Group Organization
CS410
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Topics to Cover
Creating an organization that works
Importance of the project team
Project structures to consider
When training is an option
Keeping focused on the end results
The Three C’s
Communication
Cooperation
Coordination
Working Together
Realize that you’ll be working on tasks that involve more than one person - communicate and cooperate
Share common methods and tools for assessing and communicating the status of the project
Identify and solve problems together- and live with the results together
Working Together
Accept the fact that if one person messes up, the entire team suffers
Realize that the team may change
Ways to Organize People
Functional Organizations
Pure-project Structures
Matrix Organizations
Mixed Organizational Structures
Functional Project Organization
Project is the responsibility of one department
Assigned to the department with the most interest and technical ability
Almost all tasks can be completed within the one functional area
Advantages
Familiarity of the team
Established administrative system
Staff availability
Scheduling efficiency
Clear authority
Disadvantages
Project isolation
Limited resources
Bureaucratic procedures
Lack of project focus
Department orientation
Pure-Project Organization
Team is put together to accomplish goals
Team members report only to project manager
At end of project - go to another job/project
Advantages
Clear project authority
Simplified project communications
Access to special expertise
Project focus and priority
Disadvantages
Duplication of efforts
Unclear loyalties and motivations
Intracompany rivalry
Uncertain reintegration of resources
Matrix Organization
People report to multiple managers
Coordination of a web of relationships
Attempts to take advantage of the benefits of pure-project organization while maintaining the advantages of the functional organization
Matrix Criteria
Need to share scarce or unique resources that are required in more than one project or function area
Requirement for management to provide high levels of information processing and communication
Pressure from outside for central control across departments
Advantages
Clear project focus
Flexible staffing
Adaptability to management needs and skills
Staff development opportunities
Adaptability to management changes
Disadvantages
Built in conflicts
Resistance to termination
Complex command and authority relationships
Complex employee recognition systems
Mixed Organization
Mixture of functional, matrix, and pure-project organizations
Companies with a wide range of projects
Project has more than one purpose
People are organized on a sub-project basis
Advantages/Disadvantages
Strengths and weaknesses of matrix organization apply
Extreme flexibility in way organization adapts to project work
Potential incompatibilities
Confusion, conflicts
Duplication of efforts
Which Structure do you use?
Depends on:
Number of departments involved
Length of project
Size of project
Experience of team members
Location
Training?
Easier to train existing project members instead of hiring new ones
Options:
Mentoring relationships with existing experts
External training programs
Internal training programs
The Imposed Team
Do the best with the people you have, document resulting problems
Build in training for acquiring needed skills
Or hire a consultant
Compromise and negotiate for the team members you need
Suggest an alternative team-selection process for the next project