Project Management (OEDL 423)-Semester IV
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Case Study
There are powerful environmental forces contributing to the rapid expansion of project management approaches to business problems and opportunities. A project is defined as a nonroutine, one-time effort limited by time, resources, and performance specifications designed to meet customer needs. One of the distinguishing characteristics of project management is that it has both a beginning and an end and typically consists of four phases: defining, planning, executing, and closing. Effective project management begins with selecting and prioritizing projects that support the firm’s mission and strategy. Successful implementation requires both technical and social skills. Project managers have to plan and budget projects as well as orchestrate the contributions of others. To be successful, project managers must build a cooperative network among a diverse set of allies. They begin by identifying who the key stakeholders on a project are, followed by a diagnosis of the nature of the relationships, and the basis for exercising influence. Effective project managers are skilled at acquiring and exercising a wide range of influence. They use this influence and a highly interactive management style to monitor project performance and initiate appropriate changes in project plans and direction. They do so in a manner that generates trust, which is ultimately based on others’ perceptions of their character and competence.
Project managers are encouraged to keep in mind the following suggestions:
Build relationships before you need them. Identify key players and what you can do to help them before you need their assistance. It is always easier to receive a favor after you have granted one. This requires the project manager to see the project in systems terms and to appreciate how it affects other activities and agendas inside and outside the organization. From this perspective they can identify opportunities to do good deeds and garner the support of others.
Trust is sustained through frequent face-to-face contact. Trust withers through neglect. This is particularly true under conditions of rapid change and uncertainty that naturally engender doubt, suspicion, and even momentary bouts of paranoia. Project managers must maintain frequent contact with key stakeholders to keep abreast of developments, assuage concerns, engage in reality testing, and focus attention on the project. Frequent face-to-face interactions affirm mutual respect and trust in each other.
Ultimately, exercising influence in an effective and ethical manner begins and ends with how you view the other parties. Do you view them as potential partners or obstacles to your goals? If obstacles, then you wield your influence to manipulate and gain compliance and cooperation. If partners, you exercise influence to gain their commitment and support. People who view social network building as building partnerships see every interaction with two goals: resolving the immediate problem/ concern and improving the working relationship so that next time it will be even more effective. Experienced project managers realize that “what goes around comes around” and try at all cost to avoid antagonizing players for quick success.
Question 1: A series of coordinated, related, multiple projects that continue over extended time intended to achieve a goal is known as a
Select one:
a. Strategy
b. Program
c. Campaign
d. Crusade
Clear my choice
Question 2. From 1994 to 2009 the trend for projects late or over budget was:
Select one:
a. Significantly better
b. Slightly better
c. About the same
d. Slightly worse
Clear my choice
Question 3. From among the following activities, which is the best example of a project?
Select one:
a. Processing insurance claims
b. Producing automobiles
c. Writing a term paper
d. Completing a college degree
Clear my choice
Question 4. Integration of project management with the organization takes place with the
Select one:
a. Master budget
b. Strategy plan
c. Process of managing actual projects
d. Both b and c are correct
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Question 5. Project management is ideally suited for a business environment requiring all of the following except
Select one:
a. Accountability
b. Flexibility
c. Innovation
d. Repeatability
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Question 6. The advent of project management has been most profound in
Select one:
a. Automobile manufacturing
b. Construction
c. Information technology
d. The U.S. Department of Defense
Clear my choice
Question 7. The new perspective of project management emphasizes which of the following?
Select one:
a. Financial control
b. Managing project stakeholders
c. Schedule/cost tradeoffs
d. Both A and B are correct
Clear my choice
Question 8. Which of the following choices is not one of the driving forces behind the increasing demand for project management?
Select one:
a. Compression of the product life cycle
b. Knowledge explosion
c. Development of third world and closed economies
d. More emphasis on the product and less on the customer
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Question 9. Which of the following is not considered to be a characteristic of a project?
Select one:
a. An established objective
b. A clear beginning and end
c. Complex tasks
d. Only for internal use
Clear my choice
Question 10. Which of these is not part of the “technical dimension” of project management?
Select one:
a. WBS
b. Budgets
c. Problem solving
d. Schedules
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2nd Module Assessment
Case Study
Organization Strategy and Project Selection
Multiple competing projects, limited skilled resources, dispersed virtual teams, time to market pressures, and limited capital serve as forces for the emergence of project portfolio management that provides the infrastructure for managing multiple projects and linking business strategy with project selection. The most important element of this system is the creation of a ranking system that utilizes multiple criteria that reflect the mission and strategy of the firm. It is critical to communicate priority criteria to all organizational stakeholders so that the criteria can be the source of inspiration for new project ideas.
Every significant project selected should be ranked and the results published. Senior management must take an active role in setting priorities and supporting the priority system. Going around the priority system will destroy its effectiveness. The project priority team needs to consist of seasoned managers who are capable of asking tough questions and distinguishing facts from fiction. Resources (people, equipment, and capital) for major projects must be clearly allocated and not conflict with daily operations or become an overload task.
The priority team needs to scrutinize significant projects in terms of not only their strategic value but also their fit with the portfolio of projects currently being implemented. Highly ranked projects may be deferred or even turned down if they upset the current balance among risks, resources, and strategic initiatives. Project selection must be based not only on the merits of the specific project but also on what it contributes to the current project portfolio mix. This requires a holistic approach to aligning projects with organizational strategy and resources.
The importance of aligning projects with organization strategy cannot be overstated. We have discussed two types of models found in practice. Checklist models are easy to develop and are justified primarily on the basis of flexibility across different divisions and locations. Unfortunately, questionnaire checklist models do not allow comparison of the relative value (rank) of alternative projects in contributing toward organization strategy. The latter is the major reason the authors prefer multi-weighted scoring models. These models keep project selection highly focused on alignment with organization strategy. Weighted scoring models require major effort in establishing the criteria and weights.
Question 1: Project selection criteria are typically classified as:
Select one:
a. Financial and non-financial
b. Short-term and long-term
c. Strategic and tactical
d. Required and optional
Clear my choice
Question 2. Strategy considered to be under purview of senior management is
Select one:
a. Old school thinking
b. A new school of management thought
c. Necessary in a company structure
d. Beneficial to the Project Manager
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Question 3. Strategy formulation includes which of the following activities?
Select one:
a. Determining alternatives
b. Creating profitability targets
c. Evaluating alternatives
d. Both a and c are correct
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Question 4. The assessment of the external and internal environments is called _ analysis.
Select one:
a. SWOT analysis
b. Competitive
c. Industry
d. Market
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Question 5. The intended outcome of strategy/projects integration is
Select one:
a. Clear organization focus
b. Best use of scarce organization resources
c. Improved communication across projects and departments
d. A, B, and C are all correct
Clear my choice
Question 6. Which of the following is a common multicriteria selection model?
Select one:
a. Checklist
b. Net Present Value
c. Weighted criteria model
d. Both A and C are correct
Clear my choice
Question 7. Which of the following is not one of the classifications for assessing a project portfolio?
Select one:
a. Sacred cow
b. Bread-and-butter
c. Pearls
d. Oysters
Clear my choice
Question 8. Which of the following is not one of the commonly heard comments of project managers?
Select one:
a. Where did this project come from?
b. Why are we doing this project?
c. How can all these projects be first priority?
d. Why is this project so strongly linked to the strategic plan?
Clear my choice
Question 9. Which of the following is not one of the requirements for successful implementation of strategies through projects?
Select one:
a. Allocation of resources
b. Prioritizing of projects
c. Motivation of project contributors
d. All of these are requirements
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Question 10. Which of the following questions does the organization’s mission statement answer?
Select one:
a. What are our long-term strategies?
b. What are our long-term goals and objectives?
c. How do we operate in the existing environment?
d. What do we want to become?
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3rd Module Assessment
Case Study
Organization: Structure and Culture, Defining the Project and Developing a Project Plan
This case study examined two major characteristics of the parent organization that affect the implementation and completion of projects. The first is the formal structure of the organization and how it chooses to organize and manage projects. Although the individual project manager may have very little say as to how the firm chooses to manage projects, he or she must be able to recognize the options available as well as the inherent strengths and weaknesses of different approaches.
Three basic project management structures were described and assessed as to their weaknesses and strengths. Only under unique circumstances can a case be made for managing a project within the normal functional hierarchy. When thinking only in terms of what is best for the project, the creation of an independent project team is clearly favored. However, the most effective project management system appropriately balances the needs of the project with those of the parent organization. Matrix structures emerged out of the parent organization’s need to share personnel and resources across multiple projects and operations while creating legitimate project focus. The matrix approach is a hybrid organizational form that combines elements of both the functional and project team forms in an attempt to realize the advantages of both.
The second major characteristic of the parent organization is the concept of organizational culture. Organizational culture is the pattern of beliefs and expectations shared by an organization’s members. Culture includes the behavioral norms, customs, shared values, and the “rules of the game” for getting along and getting ahead within the organization. It is important for project managers to be “culture sensitive” so that they can develop appropriate strategies and responses and avoid violating key norms that would jeopardize their effectiveness within the organization.
The interaction between project management structure and organizational culture is a complicated one. We have suggested that in certain organizations, culture encourages the implementation of projects. In this environment the project management structure used plays a less decisive role in the success of the project. Conversely, for other organizations in which the culture stresses internal competition and differentiation, just the opposite may be true. The prevailing norms, customs, and attitudes inhibit effective project management, and the project management structure plays a more decisive role in the successful implementation of projects. At a minimum, under adverse cultural conditions, the project manager needs to have significant authority over the project team; under more extreme conditions firms should use dedicated project teams to complete critical projects. In both cases, the managerial strategy should be to insulate project work from the dominant culture so that a more positive “subculture” can emerge among project participants.
The project scope definition, priorities, and breakdown structure are the keys to nearly every aspect of managing the project. The scope definition provides focus and emphasis on the end item(s) of the project. Establishing project priorities allows managers to make appropriate trade-off decisions. The structure helps ensure all tasks of the project are identified and provides two views of the project—one on deliverables and one on organization responsibility. The WBS avoids having the project driven by organization function or by a finance system. The structure forces attention to realistic requirements of personnel, hardware, and budgets. Use of the structure provides a powerful framework for project control that identifies deviations from plan, identifies responsibility, and spots areas for improved performance. No well-developed project plan or control system is possible without a disciplined, structured approach. The WBS, OBS, and cost account codes provide this discipline. The WBS will serve as the database for developing the project network which establishes the timing of work, people, equipment, and costs.
In small projects responsibility matrices may be used to clarify individual responsibility.
Clearly defining your project is the first and most important step in planning. The absence of a clearly defined project plan consistently shows up as the major reason for project failures. Whether you use a WBS or responsibility matrix will depend primarily on the size and nature of your project. Whatever method you use, definition of your project should be adequate to allow for good control as the project is being implemented. Follow-up with a clear communication plan for coordinating and tracking project progress will help keep important stakeholders informed and avoid some potential problems. Many project managers feel the project network is their most valuable exercise and planning document. Project networks sequence and time-phase the project work, resources, and budgets. Work package tasks are used to develop activities for networks. Every project manager should feel comfortable working in an AON environment. The AON method uses nodes (boxes) for activities and arrows for dependencies. The forward and backward passes establish early and late times for activities. Although most project managers use computers to generate networks and activity times, they find a keen understanding of network development and the ability to compute activity times is invaluable in the field. Computers break down; input errors give false information; some decisions must be made without computer “what if” analysis. Project managers who are well acquainted with network development and AON methods and who are able to compute activity times will encounter fewer problems than project managers less well acquainted. Project networks help to ensure there are no surprises.
Several extensions and modifications have been appended to the original AON method. Lags allow the project planner to more closely replicate the actual conditions found in practice. The use of lags can result in the start or finish of an activity becoming critical. Some computer software simply calls the whole activity critical rather than identifying the start or finish as being critical. Caution should be taken to ensure that lags are not used as a buffer for possible errors in estimating time. Finally, hammock activities are useful in tracking costs of resources used for a particular segment of a project. Hammock activities can also be used to reduce the size of a project network by grouping activities for simplification and clarity. All of the discussed refinements to the original AON methodology contribute toward better planning and control of projects.
Question 1: A good project management system provides for defining the interface between the project team and the organization in all the following areas except
Select one:
a. Authority
b. Allocation of resources
c. Development of project team members
d. Integration of the project into the organization
Clear my choice
Question 2. A project management system provides a framework for launching and implementing project activities within a _ organization. Select one: a. Matrix b. Balanced c. Weak d. Parent Clear my choice Question 3. An expected output over the life of a project would be classified as Select one: a. A deliverable b. A product c. An end object d. An objective Clear my choice Question 4. From the list below, which is not a primary characteristic of organization culture? Select one: a. Control b. Team emphasis c. History d. Conflict tolerance Clear my choice Question 5. Organizational culture is best explained as organizational Select one: a. Personality b. Hierarchy c. Reporting relationships d. Background Clear my choice Question 6. The amount of time an activity can be delayed and yet not delay the project is termed Select one: a. Total slack b. Free slack c. Critical float d. Float pad Clear my choice Question 7. The critical path in a project network is the Select one: a. Shortest path through the network b. Longest path through the network c. Network path with the most difficult activities d. Network path using the most resources Clear my choice Question 8. The first step in creating the necessary information to manage a project is to Select one: a. Establish project priorities b. Define the project scope c. Verify the budget available d. Verify the budget available Clear my choice Question 9. The project structure that is ranked as least effective is __ organization.
Select one:
a. Functional
b. Balanced matrix
c. Weak matrix
d. Strong matrix
Clear my choice
Question 10. Typically an activity on a project network represents
Select one:
a. A single work package
b. One or more tasks from a work package
c. Several work packages
d. A sub-deliverable
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4th Module Assessment
Case Study
Quality time and cost estimates are the bedrock of project control. Past experience is the best starting point for these estimates. The quality of estimates is influenced by other factors such as people, technology, and downtimes. The key for getting estimates that represent realistic average times and costs is to have an organization culture that allows errors in estimates without incriminations. If times represent average time, we should expect that 50 percent will be less than the estimate and 50 percent will exceed the estimate. The use of teams that are highly motivated can help in keeping task times and costs near the average. For this reason, it is crucial to get the team to buy into time and cost estimates.
Using top-down estimates is good for initial and strategic decision making or in situations where the costs associated with developing better estimates have little benefit. However, in most cases the bottom-up approach to estimating is preferred and more reliable because it assesses each work package, rather than the whole project, section, or deliverable of a project. Estimating time and costs for each work package facilitates development of the project schedule and a time-phased budget, which are needed to control the project as it is implemented. Using the estimating guidelines will help eliminate many common mistakes made by those unacquainted with estimating times and costs for project control. Establishing a time and cost estimating database fits well with the learning organization philosophy.
The level of time and cost detail should follow the old saying of “no more than is necessary and sufficient.” Managers must remember to differentiate between committed outlays, actual costs, and scheduled costs. It is well known that upfront efforts in clearly defining project objectives, scope, and specifications vastly improve time and cost estimate accuracy.
Finally, how estimates are gathered and how they are used can affect their usefulness for planning and control. The team climate, organization culture, and organization structure can strongly influence the importance attached to time and cost estimates and how they are used in managing projects. To put the processes discussed in this chapter in proper perspective one should recognize that the essence of project management is risk management. Every technique in this book is really a risk management technique. Each in its own way tries to prevent something bad from happening. Project selection systems try to reduce the likelihood that projects will not contribute to the mission of the firm. Project scope statements, among other things, are designed to avoid costly misunderstandings and reduce scope creep. Risk breakdown structures reduce the likelihood that some vital part of the project will be omitted or that the budget estimates are unrealistic. Teambuilding reduces the likelihood of dysfunctional conflict and breakdowns in coordination. All of the techniques try to increase stakeholder satisfaction and increase the chances of project success.
From this perspective managers engage in risk management activities to compensate for the uncertainty inherent in project management and that things never go according to plan. Risk management is proactive not reactive. It reduces the number of surprises and leads to a better understanding of the most likely outcomes of negative events.
Although many managers believe that in the final analysis, risk assessment and contingency depend on subjective judgment, some standard method for identifying, assessing, and responding to risks should be included in all projects. The very process of identifying project risks forces some discipline at all levels of project management and improves project performance.
Contingency plans increase the chance that the project can be completed on time and within budget. Contingency plans can be simple “work-arounds” or elaborate detailed plans. Responsibility for risks should be clearly identified and documented. It is desirable and prudent to keep a reserve as a hedge against project risks. Budget reserves are linked to the WBS and should be communicated to the project team. Control of management reserves should remain with the owner, project manager, and line person responsible. Use of contingency reserves should be closely monitored, controlled, and reviewed throughout the project life cycle.
Experience clearly indicates that using a formal, structured process to handle possible foreseen and unforeseen project risk events minimizes surprises, costs, delays, stress, and misunderstandings. Risk management is an iterative process that occurs throughout the lifespan of the project. When risk events occur or changes are necessary, using an effective change control process to quickly approve and record changes will facilitate measuring performance against schedule and cost. Ultimately successful risk management requires a culture in which threats are embraced not denied and problems are identified not hidden
Question 1: An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project objectives is termed.
Select one:
a. Random Chance
b. A disaster
c. Risk
d. Hazard
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Question 2. Cost slope can be determined by dividing the
Select one:
a. Run by the rise
b. Rise by the run
c. Crash cost by the normal cost
d. Normal cost by the crash cost
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Question 3. Low-cost, realistic, efficient methods for completing an activity under normal conditions are supported by _ time. Select one: a. Normal b. Budget c. Optimized d. Expected Clear my choice Question 4. Reasons why estimating time and cost are important include all of the following except: Select one: a. To schedule work b. To determine how long the project should take and cost c. To develop cash flow needs d. All of the above are valid reasons Clear my choice Question 5. The easiest and most commonly used technique for analyzing risks is analysis.
Select one:
a. Probability
b. Scenario
c. Payback
d. Risk/reward
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Question 6. The process of forecasting or approximating the time and cost of completing project deliverables is called
Select one:
a. Budgeting
b. Predicting
c. Estimating
d. Planning
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Question 7. Top-down estimates are most likely to occur during the phase.
Select one:
a. Concept
b. Planning
c. Education
d. Delivery
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Question 8. Top-down estimates are most likely to occur during the __ phase.
Select one:
a. Scheduled
b. Sunk
c. Actual
d. Committed
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Question 9. Which of the following is not one of the recommended guidelines for developing useful work package estimates?
Select one:
a. Estimates should be made by those responsible for the work
b. Use several people to estimate the same work
c. Estimates should be based on normal conditions
d. Estimates should include a normal level of contingency
Clear my choice
Question 10. Which of the following is not one of the steps in the risk management process?
Select one:
a. Risk response development()
b. Risk assessment
c. Risk identification
d. Risk trackin
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5th Module Assessment
Case Study
Progress and Performance Measurement and Evaluation, Project Closure
The best information system does not result in good control. Control requires the project manager to use information to steer the project through rough waters. Control and Gantt charts are useful vehicles for monitoring time performance. The cost/ schedule system allows the manager to have a positive influence on cost and schedule in a timely manner. The ability to influence cost decreases with time; therefore, timely reports identifying adverse cost trends can greatly assist the project manager in getting back on budget and schedule. The integrated cost/schedule model provides the project manager and other stakeholders with a snapshot of the current and future status of the project. The benefits of the cost/schedule model are as follows:
Measures accomplishments against plan and deliverables.
Provides a method for tracking directly to a problem work package and organization unit responsible.
Alerts all stakeholders to early identification of problems, and allows for quick, proactive corrective action.
Improves communication because all stakeholders are using the same database.
Keeps customer informed of progress, and encourages customer confidence that the money spent is resulting in the expected progress.
Provides for accountability over individual portions of the overall budget for each organizational unit.
With your information system in place, you need to use your communication plan to keep stakeholders informed so timely decisions can be made to ensure the project is managed effectively. The goals of project closure are to complete the project and to improve performance of future projects. Implementing closure and review has three major closure deliverables: wrap-up, evaluation, and retrospectives. Wrap-up closure activities include delivering the final project deliverable, closing accounts, finding new opportunities for project staff, closing facilities, and creating the final report. Project evaluation verifies and documents project performance. The retrospectives methodology promises lessons learned are identified and used. Too often we spend massive dollars planning a project and little to nothing learning from the experience of completing the project. Failure to review, assess, and record successes and failures has consistently proven to be a costly waste. Retrospective methodology addresses this waste
Question 1: A project monitoring system involves all of the following except:
Select one:
a. Determining what date to collect
b. Determining how, when, and who will collect the data
c. Adjusting the data
d. Analysis of the data
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Question 2. Adequate project controls have the advantage(s) of:
Select one:
a. Holding people accountable
b. Prevents small problems from getting large
c. Keeping focus
d. A, B, and C are all correct
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Question 3. Baseline project budgets are derived from:
Select one:
a. The organization’s overall budget
b. Time-phasing the work packages
c. Top management directions
d. Both A and C are correct
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Question 4. In monitoring project time (schedule) performance actual performance should be compared to:
Select one:
a. Budgets for the current year
b. Top management’s targets
c. Project network schedule derived from the WBS/OBS
d. Progress on similar past projects
Clear my choice
Question 5. Information on the project type, size, number of staff, and technology level would be included in which section of the audit report?
Select one:
a. Analysis
b. Recommendations
c. Classification of project
d. Lessons learned
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Question 6. Many projects will fail because of circumstances beyond the control of the project team is called:
Select one:
a. Normal
b. Premature
c. Perpetual
d. Failed Project
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Question 7. The cost variance for a project is calculated by:
Select one:
a. EV-AC
b. AC-SV
c. PV-EV
d. CV-EV
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Question 8. The most common circumstance for project closure is:
Select one:
a. Premature completion with some features eliminated
b. Project completion meeting costs, schedule, and quality
c. Project completion after modification of costs, schedule, or quality
d. Project termination due to technical difficulties
Clear my choice
Question 9. The second step in the project control process of the measurement and evaluation of project performance is to:
Select one:
a. Review the baseline plan with top management
b. Analyze inputs to control system
c. Compare plan against actual
d. Measure progress and performance
Clear my choice
Question 10. Under which heading of the Wrap-up closure checklist should the question “Have project accounts been finalized and all billing closed?” be answered.
Select one:
a. Team
b. Vendors/contractors
c. Customer/Users
d. Equipment and facilities
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Assignment 2
Case Study
Managing Project Teams
Project managers often work under less-than-ideal conditions to develop a cohesive team committed to working together and completing the project to the best of their abilities. They have to recruit personnel from other departments and manage the temporary involvement of team members. They have to bring strangers together and quickly establish a set of operational procedures that unite their efforts and contributions. They have to be skilled at managing meetings so that they do not become a burden but rather a vehicle for progress. Project managers need to forge a team identity and a shared vision, that command the attention and allegiance of participants. They need to use group incentives to encourage teamwork while recognizing when it is appropriate to single out individuals for special recognition. Project managers have to encourage functional conflict that contributes to superior solutions while being on guard against dysfunctional conflict that can break a team apart. In doing these things, they have to be careful not to do too good a job and avoid the pitfalls of excessive group cohesion.
While agendas, charters, visions, rewards, and so forth are important tools and techniques, it has been emphasized both that the most important tool a project manager has to build an effective project team is his or her own behavior. Just as the founding members of an organization shape the culture of the organization, the project manager shapes and influences the internal culture of the project team. A positive example can define how team members respond to changes, how they handle new tasks, and how they relate to one another and the rest of the organization. There is no easy way to lead by example. It requires personal conviction, discipline, sensitivity to team dynamics, and a constant awareness of how personal actions are perceived by others. Outsourcing has become an integral part of project management. More and more companies are collaborating with each other on projects to compete in today’s business world. The advantages of outsourcing include cost reduction, quicker completion times, greater flexibility, and higher level of expertise. Disadvantages include coordination problems, loss of control, conflicts, and security issues.
A number of proactive best practices have emerged among firms that have mastered the outsourcing process. These practices include establishing well-defined requirements and procedures and utilizing fair and incentive-laden contracts. Team-building sessions are held before the project begins to forge relationships between personnel from different organizations. Escalation guidelines for resolving conflicts are established, as are provisions for process improvement and risk sharing. On highly critical work, arrangements are made so that key personnel work together, face to face. Joint assessments of how well people are collaborating is the norm during status report briefings. Finally, many companies are realizing the benefits of forming long-term alliances with each other on projects. The ultimate goal is to work together as partners.
Effective negotiating skills are essential to working on projects as partners. People need to resolve differences at the lowest level possible in order to keep the project on track. Veteran project managers realize that negotiating is not a competitive game and work toward collaborative solutions to problems. They accomplish this by separating people from the problem, focusing on interests and not positions, inventing options for mutual gain, and relying on objective criteria whenever possible to resolve disagreements. They also recognize the importance of developing a strong BATNA, which provides them with the leverage necessary to seek collaborative solutions.
Customer satisfaction is the litmus test for project success. Project managers need to take a proactive approach to managing customer expectations and perceptions. They need to actively involve customers in key decisions and keep them abreast of important developments. Active customer involvement keeps the project team focused on the objectives of the project and reduces misunderstandings and dissatisfaction.
Question 1: Advantages of outsourcing project work may likely include all of the following except?
Select one:
a. Shortened project completion
b. Reduced costs
c. Higher level of expertise
d. Reduced conflict
Clear my choice
Question 2. Customer satisfaction can be quantified by:
Select one:
a. Perceived performance divided by actual performance
b. Actual performance divided by expected performance
c. Perceived performance divided by expected performance
d. Actual performance divided by perceived performance
Clear my choice
Question 3. During which stage of team development is high performance not a top priority and team member emotions run from upbeat to depressed?
Select one:
a. Norming
b. Storming
c. Performing
d. Adjourning
Clear my choice
Question 4. Establishing a team identity is facilitated by:
Select one:
a. Team members working in a common space
b. Creation of a project team name
c. Effective use of meetings
d. A, B, and C are all correct
Clear my choice
Question 5. Experience and research indicate that high-performance project teams are much more likely to develop under all the following conditions except:
Select one:
a. Members are assigned to the project full time
b. Members report solely to the project manager
c. There are 10 or fewer members per team
d. Team members are selected by their managers
Clear my choice
Question 6. Key practices in partnering relationships include:
Select one:
a. Single project contracting
b. Goals and objectives are similar
c. Access to each other’s organizational resources
d. Both B and C are correct
Clear my choice
Question 7. Researchers have found that high performance teams will have which of the following norms?
Select one:
a. Hard work does not get in the way of having fun
b. No information is shared outside the team unless all agree to it
c. It is acceptable to be in trouble, but not to surprise others
d. A, B, and C are all correct
Clear my choice
Question 8. Roger is new-product project manager for a retail company. Recently the team has exhibited a high degree of conflict over who will control the group and how decisions will be made. Which stage of development is the team in?
Select one:
a. Norming
b. Storming
c. Performing
d. Adjourning
Clear my choice
Question 9. Which of the following are considered very important in the recruiting of project members?
Select one:
a. The budget available
b. The importance of the project
c. The management structure for the project team
d. Both B and C are correct
Clear my choice
Question 10. Which of the following is an objective of the first project team meeting?
Select one:
a. Overview the project’s scope and objectives
b. Address interpersonal interaction concerns
c. Model how the team will work together
d. A, B, and C are all correct
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