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Project Management Essentials

This document discusses the roles and responsibilities of a project manager. It covers three key roles of a project manager: facilitator, communicator, and virtual project manager. As facilitator, the project manager must ensure the project team has the proper knowledge and resources while avoiding micromanagement. As communicator, the project manager must communicate effectively between all stakeholders. As a virtual project manager, additional communication challenges arise from leading geographically dispersed teams. The document also outlines the project manager's responsibilities of acquiring resources, resolving issues, and providing leadership and trade-offs. Other topics covered include project organization structures, selecting an effective project manager, project management as a profession, and developing an effective project team.

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Kathleen Sanchez
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323 views26 pages

Project Management Essentials

This document discusses the roles and responsibilities of a project manager. It covers three key roles of a project manager: facilitator, communicator, and virtual project manager. As facilitator, the project manager must ensure the project team has the proper knowledge and resources while avoiding micromanagement. As communicator, the project manager must communicate effectively between all stakeholders. As a virtual project manager, additional communication challenges arise from leading geographically dispersed teams. The document also outlines the project manager's responsibilities of acquiring resources, resolving issues, and providing leadership and trade-offs. Other topics covered include project organization structures, selecting an effective project manager, project management as a profession, and developing an effective project team.

Uploaded by

Kathleen Sanchez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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
Copyright 2005John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that
permitted in Section 117 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act
without express permission of the copyright owner is unlawful.
Request for further information should be addressed to the
Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The purchaser
may make back-up copies for his/her own use only and not for
distribution or resale. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for
errors, omissions, or damages, caused by the use of these programs
or from the use of the information herein.

MEM 612 Project Management

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