners – and nurture them
• Learn to read between the lines to understand the underlying concern that prompted the
dialogue
• The ability to motivate people so that they stretch out of their "comfort zones"
• Improve your decision-making abilities by learning from past decisions
• Learn to see the big picture
• Polish your Goal Setting skills
• Develop Personal Goals and examine them at regular intervals
• Effective Time Management
Flexibility: While it is a good thing to be firm and stand by your decisions, It is important that you are flexible
enough to realize when plans need to change. View planning as an ongoing process. That way, you can
change course midway without too much damage, if the original plan is not working. Are you open to
continuous planning and updating of the plan?
224
SOME THOUGHTS
ON PROJECT
LEADERSHIP
225
Some thoughts on Project leadership
Leadership
Think of a person who you consider a
leader
What traits (attributes, characteristics)
can you identify as central to their
leadership?
29
Leadership
Drive
Leadership Motivation
Integrity
Self-confidence
Knowledge of the Business
30
226
Central to effective leadership
is ………………..
I%FLUE%CE
…….. that is, the ability to
influence other people
31
Leadership means many different things to many different people. One way to express the difference
between leadership and management is to say that “managers do things right and leaders do the right
things”. Or in other words, leaders are responsible for effectiveness and managers are responsible for
efficiency
Both leadership and management are about clarifying, uniting, facilitating, encouraging and co-
ordinating. They are dynamic processes and responsibilities that take time, effort and often
heartache!
Leadership can be defined as a style of behavior designed to integrate and influences both the
organizational requirements and one's personal interests into the pursuit of some objective. All
managers have some sort of leadership responsibility. If time permits, successful leadership
techniques and practices can be developed.
Leadership is composed of several complex elements, the three most common being:
The person leading
The people being led
227
The situation (i.e., the project environment)
Sources of Power
Authority
Control over
Rewards
Control over
Influence Punishments
Appealing
Personal
Characteristics
Expertise
1
Legitimate Influence
Power that stems
from a position’s
placement in the
managerial
hierarchy and the
authority vested in
the position.
33
228
Reward Influence
Power that is based on the
capacity to control and provide
valued rewards to others. 34
Coercive Influence
Power that
depends on the
ability to punish
others when they
do not engage in
desired
behaviour.
35
229
Expert Influence
Power that is based on
the possession of
expertise that is valued
by others.
36
Information Influence
Power that results from
access to and control
over the distribution of
important information
about organisational
operations and future
plans.
37
230
Referent Influence
Power that
results from
being admired,
personally
identified with,
or liked by
others. 38
Project managers are often selected or not selected because of their leadership styles. The most
common reason for not selecting an individual is his inability to balance the technical and managerial
project functions. Wilemon and Cicero have defined four characteristics of this type of situation:
The greater the project manager's technical expertise, the higher his propensity to overinvolve
himself in the technical details of the project.
The greater the project manager's difficulty in delegating technical task responsibilities, the
more likely it is that he will overinvolve himself in the technical details of the project (depending
on his ability to do so).
The greater the project manager's interest in the technical details of the project, the more likely
it is that he will defend the project manager's role as one of a technical specialist.
The lower the project manager's technical expertise, the more likely it is that he will overstress
the nontechnical project functions (administrative functions).
There have been several surveys to determine what leadership techniques are best. The following are
the results of a survey by Richard Hodgetts:
Human relations–oriented leadership techniques
o "The project manager must make all the team members feel that their efforts are
important and have a direct effect on the outcome of the program."
o "The project manager must educate the team concerning what is to be done and how
important its role is."
231
o "Provide credit to project participants."
o "Project members must be given recognition and prestige of appointment."
o "Make the team members feel and believe that they play a vital part in the success (or
failure) of the team."
o "By working extremely closely with my team I believe that one can win a project loyalty
while to a large extent minimizing the frequency of authority-gap problems."
o "I believe that a great motivation can be created just by knowing the people in a
personal sense. I know many of the line people better than their own supervisor does. In
addition, I try to make them understand that they are an indispensable part of the team."
o "I would consider the most important technique in overcoming the authoritygap to be
understanding as much as possible the needs of the individuals with whom you are dealing
and over whom you have no direct authority."
Formal authority–oriented leadership techniques
o "Point out how great the loss will be if cooperation is not forthcoming."
o "Put all authority in functional statements."
o "Apply pressure beginning with a tactful approach and minimum application warranted
by the situation and then increasing it."
o "Threaten to precipitate high-level intervention and do it if necessary."
o "Convince the members that what is good for the company is good for them."
o "Place authority on full-time assigned people in the operating division to get the
necessity work done."
o "Maintain control over expenditures."
o "Utilize implicit threat of going to general management for resolution."
o "It is most important that the team members recognize that the project manager has
the charter to direct the project."
As you embark on the role of leader and/or manager – either on your own or as a team, you
may find it helpful to ask the following questions:
1. Who are the people to whom I am accountable?
2. What are the things that are important to them?
3. What are the key principles and values that will influence this project?
4. Why should those you lead or manage respect you in your role?
232
5. How will I/we set learning and other objectives for this project – in a way which gains
commitment from all?
6. What processes will I/we use to get the most from the whole team and ensure motivation?
7. Which elements of the project are fixed and which elements are flexible?
8. How will I/we manage communication throughout the project – both internally and externally?
Life-cycle leadership
In the opinion of the author, Hersey and Blanchard developed the best model for analyzing leadership
in a project management environment. The model, which has been expanded by Paul Hersey and is
shown in the below Figure, is the life-cycle theory of leadership. The model contends that leadership
styles must change according to the readiness of the employees, with readiness defined as job-related
experience, willingness to accept job responsibility, and desire to achieve. This definition of readiness
is somewhat different from other behavioral management definitions, which define readiness (and
maturity) as age or emotional stability.
Figure: Expanded Situational Leadership Model.
233
As shown in the above Figure, the subordinates enter the organization in quadrant S1, which is high
task and low relationship behavior. In this quadrant, the leadership style is almost pure task-oriented
behavior and is an autocratic approach, where the leader's main concern is the accomplishment of the
objective, often with very little concern for the employees or their feelings. The leader is very forceful
and relies heavily on his own abilities and judgment. Other people's opinions may be of no concern. In
the initial stage, there is anxiety, tension, and confusion among new employees, so that relationship
behavior is inappropriate.
In quadrant S2, employees begin to understand their tasks and the leader tries to develop strong
behavioral relationships. The development of trust and understanding between the leader and
subordinates becomes a driving force for the strong behavioral relationships. However, although the
leader begins utilizing behavioral relationships, there still exists a strong need for high task behavior as
well, since employees may not have achieved the level of competency to assume full responsibility.
Quadrant S3 is often regarded as pure relationship behavior, where the leader is perhaps more
interested in gaining the respect of the employees than in achieving the objectives. Referent power
becomes extremely important. This behavior can be characterized by delegation of authority and
responsibility (often excessive), participative management, and group decision-making. In this phase,
employees no longer need directives and are knowledgeable enough about the job and self-motivated
to the extent that they are willing to assume more responsibility for the task. Therefore, the leader can
try to strengthen his relationships with subordinates.
In quadrant S4, employees are experienced in the job, confident about their own abilities, and trusted
to handle the work themselves. The leader demonstrates low task and low relationship behavior as the
employees "mature" into a high degree of readiness.
This type of life-cycle approach to leadership is extremely important to project managers, because it
implies that effective leadership must be dynamic and flexible rather than static and rigid (see below
Figure). Effective leaders are neither pure task or relationship behavioralists, but maintain a balance
between them. However, in time of crisis, a leader may be required to demonstrate a pure behavioral
style or a pure task style.
234
Figure: Personality and situational factors that influence effective leadership.
In pure project management, the situation is even more complex. Line managers have sufficient time
to develop a meaningful relationship with subordinates to the point that they get to know each other
quite well. The line manager can then "train" his subordinates to adapt to the line manager's
leadership style.
Project managers, on the other hand, are under a severe time constraint and may have to develop a
different leadership style for each team member. To illustrate this graphically, the quadrants in the
below Figure should be three-dimensional, with the third axis being the life-cycle phase of the project.
In other words, the leadership style is dependent not only on the situation, but on the life-cycle phase
of the project.
235
MATCHING
PROJECT
NEED’S AND
RESPONSIBILITIE’
S
236
Matching Project Needs and Responsibilities
To a certain extent, project management responsibilities are largely the same whether you are
managing a technology project or some other type of project. In a standard sense, all project
managers are expected to create a workable plan and manage it to a successful conclusion. But,
obviously, the details vary, and in especially software environment, many non-traditional project
factors come into play.
To begin with, Software projects can vary greatly in size, substance and complexity, ranging from
application development projects, to end-user training initiatives. In addition, many “IT project
managers" are first and foremost, technology professionals who find themselves in the position of
managing projects. And, these projects are just another line item on a long to-do list that can include
systems administration, end-user support and problem management.
As such, the Project manager may not be dedicated to a single project as in an otherwise traditional
project management role.
Considering these issues, how can Project management roles and responsibilities be identified and
assigned to ensure project success and workload balancing?
• Step 1: Understand project needs.
• Step 2: Acknowledge staff capabilities.
• Step 3: Align needs & capabilities with responsibilities.
Step 1: Understand project needs
In order to develop and define project management responsibilities designed to suit the needs of any
given project, you must first have a good grasp on those needs. This understanding must go beyond
the specific technical elements of the project, and into the core issue of project management.... what
will it take to drive the project to success? To that end, as you define project management
responsibilities, and in turn, look to find the right person to fit this project management role, you
should consider the following questions....
Is there a customer? Strange as it may seem, not every Project will have a specific customer.
Ultimately, the business itself is the ultimate Project customer, but for certain technology projects,
such as server or infrastructure upgrades, there may be no specific end-user group involved. In these
projects, end-user communications and relationship management skills may take a back seat to pure
technical and time management skills, and therefore, project assignments can be made accordingly.
237
Are external consultants or vendors involved? In this case, the internal Project manager may need to
fill a liaison role, and communications and organizational responsibilities will become a primary factor
in project success.
Step 2: Acknowledge staff capabilities
As project management roles and responsibilities are assigned, internal capabilities must be
considered to ensure that roles and responsibilities are realistic and that the desired results can
actually be achieved. When determining project management responsibilities, the following issues
must be considered....
• Skill levels: does any one individual have the necessary skills to carry off the project. If not,
can project management responsibilities be shared or allocated?
• Available time: considering other priorities and existing workload, can any one individual
devote sufficient time to the project? If not can the project scope be modified, or broken down into
sub-projects assigned to different individuals?
• Available funding: do you have sufficient funding to outsource management of this project if
skills and time are lacking?
• Priorities: can other projects or operational workload be balanced differently to allow for one
individual to manage the project at hand?
• Authority: how much authority will the project manager need to get the job done, and is that
level of authority organizationally feasible? If not, what are the risks associated with a lack of
authority and how can management responsibilities be assigned to compensate?
238
Step 3: Align project needs and staff capabilities with project management responsibilities
Considering project needs and internal staff capabilities, you will then need to identify the project
management responsibilities required to drive the project to success.....
A. Technical Responsibilities: Does the project manager have to have specific technical skills or
expertise to manage this project?
B. Planning Responsibilities: What planning responsibilities will be required to manage this project?
• Identify technical requirements.
• Define scope, goals, and deliverables.
• Identify resource requirements.
• Select the project team.
• Estimate time, costs and schedules.
• Prepare and present the project plan.
C. Execution Responsibilities:
What execution responsibilities will be required to manage this project?
• Hands-on technical contributions.
• Maintain and monitor the project plan.
• Approve, reject and apply change requests.
• Monitor and resolve open issues.
• Track project progress.
• Manage the project budget.
• Manage vendor and supply relationships.
D. Communications Responsibilities:
Communications with the Project Customer (End-User):
• Does this project have a specific customer?
• What types of communications will be required?
Interviews to obtain requirements.
Negotiation of requirements, acceptance criteria, schedules and scope changes.
Problems and issues communication.
Status reporting.
Communications with the Project Sponsor / Management:
• What types of communications will be required?
Negotiations for resources (staff and funding)
Status reporting.
Problem escalation.
Coordination with a project steering committee.
239
E. Staff Responsibilities:
What staff management responsibilities will be required?
• How large is the project team?
• Depending on the size and experience of the project team, what extent of staff management
experience is required?
• Will all team members report directly to the project manager or to project team leaders?
• Will project team members continue to report directly to line managers during the term of the
project?
• Will the project manager be responsible for evaluating staff performance?
• Will the project manager have the authority to remove or reassign project team members?
F. Management Expertise:
Depending on the size, complexity and visibility of the project, should the project manager have
extensive management experience, or can an inexperienced manager be assigned?
Concluding Note:
Within the Project environment, "project manager" may very well be a function more so than a title.
As such, there is no one way to fill the project managers role. Project management responsibilities
need to cover the basics in planning, execution and communication, but must also account for the
variations in project requirements, and multi-dimensional facets of the IT operation itself. When
assigning project management responsibilities, these factors must be considered to ensure that all
projects can be completed, while overall IT objectives are met.
240
WE CAME, WE SAW, WE
CO%QUERED, A%D WE
RULE
241
Any Questions?
Comments? For
better
improvement
Contact:
georgegautam@gmail.com
00918912550564
242
243
Heated gold becomes ornament. Beaten copper becomes
wires. Depleted
stone becomes statue. So the more pain you get in life you
become more valuable.
But year's later collection of

mistakes is called experience,
which leads to success.
244
245

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1

Kanaka maha lakshmi Thalli

Be bold when you loose and be calm when you

"Changing the Face" can change nothing.

2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved

Project Management Guidelines

Date Date Date

2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved

Project Time Sheets Sample Format:

ACTIVITY WBS 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 23 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ACT.

2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved

2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved

2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved

“Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses in Projects:

“The most important relationship you can have;

It is not what happens to us,

2007, POME, Gautam_Koppala, All Rights Reserved

Employee ID: Ranking 0 1 2 3 Co

Do you carry No evidence Can explain Formal Scope Scope 3

Does not Can explain Registers these Registers these 2

Has never Can explain Gets involved in Gets formally 3

Has no Can explain Understands the Understands the 3

Do you Does not Can explain Understands the Understands 2

understand the understand the different types of where to find the

Insurance the need or importance of Insurance Corporate

10 requirements importance Insurance documents and Insurance 'Cover

and related of Insurance documents the cover levels Note'

position on requirements but doesn't required on his documentation

your projects, know what the projects and what to do

Does not Can explain Drives the Actively gets 3

Does not Can fully Plans all the Pro-actively 2

Do you Does not Can explain Ensures that the Proactively 3

Does not Can explain Keeps formal Collates and 1

Does not Can explain Produces Proactively 3

Does not Can explain Has successfully Actively 2

Does not Can explain Understands the Understand the 2

Does not Can explain Ensures that Actively meets 2

Does not Can explain Produces Ensures that 0

Cost & Finance Management

Does not Can explain Actively uses Has generated 0

Do you know Does not Can explain Implements the Comes to 0

Does not Can explain Can review Cost Fully 0

Does not Can explain Knows how Knows how, 0

Does not Can explain Knows how the Understands how 0

Has no Can explain Understands that Always ensures 0

Does not Can explain Uses the Keeps cash flow 0

Does not Can explain Ensures that Pro-actively 0

Does not Can explain Always keeps Formally re- 0

Does not Can explain Has produced an Has followed up 0

Does not Can correctly Has been Has been part of 0

Can you Has no Can explain Has actively Has pro-actively 0

Does not Can explain Always uses Pro-actively 0

Does not Does have the Always carries Involves the 0

Do you know Cannot Can explain Has made Has made 0

Health & Safety Management

But year's later collection of

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