project management role or discipline geof lory – gtd consulting, llc

Project Management Role or Discipline

Geof Lory – GTD Consulting, LLC

Tonight’s ConversationTonight’s Conversation

Definitions: Discipline Project Management Discipline Projects and Tasks Project Manager role or title

Project management disciplines outside the project manager role

Benefits of spreading project management disciplines Line management vs. project management disciplines Special focus of the Project Manager role/title

Defining DisciplineDefining DisciplineA

war

enes

s

Unc

onsc

ious

Con

scio

us

Incompetent

Skill Level

Competent

Unconscious

Incompetence

1.

Bu

ildin

g C

om

mitm

en

t

1.

An

aly

sis

Conscious

Incompetence

Conscious

Competence

Unconscious

Competence

2. Drilling Technique

2. Diagnosis/Formulation

3. A

cqu

iring

Ma

stery

3. Im

ple

me

nta

tion

Implicit Learning

A Definition of DisciplineA Definition of Discipline

The ability to consciously choose actions that are explicitly in alignment with your goals and intentions.

Behavior of conscious choice Exercising your “moral muscles” Internal or self-control NOT external or governed control Requires you stay awake Requires courage and persistence Requires consciousness and honesty of goals and

intentions Requires the ability to see beyond the immediate and

behave accordingly

The Discipline Set of Project ManagementThe Discipline Set of Project Management

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements” (Project Management Institute)

Not exclusive to an organizational position or “the boss” Is not specific to any industry or domain Can be performed at varying levels of formality Is embedded intrinsically in any activity that produces an

outcome Can be identified as activities separate from the actual

activities/work to produce the project deliverables

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.

Temporary - Every project has a definite beginning and a definite end.

Unique - The product, service, or result is different in some distinguishing way from all other products, services, or results.

Source: PMI Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge®, 3rd Edition

How could you Define a Project?How could you Define a Project?

PMI Project Management Areas of DisciplinePMI Project Management Areas of Discipline

Project management includes these disciplines: Project planning/tracking/change control Scope management Schedule management Cost management Staff resource management Communications management Risk management Procurement Quality management

Project Manager’s Unique ActivitiesProject Manager’s Unique Activities

How does a Project Manager perform these activities differently than others on the project team?

Project planning/tracking/change control Scope management Schedule management Cost management Staff resource management Communications management Risk management Procurement Quality management

Distributing Project Management across the TeamDistributing Project Management across the Team

Team members or leads for each role own the responsibilities corresponding to the listed knowledge or discipline areas

Team Leads

Project Manager

Product Manager

Development

Test

User Experience

Release Manager

Quality Management

Procurement Management

Risk Management

Communications M

anagement

Human Resource Management

Cost Management

Time Management

Scope Management

Integration Management

at overall project level at sub-team level

When all team roles are filled by six persons or less…...project manager formally ownsproject management activities

Development

Test

Release Manager

UserExperience

ProductManager

Project ManagerProject Manager

Scaling Up Project Management FunctionsScaling Up Project Management Functions

At three levels of scale…

…who is participating in project management?

When roles are filled by subteams, each with a team lead……project management is distributed among team leads

Development

Test

Release Manager

UserExperience

ProductManager

Project ManagerProject Manager




When project management becomes complex……program management function team includes a program manager and project manager

Development

Test

Release Management

UserExperience

ProductManagement

Program Management

Program Management




When project management becomes complex…

When roles are filled by subteams, each with a team lead…

When all team roles are filled by six persons or less…

… program management ownsproject management activities

… project management is distributed among team leads

… program management function team includes solution architect and project manager

ProgramManagement

ProgramManagement

Development

Test

ReleaseManagement

UserExperience

ProductManagement

ProjectManagerProject

Manager

Development

Test

ReleaseManager

UserExperience

ProductManager

ProjectManagerProject

Manager

Development

Test

ReleaseManager

UserExperience

ProductManager




Line Management vs. Resource Management Disciplines Line Management vs. Resource Management Disciplines

Function team

Feature teams

Lead teamProgram

ManagementProgram

Management

ReleaseManagement

ReleaseManagement

ProductManagement

ProductManagement

UserExperience

UserExperience

DevelopmentDevelopment

TestTest

DesktopFeatureTeam

ProgramManagement

ProgramManagement

UserExperience

UserExperience


TestTest

File and PrintFeatureTeam

ProgramManagement

ProgramManagement

UserExperience

UserExperience


TestTest

MessagingFeatureTeam

ProgramManagement

ProgramManagement

UserExperience

UserExperience


TestTest

UserExperience

Role Lead

Activities that Reflect Project Management DisciplinesActivities that Reflect Project Management Disciplines

Cross-Discipline Formal PM

Role

Lo

w

Formality of Project Manager Role

Executor Lead PM

Org

aniz

atio

nal

Inte

rdep

end

ence

Hig

h

Low High

Line or Functional

Management Role

Lead for work within a domain skill

Individual and Informal Disciplines

Assessing Project Management Complexity & FormalityAssessing Project Management Complexity & Formality

Large size or cost

Geographically dispersed

Multiple organizations

Contractual, legal issues

Fixed budgets, schedules

What are your project management risks?

Project B

Lo

w

Technical Complexity

Pro

ject

Man

agem

ent

Co

mp

lexi

ty

Hig

h

Low High

Project A

Project C

Project D

Project E

Variable Responsibilities of the Project Manager RoleVariable Responsibilities of the Project Manager Role

Project management activities are an especially important competency of the project manager role

Different project characteristics will require different disciplines from the project manager

Domain SME

Example of a project manager also functioning as the product manager

Project Management

Project ManagerProject

Manager

Applying Discipline and Process AppropriatelyApplying Discipline and Process AppropriatelyU

ncer

tain

ty o

f out

com

e -

Cha

nge

Frequency of Occurrence and Control

Low

Low

Discipline is replaced by process and governance

Requires more discipline by everyone

Project AX

Project BX

High

High

The slippery slope to Unaccountability

Discipline vs. Process – You Decide What You GetDiscipline vs. Process – You Decide What You Get

Heavy or formal process is more appropriate for problem resolution where the desired outcome is known

Process will assure consistency The greater the uncertainty of the outcome, the more

flexible the processes needs to be Discipline is more appropriate for creating where the

desired outcome is uncertain or changing The greater the process the greater the ability to abdicate

responsibility and accountability to the process Discipline will adjust faster to a changing environment

because the focus is on the outcome, not the process

How Project Managers Discourage DisciplinesHow Project Managers Discourage Disciplines

Project managers disempower team members when they: Control decision making Act as the sole conduit to the customer/sponsor Act as the “process Nazi” Don’t share ownership of Project Management disciplines

Project Sponsor

Project ManagerProject

Manager

Project Team Members

Leading with Discipline vs. Managing with ControlLeading with Discipline vs. Managing with Control

Hold people to a higher level of consciousness Be clear about their goals and intentions Echo back behavior and perceived interpretations Be uncomfortably honest Be specific Stay in and foster a learning mindset Don’t be afraid to fail and learn Get your ego out of the way

Moving away from an Orwellian mindsetMoving away from an Orwellian mindset

When the disciplines of the team are sufficient, process governance is unnecessary, when the disciplines of the team are insufficient, process governance is ungovernable.

Apologies to Emil Durkheim

“When the mores of the people are sufficient, laws are unnecessary, when the mores of the people are insufficient, laws are unenforceable.”

More on this and similar subjectsMore on this and similar subjects

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Questions and Answers ???Questions and Answers ???

Questions?

project management role or discipline geof lory – gtd consulting, llc

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