Managing programme work
in a matrix environment
Ned Newton
Logica plc, UK
[email protected]
Background
 Non-project work in programmes
 Assignment of people to teams
 Subcontracting work
 Effective and efficient unit management
 Matrix management ?
2
Topics
 What is matrix management?
 Matrix management issues
 Centre management
 GCHQ case study
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What is matrix management?
LINE MANAGEMENT
4
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
What is matrix management?
WORK
5
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
What is matrix management?
RESPONSIBILITY
6
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
What is matrix management?
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
PROJECT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
PROJECT
PROJECT
PROJECT
PROJECT
ROUTINE WORK
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ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
What is matrix management?
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
PROJECT
PROJECT
PROJECT
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What is matrix management?
WORK &
RESOURCE ALLOCATION
RESPONSIBILITY
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
? ?
?
PROJECT
?
ROUTINE WORK
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FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
Priority changes ?
What about absence ?
Until job is done or time is up ?
Person or skills ?
Line Manager ?
Project Manager ?
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
Impact
 inefficient use of resources
 internal conflict and stress for those
involved
 difficulty in meeting functional
responsibilities
 difficulty in delivering programmes &
projects as planned
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Centre Management
 Functional unit called a ‘Centre’
 Centre Manager
 Centre Team
 Designed for the matrix
 Undertakes:
 Assignment of staff to a project
 Execution of work packages (tasks)
 Execution of routine work (roles)
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Centre Management
FUNCTIONAL
CENTRE
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
ASSIGNMENT OF STAFF TO ‘PROJECT TEAM’
REAL
PROJECT
EXECUTE A WORK PACKAGE AS A ‘TASK’
ROUTINE WORK
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FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
EXECUTE ROUTINE WORK AS A ‘ROLE’
Centre Management
Environment for Centre Management:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Real Projects
Assignment of staff to a project team
Execution of a work packages (task)
Execution of routine work (role)
1. Real projects
 Main project method (like PRINCE 2)
 Re-badge other work:
 Work packages
 Routine work
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2. Assignment of staff to projects
An agreement for:




A given person
For a number of days
Over a calendar period
With any provisos
To join the ‘Project Team’
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3. Execution of work packages
An agreement to:
 Execute a work package
 On behalf of a project
 To an agreed work package description:





product descriptions
resource usage
timescales
reporting requirements
approved budget
Known as a ‘Task’
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4. Execution of routine work
An agreement to:




Execute routine work
Throughout the year
For a sponsor
To an agreed authorisation:





description of work
resource usage
quality
reporting requirements
approved budget
Known as a ‘Role’
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Centre Management
Environment for Centre Management:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Real Projects
Assignment of staff to a project team
Execution of work packages (task)
Execution of routine work (role)
Resource allocation
STAFF ASSIGNMENT
AGREEMENT
CENTRE MANAGER
PROJECT MANAGER
CENTRE STAFF
PROJECT TEAM
TASK TEAM
TASK TEAM
TASK TEAM
TASK TEAM
ASSIGNED
PERSON
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ROLE
TEAM
ROLE
TEAM
ROLE
ROLE TEAM
TEAM
Execution of work
SPONSOR
CENTRE MANAGER
WORK PACKAGE
AGREEMENT
ROLE
AGREEMENT
CENTRE WORK
TASK
PROJECT MANAGER
TASK
PRODUCTS
WORK EXECUTED BY
PROJECT TEAM
ROLE
ROLE OUTPUT
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Centre Manager responsibilities
 Undertake roles throughout year
 Undertake tasks for programmes / projects
 Assign people to programme / project
teams
 Planning centre’s work to:
 deliver above as agreed
 use resources efficiently
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Project work
Choice for how project work gets done:
• Import staff (staff assignments)
• Export work (tasks)
PROJECT
WORK PACKAGE
(TASK)
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Matrix management by design
CENTRE
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
FUNCTIONAL
UNIT
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
ROUTINE WORK
PROJECT
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Resource allocation
A centre needs to:
 Manage activities (roles, tasks, project assignments,
leave, training, etc)
 Manage staff
 Manage commitments of staff against activities
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Centre Management IT Support
A system to:
 Record activities (roles, tasks, project assignments,
leave, training, etc)
 Record staff
 Record commitments of staff against activities
 Produce outlooks (by activity / staff)
 Compare timesheet actuals with outlooks
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GCHQ
 Part of the UK’s intelligence and security
services
 Origins in work to crack the German’s
Enigma Code
 Technical area employs over 1000 staff in
14 functional areas
 Over 200 projects and a range of services
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Matrix management at GCHQ
 People work on more than one project
 And have responsibilities for routine work
 History of over-committing functional areas
 PRINCE 1
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Centre Management at GCHQ
Centre Management implemented alongside:




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PRINCE 2
Managing Successful Programmes 1999
Professionalisation of project managers
Integrated MIS
Centre Management at GCHQ
Database for Centre Management support:





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People
Activities
Commitments (People against Activities)
Actuals from timesheets
Range of reports
Centre Management at GCHQ
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Benefits at GCHQ
 Establish core specialist teams
 Being part of a permanent team
 Helps clarify who is working on a project
 Rationalised projects
 Roles define and quantify routine work
 Customer / supplier relationship
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Benefits at GCHQ
 In one pilot area, the increase in work
throughput with the same resources has been
estimated at 30%. Although more modest
improvements are expected overall, even a
3% improvement in the use of resources would
represent 30 additional staff, or an efficiency
gain on the salary bill of over £1M p.a. 
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Conclusion - 1
 Organisations end up with matrix
management
 Which leads to problems with resource
allocation and responsibility for work
 And matrix management is blamed
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Conclusion - 2
 Centre Management is matrix management
by design
 It provides:





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assignment of staff to project teams
execution of work packages - tasks
execution of routine work - roles
efficient and effective use of resources
allows all work to be planned, authorised and
accounted for
Conclusion - 3
 Centre Management at GCHQ has delivered
a range of benefits
 Confirming that matrix management is a
positive advantage
 Not an excuse for things going wrong
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End
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