Human Factors in Project Management Session 1 projects are about people issue 1

MANG6311 Project Management People

Dr. Ian [email protected]

MSc Project Management

Module Objectives• Demonstrate knowledge of traditional and contemporary

approaches to the management of organisational aspects of projects.

• Understand the roles of project leader and manager and their required competencies.

• Appreciate the value of effective teamwork, participative approach and stakeholders’ management in projects.

• Demonstrate understanding of the impacts of organisational dynamics on project success or failure.

Topics

Module Tutors• Module Convenor & Module Assessor:

– Ramesh Vahidi

• Weeks 1-6

– Dr. Ian Cammack – [email protected]

• Weeks 7-15

– Ramesh Vahidi– [email protected]

Definition of Behaviour

‘the way in which an animal or person behaves in response to a particular situation or stimulus’

(http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/behaviour)

‘A response of an individual or group to an action, environment, person or stimulus’

(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/behavior.html)

What is Organisational Behaviour?

‘the study and understanding of individual and group behaviour, and patterns of structure in order to help improve organisational performance and effectiveness.’ (Mullins, 2010, p3)

‘concerned with how formal organisations, behaviour of people within organisations, and salient features of their context and environment, evolve and take shape, why all these things happen the way they do, and what purposes they serve.’ (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2012, p6)

‘the study of what people think, feel and do in and around organisations.’(McShane & Von Glinow, 2009, p4)

Psychology SociologyAnthropology

Politics

The Definition of a “Project”

– Programme - an exceptionally large, long-range objective that is broken down into a set of projects

– Project

– Product / Deliverable – corner stone to understanding what we have to deliver

– Work Packages - division of product focused on one element of the product

– Task - division of work packages focused on specific activity

Programme: The World Cup Project: The Opening CeremonyProduct: CostumesWork Package: Design Activity: Sketching Ideas

High-level Project Organization Chart

Executive Leadership

Project Leadership

SponsorAdvisory or Steering

Team

Project Leader

Project Manager

Champion for the project. Provides high-level direction, authority, and resources. Removes roadblocks. Supports the Sponsor & Project Leader.

Provides high-level direction and input.

Provides process expertise, tracking and reporting.

Provides day-to-day leadership for planning, implementation, and closing. Resolves issues and escalates when needed.

Project Work Teams

Core Team

Functional Team

Provides subject matter expertise and functional/subject matter expertise, ownership, leadership, and accountability for assigned project results.

Provides leadership of the day-to-day activities of the project in support of the planning and implementation of the project plan.

Change and/or Communications

Team

Functional Team

Functional Team

Consider the impact on people as a result of the project or project results to determine need for this team.Project

ResourcesCritical resources that can be brought in as subject matter experts as needed.

Customers Client

End Use

Provides leadership of the customers / users of the project

Senior UsersEnd User End Use

Key role in defining the user requirements and accepting the delivered products.

Will be part of the project control board

Key Roles & ResponsibilitiesProject SponsorHas ultimate authority and responsibility for the project

• Provides funding for the project (initial funding, additional funds)• Approves changes to scope, as required• Removes obstacles that prevent the project from moving forward • Approves Project Charter and subsequent documentation• Provides updates to executive management• Resolves issues escalated by the project manager and/or core team

Advisory or Steering TeamSupports the Sponsor & Project Leader

• Provides high-level direction and input• Provides subject matter input• Helps support the resource needs• Helps communicate the project benefits, etc.

Project/Functional LeaderProvides subject matter expertise and functional ownership and accountability for project results

• Develops the Project Charter and any other documentation in collaboration with the project team and resource managers for approval by the sponsor(s)

• Ensures all given objectives and responsibilities of the team are properly documented and approved on the Roles Matrix

• Leads core team meetings

Project ManagerResponsible for planning, organizing, managing, controlling and communicating on all phases of a project

• Facilitates the development of the Project Charter and any other documentation in collaboration with the project team and resource managers

• Ensures all given objectives and responsibilities of the team are properly documented and approved on the roles matrix

• Facilitates the identification of project resource requirements and works with resource managers and the project leader to construct project teams

• Facilitates regular core team meetings to review issues, project risks, and monitor project progress

• Creates regular status reports and distributes to project team

Key Roles & ResponsibilitiesCore Team MembersProvides day-to-day leadership for the planning, implementation, and closing of a project

• Resolves issues and escalates when required• Manages individual sub teams• Meets regularly to review issues and monitor project progress• Provides status updates on open action items• Manages project issues and risks

Functional Team LeaderManages the sub team and pursues the team’s given objectives (i.e. project tasks)

• Serves on the Core Team• Provides regular status updates to the Project Manager/Leader, estimated time to

completion, cause of variances, etc., as defined by the project • Attends and actively participates in project team meetings• Contributes to overall project objectives and specific team deliverables• Coordinates team activities related to project schedule

Team MemberResponsible for contributing to overall project objectives and specific team deliverables

• Contributes to project schedule development in collaboration with Project Leader/Manager/Lead

• Performs assigned activities once the schedule is approved• Communicates project risks and escalates issues to team lead • Attends and actively participates in team meetings

Project ResourceResponsible for providing subject matter expertise as needed

• Contributes subject matter expertise and input as needed throughout the project• Implements assigned deliverables/tasks

Source: Zenger et al 2011 p.

Out of C

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How to organise your actors?

Organisational Structures

“the formal system of task and reporting relationships that controls, co-ordinates and motivates employees so that they work together to achieve organisational goals.”

(Buchanan & Huczynski, 2010, p453)

“the division of labour as well as the patterns of coordination, communication, workflow and formal power that direct organisational activities.”

(McShane & Von Glinow, 2009, p255)

Components of Organisational Structures– Way people are grouped into teams &

departments

– Way activities and responsibilities are allocated

– Lines of reporting from subordinate to boss and number of subordinates that report to any one boss

– Lines of communication between employees

– Monitoring of performance and design of reward system.

(Knights & Willmott, 2007, p197)

Functional Organizations

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Project Management Structures: Functional organization

• Different segments of the project are delegated to respective functional units.

• Coordination is maintained through normal management channels.

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Functional Organization of Projects

• Advantages

1. No Structural Change

2. Flexibility

3. In-Depth Expertise

4. Easy Post-Project Transition

• Disadvantages

1. Lack of Focus

2. Poor Integration

3. Slow

4. Lack of Ownership

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Dedicated Project Team

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Project Management Structures: Dedicated Teams

• Organizing Projects: Teams operate as separate units under the leadership of a full-time project manager.

– In a projectized organization where projects are the dominant form of business, functional departments are responsible for providing support for its teams.

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Project Organization: Dedicated Team• Advantages

1. Simple

2. Fast

3. Cohesive

4. Cross-Functional Integration

• Disadvantages

1. Expensive

2. Internal Strife

3. Limited Expertise

4. Difficult Post-Project Transition

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Matrix Organization Structure

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Project Management Structures: Matrix Structure

– Hybrid organizational structure (matrix) is overlaid on the normal functional structure.

• Two chains of command (functional and project)• Project participants report simultaneously to both

functional and project managers.

– Matrix structure optimizes the use of resources.

• Allows for participation on multiple projects while performing normal functional duties.

• Achieves a greater integration of expertise and project requirements.

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Division of Project Manager and Functional Manager Responsibilities in a Matrix Structure

Project Manager Negotiated Issues Functional Manager

What has to be done? Who will do the task? How will it be done?

When should the task be done? Where will the task be done?

How much money is available Why will the task be done? How will the project involvementto do the task? impact normal functional activities?

How well has the total project Is the task satisfactorily How well has the functional been done? completed? input been integrated?

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Project Organization: Matrix Form

• Advantages

1. Efficient

2. Strong Project Focus

3. Easier Post-Project Transition

4. Flexible

• Disadvantages

1. Dysfunctional Conflict

2. Infighting

3. Stressful

4. Slow

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Choosing the Appropriate PM Structure• Organization Considerations

– How important is the project to the firm’s success?

– What percentage of core work involves projects?

– What level of resources (human and physical) are available?

• Project Considerations

– Size of project

– Strategic importance

– Novelty and need for innovation

– Need for integration (number of departments involved)

– Environmental complexity (number of external interfaces)

– Budget and time constraints

– Stability of resource requirements

Source: Larson & Gray (2011)

Boddy (2002)

Dia

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Threats Opportunities

Core Senior management pressurePenalty of failure severeHeavy responsibility

Career visibilityRewards of successResources allocated

Novel Failure to find solutionCost & time over-runSomeone gets there firstResources underestimated

Boost to careerTrack recordLoose budgetResult hard to compare

Rapid Pressure for quick resultsCorner cuttingIndirect aspects ill considered

Loose budgetNew job soon

Controversial

Differences hard to manageInformation distortedSignificant resistance

More credit for successBacking from winning side

Boddy (2002) p. 21

Also ….

Informal Organisation:• Spontaneous, emotional dynamic.

• Influence based on personality, power, bottom-down.

• Control through physical or social sanction (norms).

• Communication is through the grapevine.

• Networks are poorly defined and cut across regular channels.

• Relationships arise spontaneously.

• Interaction is based on personal characteristics.

The Psychological Contract

‘Series of mutual expectations and satisfaction of needs arising from the people-organisation relationship … not part of the formal agreement but have an important influence on behaviour.’

(Mullins, 2010, p14 – 17)

The expected exchange of values that encourages an individual to work for the organisation and motivates the organisation to employ the person.’

(French, Rayner, Rees & Rumbles, 2008, p20)

The Psychological ContractEmployer Expects Employee Expects

Work hard Pay commensurate with performance

Uphold company reputation Opportunities for training and development

Maintain high levels of attendance and punctuality

Opportunities for promotion

Show loyalty to the organisation Recognition for innovation or new ideas

Work extra hours when required Feedback on performance

Develop new skills and update old ones Interesting tasks

Be flexible e.g. taking on a colleague’s work An attractive benefits package

Be courteous to clients and colleagues Respectful treatment

Be honest Reasonable job security

Come up with new ideas Pleasant and safe working environment

Employer Expects Employee Expects

Work hard Pay commensurate with performance

Uphold company reputation Opportunities for training and development

Maintain high levels of attendance and punctuality

Opportunities for promotion

Show loyalty to the organisation Recognition for innovation or new ideas

Work extra hours when required Feedback on performance

Develop new skills and update old ones Interesting tasks

Be flexible e.g. taking on a colleague’s work An attractive benefits package

Be courteous to clients and colleagues Respectful treatment

Be honest Reasonable job security

Come up with new ideas Pleasant and safe working environment

Out of C

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Out of C

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Indivi

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Which

are yo

ur Top 5

Skill

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Which

5 (o

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) will

you co

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ork at t

his ye

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share

this

with a tr

usted co

lleague and re

view yo

ur pro

gress

thro

ughout the ye

ar