Chapter 2

The Manager, the Organization,

and the Team

MEM 612 Project Management

THE PMS ROLES

MEM 612 Project Management

Facilitator
Manager-as-supervisor versus manageras-facilitator
Systems approach versus analytical
approach
Suboptimization

Must ensure project team members have

appropriate knowledge and resources
Micromanagement
MEM 612 Project Management

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

MEM 612 Project Management

Virtual Project Manager

Geographically dispersed projects
Communication via
Email
Web
Telephone
Video conferencing

Never let the boss be surprised!

MEM 612 Project Management

THE PMS RESPONSIBILITIES

TO THE PROJECT

MEM 612 Project Management

Three Overriding Responsibilities

Acquiring resources
Getting necessary quantity and quality can be
key challenge
Irrational optimism

Fighting fires and obstacles

Leadership and making trade-offs

MEM 612 Project Management

Negotiation, Conflict Resolution,

and Persuasion
Necessary to meet three overriding
responsibilities

MEM 612 Project Management

SELECTION OF A PROJECT
MANAGER

MEM 612 Project Management

Key Criteria
Credibility - The PM is believable
technical credibility
administrative credibility

Sensitivity - Politically astute and aware of

interpersonal conflict
Leadership, Style, Ethics - Ability to
direct project in ethical manner

MEM 612 Project Management

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AS A
PROFESSION

MEM 612 Project Management

Project Management as a
Profession
Project Management Institute
More than 64,000 members

Project Management Body of Knowledge

(PMBOK)
Project-oriented organization

MEM 612 Project Management

FITTING PROJECTS IN THE

PARENT ORGANIZATION

MEM 612 Project Management

More on Why Projects?

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

MEM 612 Project Management

Figure 2-2 The Pure Project

Organization

MEM 612 Project Management

The Pure Project Organization

Advantages

Effective and efficient for large projects

Resources available as needed
Broad range of specialists
short lines of communication

Drawbacks
Expensive for small projects
Specialists may have limited technological depth
May require high levels of duplication for certain
specialties
MEM 612 Project Management

Figure 2-3 Functional Project

Organization

MEM 612 Project Management

Functional Project Organization

Advantages
technological depth

Drawbacks
lines of communication outside functional
department slow
technological breadth
project rarely given high priority

MEM 612 Project Management

Figure 2-4 Matrix Project

Organization

MEM 612 Project Management

Matrix Project Organization

Advantages
flexibility in way it can interface with parent
organization
strong focus on the project itself
contact with functional groups minimizes projectitis
ability to manage fundamental trade-offs across
several projects

Drawbacks
violation of the unity of command principle
complexity of managing full set of projects
conflict
MEM 612 Project Management

Figure 2-5 Mixed Project

Organization

MEM 612 Project Management

THE PROJECT TEAM

MEM 612 Project Management

Characteristics of Effective
Project Team Members

Technically competent
Politically sensitive
Problem orientation
Goal orientation
High self-esteem

MEM 612 Project Management

Matrix Team Problems

Weak (functional) matrix
PM has no direct reports
Ability to communicate directly with team
members important

Matrix projects
Important to maintain good morale
Project office

MEM 612 Project Management

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

MEM 612 Project Management

Copyright
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MEM 612 Project Management