IS 488 IT Project Management
Dr. Honghui Deng
Assistant Professor
MIS Department
UNLV
8.1
Chapter 8. Cooperation
• IS projects bring diverse people
together
– Working with computers creates a
machine focus in some
– Working with people creates a different
mindset
– IS project managers need to make both
work together
8.2
Chapter 8.
8.3
Video 09 Manager vs. Leader
Chapter 8. Project team
• An effective team has synergy that
results in
– The collective efforts of team members
being greater than the sum of individual
efforts.
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8.4
Collective responsibility
Open communication
Learning from one another
Successes and failures belong to all.
Chapter 8. Project team as a core
• While the project manager is responsible
for the overall project, team members carry
out the actual work.
• An effective team exhibits synergy,
excitement, cooperation, innovation,
coordination, and drive.
• To be successful, a project team must
share a common vision despite differences
in values, skills, and styles.
• What are important characteristics of an
effective IT project team?
8.5
IS Project Characteristics & Conflict
Barki & Hartwick [2001]
Individual
Team
Personality
Size
Background
Time
pressure
Heterogeneity Resources
Role & status Leadership
Success
Individual
goals
Top support
Participation
History
8.6
Project
Organization
Culture
Form
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Competency – in terms of technical
skills and managerial skills.
– Hardware, software skills as well as
communication and interpersonal skills.
– The pool of talents must include
diverse knowledge and skills that
enables the team to carry out the range
of activities described in the project
plan.
8.7
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Common purpose – everyone works for the
same set of objectives described in the
project plan. This helps:
– channel collective efforts toward the ultimate
goal of the project; e.g., customer satisfaction.
– focus communication
– reduce ambiguity.
– increase interaction among members.
• Project goals and objectives can be used
to create a sense of common purpose
among team members.
8.8
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Sense of trust – among team
members as well as between
members and the project manager.
– Members feel comfortable discussing
mistakes.
– Members feel comfortable asking each
other for help.
– It reduces secrecy, rumor, gossip, etc.
8.9
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Positive attitude – the team exhibits a
can-do attitude at all times.
– Especially when project is faced with
setbacks and difficulties; turnover,
vendor issues, resource shortfall.
– It shows creativity and exhibits
problem solving attitude to get things
done within time and budget.
8.10
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Outcome oriented – the team
understands that ultimately it is the
customer satisfaction that matters.
– Considers project owners, sponsors,
users and the management as
customers.
– Works toward accomplishing the
desired outcome.
8.11
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Problem solving – the team seeks
creative means to accomplish goals
and objectives.
– The ability to see problems before they
arise and to prepare for appropriate
response.
– It reflects team competency and
experience and creates respects from
stakeholders.
8.12
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Synergy – the team exhibits high
levels of energy, coordination, and
effectiveness.
– The team functions as a cohesive unit.
– Communication among members is
smooth and effortless.
– There is a high level of understanding
among members with respect to project
goals.
– The team’s energy is focused and waist
is minimized.
8.13
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Responsibility – members feel
responsible for successes and
failures of the project.
– Individuals succeed or fail when the
team succeeds or fails.
– Individuals relate responsibilities of
their work units and tasks with those of
the project.
8.14
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Openness – the team exhibits
openness for exchanging ideas.
– Innovation and critical thinking is
encouraged.
– Proposals for change are forthcoming,
realistic and timely.
– Members feel comfortable seeking help
from others; this will reduce problems
later.
8.15
Chapter 8. Characteristics of an effective team
• Professionalism – the team holds high
standard, respects the individual,
and adheres to codes of ethics.
– The team exhibits integrity.
– Members respect each other,
customers, and stakeholders.
8.16
Chapter 8. Important factors
• Three important factors influence
these characteristics:
– Establishment of effective
communication channels.
– Clear definition of the project goals
and objectives.
– Careful selection of team members.
8.17
Chapter 8. Highly effective teams
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Have output greater than what the sum of
individual efforts can produce.
A highly effective team demonstrates the
followings:
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8.18
Members volunteer to be on the team
There is representation from across
functional areas.
Members understand and accept individual
responsibilities.
Members are clear on the project objectives.
Chapter 8. Highly effective teams
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8.19
Members understand that successes and
failures are shared.
Members see the big picture and understand
their individual contribution toward the big
picture.
Communication is frequent and open.
Members respect and trust their project
manager.
Members respect each other
Participation in the project is full time and for
the entire duration of the project.
Chapter 8. Team work
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There are no hard and fast rules as to
which means of communication is the
best.
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8.20
Project manager’s experience helps to
determine this.
Team members’ work habits and style may
influence this.
Organizational and environment factors may
influence this.
Not everyone likes email, not everyone reads
memos; think of a strategy that works for
your case.
Chapter 8. Team selection
•
One of the most important responsibilities of
the project manager is selecting team members.
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Look for competency
Interpersonal skills
Team work attitude
Experience
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8.21
Rigid and narrowly focused?
In high demand?
Preconditioned about a technology?
Difficult to manage personality?
Start up is important
Learn about each member
Chapter 8. Success factors
• It is difficult to create a sense of ‘common
vision’ when hundreds of individuals from
different functional areas are involved.
– Breakdown the entire team and delegate
responsibilities to key individuals
– Establish effective communications.
– Act as a clearing house for channeling
information.
• Avoid information overload; not every piece of
information needs to be shared.
• Avoid overlap and redundancy; people will stop
reading after a while.
• Use timely, accurate, and relevant information.
8.22
Chapter 8. Success factors
• Organizational culture can influence team
selection and success.
– Assignments may be made by general
managers or functional area managers.
– The project manager must be consulted if not
the sole decision maker for selecting
members.
– Part-time involvement should be minimized;
continued commitment, loyalty, and the sense
of ownership is affected.
– The project manager should appraise
performance with the functional manager for
part-time involvement; interorganizational
contact and communication helps this task.
– The project manager must create an identify
for the team.
8.23
Chapter 8. Team development
• Talent pool – a list of individuals with
potential to contribute to the project.
– Interdisciplinary list.
– Reference check for potential
members.
– Potential to collaborate as well as
competency.
– Consider habits, strengths,
weaknesses, and experiences.
8.24
Chapter 8. Team development
• Task pool – a list of possible activities
that are expected to be carried out
for the project.
– Provides an opportunity to the project
manager to review and list tasks, task
difficulty, task nature, and task
overlaps.
– Hardware, software, equipment.
– Interorganizational, human resources,
communication with external entities.
8.25
Chapter 8. Team development
• Task-skill match – to ensure that
individuals perform to the best of their
abilities.
– Team potential is utilized; underutilization is
considered poor management.
– Individuals like to be challenged; highly
skilled individuals like challenging
assignments that gives them the opportunity
to contribute.
– Level of difficulty as well as the nature of
task should be considered.
8.26
Chapter 8. Team development
• Assignment – sufficient members with
necessary expertise are assigned to
the project.
– Authorizations are obtained from
appropriate departments.
– Individuals are formally appointed to
tasks and made responsible.
– It is clear to all members when they
start, what their responsibilities are, and
how long they are expected to be
involved.
8.27
Chapter 8. Team development
• Acquaintance – opportunity for
members early in the process to get
to know each other.
– A participative forum to understand
abilities, work habits, and styles.
– To brainstorm the project goals and
discuss innovate implementation ideas.
– To give the project manager an
opportunity to learn about each
member’s traits and determine effective
ways of managing individuals.
8.28
Chapter 8. Team development
• Performance – task performance and
activities begin with clear triple
constraints of time, cost, and focus.
– Work unit boundaries are defined
through breakdown structure.
– Guidelines for performance appraisal
are established.
– Key individuals for sub-groups are
appointed and line of communication
for them is established.
8.29
Comparison
8.30
Functional manager
Project manager
Clear authority; quasipermanent; can direct
Low authority; temporary;
must convince
Established organization
Developing organization
Long-term relationships
Short-term relationships
Small set of skills
managed
Diverse set of skills
managed
Chapter 8. Project execution
• A systematic approach to team
development like the one described above
helps the project manager to establish
priorities, responsibilities, and authorities.
• Experience, availability, suitability, and
motivation must be considered;
overcommitted, highly in demand, and
narrowly focused individuals may not
always be appropriate.
• Highly political individuals with misplaced
loyalty and commitment are high
maintenance.
8.31
Chapter 8. Project execution
• Interview process can be very helpful if allowed.
– Some organizations do not allow interviews of internal
employees because of the rejection effect, internal
politics, HR policies, and the like.
– Interviews may not be necessary for all members; more
necessary for key individuals.
– Once key individuals are selected, they can help select
other team members.
• Functional area managers can provide useful
information, especially if interviews are not
allowed.
• The bottom line is who can contribute toward
goals and objectives.
• Seek volunteers and give everyone equal chance.
8.32
Chapter 8. Project execution
• The first meeting is important for setting
ground rules.
• The project manager must prepare to have
an effective meeting.
• Participants must leave this meeting
feeling:
– There is a clear need for this project; it is
important.
– The project is doable and has a competent
leader.
– The team is capable of delivering project
objectives.
8.33
Chapter 8. Project execution
• An effective meeting has a few but important
characteristics.
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Has a beginning; prompt and orderly start
Has an agenda; gives it a clear focus
Has a logical flow; topics flow logically
Has closure; gives a sense of accomplishment.
• The meeting should be just long enough to
accomplish its objectives; longer meetings do not
necessarily accomplish more.
• If necessary, plan a retreat away from work
environment; requires more work and may need a
moderator.
8.34
Chapter 8. Project execution
• The first meeting’s agenda may include:
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8.35
The project scope
The project stakeholders
Team information; how the team was selected
The project plan; how it will be developed and who will be
involved
Communication and feedback channels
Principle deliverables
Principle milestones
Team conduct and interaction
Monitoring progress and quality
Subsequent meetings format
Chapter 8. Summary
• Information systems projects very
valuable
• Many difficulties in managing personnel
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New activities
Diverse people
Dynamic environment
Pressure (time, budget)
• IS Project Managers need special
abilities
– Get things done without authority
8.36
8.37
Chapter 8. Discussion question
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8.38
This chapter argues that an effective
team exhibits a sense of trust among
members as well as among members and
the project manager. It argues that a
sense of trust enables team members to
openly discuss their ideas and their
mistakes without the fear of being
penalized. As a project manager, what
would you do to create a sense of trust
among team members?
Chapter 8. Discussion question
•
8.39
Sometimes individuals from functional
areas work on a project for a short period
of time and continue to report to their
functional managers and are evaluated
by them for the work they do on the
project. This will result in a situation
where some team members are selected
and appraised by the project manager
and some are appointed and appraised
by functional managers. Discuss issues
that such situations will raise for the
team and the project manager.
Chapter 8. Discussion question
• Comment on the interview with a
project manager. What is your
opinion about this response?
“Again, scope changes as a result of a
poor initial definition. The client’s scope
definition (what they REALLY wanted
doesn’t change) – the IT folks either
ASSUMED incorrectly, or were not
savvy enough to extract true
requirements.”
8.40
Chapter 8. Discussion question
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8.41
Sometimes projects fail primarily because the
team does not function as an effective unit
despite sufficient resources, good plans, clear
scope statements, and so on. It is important that
the project manager spends time and effort
upfront to select individuals with appropriate
characteristics to function as a team. Create a
table with two columns. In the first column, list
what you think are appropriate characteristics of
project management team members. In the
second column, describe your rational for each
entry.
Chapter 8. Discussion question
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8.42
Assume you are the project manager for
an information system development that
is authorized to integrate your
organization’s inventory system with
several of your vendors. You have
selected a team of 25 individuals from
across the organization to work with you.
Draft an email to your team members to
attend the first project team meeting and
provide them with an agenda for your
meeting.