Dr. Honghui Deng

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Dr. Honghui Deng
IS 488 IT Project Management

• Assistant Professor
• MIS Department
• UNLV

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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

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Chapter 8.

• Video 09 Manager vs. Leader

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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.
• Collective responsibility
• Open communication
• Learning from one another
• Successes and failures belong to all.

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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?

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IS Project Characteristics ConflictBarki
Hartwick 2001
Individual Team Project Organization
Personality Size Time pressure Culture
Background Heterogeneity Resources Form
Role status Leadership Success
Individual goals Participation Top support
History
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 teams energy is focused and waist is
  minimized.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Chapter 8. Highly effective teams

• Have output greater than what the sum of
  individual efforts can produce.
• A highly effective team demonstrates the
  followings
• 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.

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Chapter 8. Highly effective teams

• 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.

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Chapter 8. Team work

• There are no hard and fast rules as to which
  means of communication is the best.
• Project managers 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.

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Chapter 8. Team selection

• One of the most important responsibilities of the
  project manager is selecting team members.
• Look for competency
• Interpersonal skills
• Team work attitude
• Experience
• Rigid and narrowly focused?
• In high demand?
• Preconditioned about a technology?
• Difficult to manage personality?
• Start up is important
• Learn about each member

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 members traits and determine
  effective ways of managing individuals.

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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.

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Comparison
Functional manager Project manager
Clear authority quasi-permanent 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
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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.

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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.

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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.

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Chapter 8. Project execution

• An effective meeting has a few but important
  characteristics.
• 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.

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Chapter 8. Project execution

• The first meetings agenda may include
• 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

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Chapter 8. Summary

• Information systems projects very valuable
• Many difficulties in managing personnel
• New activities
• Diverse people
• Dynamic environment
• Pressure (time, budget)
• IS Project Managers need special abilities
• Get things done without authority

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Chapter 8. Discussion question

• 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?

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Chapter 8. Discussion question

• 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.

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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 clients scope definition
  (what they REALLY wanted doesnt change) the IT
  folks either ASSUMED incorrectly, or were not
  savvy enough to extract true requirements.

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Chapter 8. Discussion question

• 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.

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Chapter 8. Discussion question

• Assume you are the project manager for an
  information system development that is authorized
  to integrate your organizations 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.