Project Management(A6AX 34)

Ourcome1: Project Team Management

Developed from SQA COLEG pack by Margaret Pearson, Lauder College.

Forth Valley College 2015

Aims and Objectives By the end of this unit you should be able to: • Describe an appropriate management

structure for project development

• Identify and describe the effects of project team organisation on development work

• Identify the factors which affect the productivity of project team members

What is a Project?

A project can be defined as a piece of work which: • has a specific objective

• has a beginning and an end

• has a series of linked activities in between

Difficulties of Project ManagementA project:Creates change. You have to plan and budget on

forecasts and estimates rather than on past experience. By definition the task of the project is something which has not been done before.

Is Unique. It may be impossible to rely on existing practice, rules or procedures.

Has composite goals and objectives. You have to balance possibly conflicting requirements.

Is limited in time and scope. There is only one chance to get it right.

Requires a variety of resources. You have to create business and personal relationships among people who do not normally work together.

Responsibilities of the Project Manager

The Project Manager has responsibilities to management

the client the product the project Team

him/herself

Group Activity 2

Using the above, list the responsibilities you can identify in each category.

When you have spent some time making up your list of responsibilities, discuss your answers and compare your with those on page 7 of your Teaching Notes.

Responsibilities to Management Accept responsibility for the project.

Understand the management's objectives for this project.

Only accept commitments which can realistically be met.

Maintain open communication. Report on progress and ask for assistance when required.

Control the project so that it is completed on schedule and within budget.

Responsibilities to the Client

Understand the client's requirements.

Provide him/her with a total understanding of the project outcomes.

Ensure his/her understanding of the problems and solutions of the project.

Ensure he/she has a realistic appreciation of the extent and limitations of the project manager's commitment.

Responsibilities to the Product

Total responsibility for delivery and acceptance

Assure that the product functions as specified.

Leave no un-described loose ends.

The product meets professional standards.

Responsibilities to the Project Team

Each team member should have a fulfilling job which carries with it a sense of achievement and personal development.

Provide the best possible working environment.

Provide leadership by making decisions and

supervising the work of team members.

Responsibilities to Yourself

Don't sacrifice personal, moral or

professional principles.

Don't accept impossible commitments. Share the load. Be open to learning.

The Project Team

Leadership Style: The choice of leadership style adopted by a project manager depends on:

The type of organisation. Leading a platoon of soldiers is different from leading a group of volunteers from a charity.

The maturity and characteristics of subordinates. A system

designer may need different leadership from a skill seeker.

The project environment. A creative development environment or a production environment with tight deadlines.

The objective should be to adopt the right leadership style at the right time appropriate to the subordinate. Leadership should be supportive, participative and instrumental.

Roles and Responsibilities of Team MembersMembers: Team members must be clear about the level of responsibility they are assuming with each task undertaken. Levels include: Executing the work.

Taking decisions solely or jointly.

Managing progress.

Providing on-the-job tuition to other team members.

Having to be consulted.

Having to be informed.

Giving advice.

Group ClimateName Group climate can make or break a project. These factors contribute to a good group climate: The team gets encouragement from the leader.

The leader gets support from the team.

The team's contribution is valued.

The team is involved in discussions.

The team sets its own standards and procedures where possible. Personality problems are raised and resolved.

The team members adhere to and respect group decisions.

Destructive behavior can damage the group climate of a project team. This behavior includes: being highly aggressive or competitive

being very withdrawn

being disruptive

Group Activity 3

Please study the scenario for Activity 3 on page 11 of your teaching notes and If possible discuss these points with your group. Check your answers with those given on page 12.

Assembling a Project Team

Putting a project team together is a very difficult task. Theory says that you start with analysing the task and activities to be done.

You then look for people who would be committed and able to contribute towards the successful achievement of the objectives of the project. .

In most organisations, however, organisational politics and common practice will play a part in whom you can get into the team.

Common practices include: One or more senior managers appoints team members. The

project manager has no say in the procedure and is left guessing why he/she got the individuals.

The project manager influences the selection process, putting together a team from within the organisation or hiring new members from outside.

The project leader and core team members select the rest of the team themselves.

The team can be self-selecting i.e. consist of volunteers.

Criteria to be considered when selecting members for a project team:

The level of technical or specialist knowledge required.

The compatibility of the individuals working methods with those required by the project.

The individual's interest in the aims of the project.

Achieving a balance of different personal perspectives and ways of working.

The importance of having groups represented on the project team, e.g. users.

The right mix of technical skills alone does not mean that the team will be effective. A balance in the range of contributions is necessary. You also need:

people who can come up with new ideas

people who are energetic in getting things done once the framework has been established

people who have a sense of realism about what can be achieved

people who are concerned with detail and tying up loose ends

team workers who can resolve conflicts between individuals

Activity 4

Please study the scenario for Activity 4on page 15 of your teaching notes and If possible discuss these points with your group. Check your answers with those given on page 16.

As a project manager there are many things you can do to ensure that each team member feels involved and committed to the project.

Be open to accommodating an individual's preferences of specialisation, interests and responsibility.

Let the team in on your knowledge of the whole project. Each individual should know where he/she fits.

You should maintain team involvement (team spirit). Ask for advice from team members. Respond to concerns raised by members. Encourage participation in group problems.

You should not limit individuals unduly. Let them set their own goals (if they are consistent with yours). Provide adequate support services and recognise the responsibilities

Team members have a right to expect leadership from the project manager:

Their work should be supervised so that no-one feels they are working in a vacuum.

You should review the team member's progress and assist with planning career development.

You should point out mistakes. This is a teaching role, not an opportunity to be destructively critical.

Always give credit where credit is due. If a person's efforts go unnoticed there is no motivation to make an effort when the next challenge comes along.

You should make yourself available when you are needed.

Motivation

Victor Vroom's expectancy model of motivation states that where: F = Motivational Force

V = Valence, the attractiveness of the outcome E = Expectation, i.e. how likely the outcome is F = V x E

This means simply that the more attractive an outcome and the more likely it is to happen, the more we are motivated to bring it about.

Human motives cannot be predicted and they are not always rational.

In general factors concerning the job itself lead to positive motivation, but factors concerning the job surroundings cause negative motivation.

An improvement in job surroundings, e.g. more space to work, a better heating system, a pay rise, a refurbished staff canteen, simply remove a source of negative motivation.

Group Activity 5

Make two separate lists of factors which remove negative motivation and factors which provide positive motivation.

Check your answers with those given on page 21 of your teaching notes

Negative Motivational Factors

Here are some basic needs which can be identified as removing negative motivation:

Physical - heat, light, peace, somewhere to eat.Status - a recognised identity such as a job title or

grade, e.g. property assistant rather than janitor. Social - outings and social clubs provide an opportunity

for employees to associate with colleagues.Security - Fair treatment and a grievance procedure can

impart a sense of security.Orientation - An employee needs to be able to locate

him/herself within the framework of the company.Economic - a fair wage or salary.

Positive Motivational Factors

To get the best out of a project team member these needs must also be satisfied:

Achievement - You need to feel that you are making a real contribution.

Recognition - You need to be told you are doing a good job.

Growth - You need to feel that you can attain higher levels of responsibility.

Responsibility - You need some self-reliance, i.e. to take some decisions on your own.

De-Motivated Staff

You may be feeling unfulfilled, you may feel lonely, sad, trapped and/or that you are being used. You may be feeling dissatisfied, you may be withdrawn, or aggressive. You may take frequent sick leave (real or not). Think about how a job can be improved by attempting the next activity.

Group Psychology Members of a project team often develop strong ties, especially where there are a number of problems to be surmounted or the time schedule is tight. These ties are often healthy, motivating and lead to greater productivity. One bad aspect of group psychology is 'group think'. It can be extremely hard for a team member to express a view which goes against the rest of the group. This stifles creativity. Team members can unconsciously discourage disagreement with the group opinion. In this way 'group think' destroys a person's ability to examine a problem critically. You will probably have seen this in action in a situation where a show of hands is called for. Many people have a little look around to see who is putting their hand up before they find the courage to do so themselves.

Summary You have come to the end of Section 1 of the Project Management Unit. You should now know about the management structure for project development and should be able to identify the effects of project team management on development work. You should also be aware of factors which influence the motivation and job satisfaction of individual team members and the effect this has on their productivity You should be ready to tackle the tutor assignment at the end of this section, then to move on to Section 2 where you will consider project planning.

The End