Sunday, April 7, 2013

Project Close and Organizational Structure..

Project Close

Once all of the project deliverable outcomes are complete, the project moves from the performing phases into the closing phase. Projects may also be abruptly terminated by the sponsor for various reasons. For example, perhaps the end result will cost more than originally planned, and the return will be less than desired. Or, perhaps the sponsor is not satisfied.

Essentially, there may be a number of reasons (good or bad) for a project to terminate. Regardless of why the project is terminated, it is critical to go through the closing phase of the project.
The process of closing a project includes actions such as:
  • collecting and making final payments;
  • recognizing staff and providing positive and constructive feedback;
  • performing a post project evaluation;
  • documenting lessons learned; and
  • finalizing, organizing, and archiving project documents.
Having a repository for all project managers to store project information and learn from other projects is extremely important when building an effective process. In addition to lessons learned, the repository should contain project metrics, such as status reports as well as defect and exception information.
This can be the source of information for the next project. Whether the project is abruptly terminated or finished as expected, it should be fully documented and archived. Many of the topics we discussed can be used for the next project. Templates, estimates, and status report metrics can be readily identified from a review of the project archives.
Competent vendors, high-quality technologies, and lessons learned during the entire life cycle can be stored and applied when needed. As personnel turnover occurs, the lessons learned can be reviewed by the new people and applied to future projects, assuring best practices right from the start.
Project close out should include documentation encompassing the entire life cycle of the project, including all project artifacts, configuration control reports, status reports, exception reports, and lessons learned from the project manager and team.
During the closing phase, it is important to obtain feedback from customers. Holding a post project evaluation with your customer provides you with the opportunity to hear from your customer regarding his/her level of satisfaction. It also opens the door to help future business relations with this particular customer, or feedback that can be applied with other customer relationships.

Types of Organizations
Now that we understand the fundamentals of project management, let's see how projects fit into organizations.
Project teams are formed in many ways by different organizations. PMI defines three major organizational structures: functional, matrix, and projectized. Those three types exist along a continuum.

Definitions
Functional-Type Organization
  • The project manager may be the functional manager of the team.
  • It is typically housed in and staffed by one department in an organization, such as IT, finance, or networking.
  • Most projects are in-house.
  • Team members continue regular functional jobs.
  • The project manager does not have complete authority over the team, except when the project manager is also the functional manager of the team members.
  • Example: IT software upgrade
Projectized-Type Organization
  • Team members are hired or transferred to the project as employees of the project.
  • Team members do not have duties outside of the project.
  • Team members work only on the project and are employed for the life of the project.
  • The project manager has complete authority over the team.
  • Project teams are isolated and rarely integrated into an organization.
  • Example: Consultants aligned to a given project for a set period of time
Matrix-Type Organization
  • This is in the middle, with characteristics of the functional and projectized organizational structures.
  • Team members report to both a functional manager and a project manager.
  • Typically, the project manager manages the project and the functional manager manages the people.
  • The project manager manages the project objectives, and the functional manager is responsible for the technical objectives.
People: The Project Manager and The Project Team

Functional Project Managers
A functional manager is typically a specialist who makes technical decisions. A functional manager usually manages personnel with the authority from a company or a government agency. Using specialist skills, the functional manager supervises the personnel's efforts. The functional manager has achieved his or her position because of his or her skill level in a specialty. The functional manager makes decisions about the area of specialty.

A project manager is a generalist who takes a systems approach regarding the project. A project manager is a facilitator who controls the project to some extent.

Let's look at a construction example: On a building site for the construction of a wall, the foreman (functional manager) of the brick crew knows the number of workers required, the quantity of bricks and mortar necessary, and how long it will take to build the wall. The brick foreman and his or her crew will move on to another brick job when they finish their wall.
Meanwhile, the project manager for the construction project coordinates the delivery of materials, schedules the rough grading with the landscaping crew so that there will be a site for the walls, schedules the crew, and schedules the landscaping after the wall is completed. The PM is responsible for everything on the site, including plumbing, electricity, permits, framing, and roofing--the entire building.



The Project Manager
Project managers have a wide variety of skills and styles. All project managers must be able to plan, organize, and control. Most effective project managers have:
(1) the ability to lead people and develop people's skills
(2) great communication skills
(3) effective interpersonal skills
(4) the ability to handle stress
(5) excellent problem-solving skills
(6) good time-management skills.
Project managers need to use many general-management skills to manage their projects, as well, such as: resolve the conflict, be a leader, and always communicate.
Successful projects and effective project managers will use a communication plan. An effective communication plan reduces confusion about due dates, provides a standard, and makes it easy to bring new team members up to speed.




Characteristics of an Effective Team
A clear sense of mission is one of the most important characteristics of effective teams. Team members may resent it if they feel like information is being withheld. Team members can waste a great deal of time trying to understand the purpose of the project. You can reduce that wasted time by clearly communicating the mission. Other characteristics of an effective team include:
(a) the ability to see the big picture
(b) an understanding of their inter-dependencies within the rest of the organization
(c) having a sense of cohesiveness
(d) trusting one another and the project manager
(e) possessing enthusiasm.


Stages of Team Development
As teams are formed, there are natural stages of team development that will occur. What takes place during each stage? How does the team feel? What can the project manager do to help the team navigate through the various stages? 



Stage
What's Happening
What can the PM do to help the team navigate through this stage?
Forming
Transition from an individual to a team member.
  • Be directive.
  • Clearly outline the objectives and scope of the project.
  • Define roles and responsibilities.
  • Establish processes for team members to follow.
  • Hold a kick-off meeting.
Storming
  • Work is being performed.
  • Team members begin to test the limits and ground rules.
  • Team members begin to feel frustration and have more questions about their roles and  responsibilities and the direction of the project.
  • Be directive.
  • Provide clarification.
  • Acknowledge the frustration, but follow the ground rules.
  • Involve the team in problem-solving activities, and empower the team.
Norming
  • Conflicts are generally resolved.
  • Relationships are settled, and the project team has accepted their direction.
  • Cohesion and trust begin to develop.
  • A sense of team develops.
  • Minimize direction.
  • Support the team.
  • Recognize the team.
Performing
  • The team is highly committed.
  • Collaboration amongst team members occurs.
  • Professional growth develops.
  • Fully delegate responsibility and authority to the team.
  • Recognize team members.
  • Concentrate on controlling the project performance.