Now that the project manager and the project team are ready to go to work, how will they be organized, and where will they be located? There is no one best way to organize a project. Depending on the nature of the project, the resources needed and who needs to be communicating with whom and how often will determine the organizational form and position of the project in the larger organization. It is possible that your project will be independent of the larger organization, or that you are planning a project apart from an organization. If that is the case, the organizing question is less complicated.
Often, a "project office" (Kerzner, 1982) is organized and operated by the project manager. The project team is a combination of the office and the functional employees. The project office is a focal point for the project personnel to interact externally with customers and internally with different units of the organization.
If you must connect your project to a larger organization, Meredith and Mantel (1989) offer the following criteria for helping determine the organizational location:
List the major desired project outcomes by objective.
List the key tasks by objective and locate the functional organizational units for each task.
Organizing and Housing the Project 59 Break the key tasks down into work packages.
Determine which project subsystems are required to complete the work pack- ages and which will work closely with others.
List the special characteristics and assumptions of the project (technology, personnel, etc.).
Choose a structure and location based on the above analysis.
With these guidelines in mind, the project manager can then assign team members to different functional areas in the organization, with the sign-off of those func- tional area managers. However, if the project manager decides to organize the project team with other organizational units, this must be done through the au- thority of general management. Remember, the goal is to get the project goal accomplished on time, within budget, and according to specifications. Organizing and housing the project are means to this end, not an end in itself.
There is no one easy, fixed way to organize a project team. Flexibility is the key, and working within and across organizational units is the norm. It is the project manager who in concert with the team develops both psychological and written contracts that assist the cross-functional roles and responsibilities.
PROJECT MANAGER SELECTION QUALITY CONTROL CHECKLIST
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YES OR NO~
The project managerI
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1. is experienced enough in this project area to successfully commit to com- plete the project on time, within budget, and according to specifications;2 . is strategically capable to envision and conceptualize the entire project process through all phases;
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3. is technically competent to help design and execute a total project plan;4 . is interpersonally able and experienced to inspire, motivate, discipline, resolve conflicts, negotiate competing interests, and sell the project to corporate and other managers;
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5. demonstrates the following competencies and characteristics: flexible, self- motivated, energetic, organized, alert, quick-to-learn, self-disciplined, ef- fective listening skills, excellent problem solver, skilled politician, balanced temperament, sensitive, politically savvy, ethical, able to sell ideas and plans, express enthusiasm, cheerlead, coach, able to effectively interactverbally and nonverbally in the board room and on the shop floor, oper- ates well under pressure;
- 6. demonstrates competency to act effectively and quickly in the following roles: figurehead, leader, liaison, monitor, information disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, ne- gotiator; and
- 7. demonstrates effectiveness and experience in: understanding and interact- ing with customers and end users, meeting management, contract negotia- tions, all phases of strategic and technical planning, budgeting, resource acquisition and allocation, initiating and terminating professional and per- sonal relationships, understanding complex organizational, group, and in- terpersonal issues and problems, admitting error and bias, acknowledging and celebrating others' contributions.
PROJECT TEAM SELECTION QUALITY CONTROL CHECKLIST YES OR NO
The project team members
- 1. are committed to planning and executing the project through all phases;
- 2. are technically experienced in their specific area to help successfully com- plete the project on time, within budget, and according to specifications;
- 3. understand and have used project management concepts and tools;
- 4. are interpersonally capable of sharing information and expertise, solving conflicts jointly, planning and problem solving with others, actively listen- ing, receiving and giving nonjudgmental feedback, communicating assertively;
5 . are able to work with two or more bosses;
- 6. are self-motivated and entrepreneurial but not self-oriented;
- 7. are flexible;
- 8. are responsible and can own mistakes as well as achievements;
- 9. can share rewards and failures;
10. are.willing to delegate and be delegated changing work assignments; and
- 11. can work well under pressure and changing deadlines.
Organizing and Housing the Project 61 PROJECT MANAGER AND TEAM SELECTION ACID TEST
The project management team is organized when
1. General corporate management issues policies, procedures, or directives for selecting/hiring the project manager and project team members.
2. General corporate management remains informed and directly active in the selection process.
3. General corporate management hires or selects the project manager and proj- ect team members and announces the assignments to the organization.
4. A project "home" is organized and positioned in relationship to the larger organization.
5. Corporate management announces and supports the organizational location and lines of authority of the project team.
6. The project manager and project team members begin work on the project.