The Role of the Project Manager

(Refer to Chapter 3 of text book for further details)

 Leadership and Management

Leadership is a talent only a few are born

with
Management is a skill that anyone can
acquire
 Projects are Riskier

1. Expectations are more specific

2. The resources are more diverse
3. Deadlines are shorter
4. No chance to do better next time if there
is a problem
 Project Management and the Project
Manager
The project manager functions as a mini-CEO
The project manager must have a clear understanding
of how the project fits into the overall organization
This is why broad knowledge is more valuable than
technical knowledge
Budgets, timetables, and criteria, magnify
management problems on projects
 The Project Manager Continued

The project manager should come into the project

early
We want him to help produce as much of the project
plan as possible
This helps insure that the project manager buys into
the plans
Over time, plans are refined and people are added to
the project staff
Functional Management
 Functional Management Continued

Department heads are usually functional

specialists
They have the technical skills to evaluate all
members of their organization
They decide who performs each task and, to a
certain degree, how the task is performed
That is, they exercise a great deal of control over
every aspect of the work that gets performed
within their area
Project Management
 Project Management Continued

Project managers are usually generalists

It would be very unusual for a project manager to have all the
technical skills that are used on their projects
The project manager rarely decides who performs each task
and lacks the technical skills to evaluate much of the work
performed on the project
That is, they exercise very little control over most aspects of
the work that gets performed on the project
Comparing Functional & Project Managers
Functional manager needs technical skills while
project manager need negotiation skills
Functional manager must be skilled at analysis
while project manager must be skilled at synthesis
Functional manager uses the analytic approach
while project manager uses the systems approach
Functional manager is responsible for a small area
while project manager is responsible for the big
picture
Functional manager is a manager while the
project manager is a facilitator
 Special Cases
1. When a project is small, line personnel may be
assigned as manager. When conflicts between the line
position and the project arise, the project will suffer
2. When a line person is assigned as a project manager,
conflicts can arise between the line and project for
resource assignment
3. When projects are small, a project manager may
manage multiple projects. This can be a problem
when the projects conflict
 Project Managers Responsibilities

1. The parent company

2. The project/client
3. The project staff
 The Parent Company

Proper usage of resources

Timely and accurate reports

Keep project sponsor informed

 The Project / Client

Preserve the integrity of the project

This may be difficult with all sides wanting
changes
Keep the client informed of major changes
 The Project Staff
Very few people will work for the project manager
The team will disband at the end of the project
The project manager must look out for everyones
future
This is in the best interest of the project, otherwise as
the project winds down, everyone will be looking
after themselves
Special Demands on Project Manager

Acquiring adequate resources

Acquiring and motivating personnel
Dealing with obstacles
Making project goal trade-offs
Failure and the risk and fear of failure
Breadth of communication
Negotiation
 Acquiring Adequate Resources

Project budgets are usually inadequate

There are resource trade-offs that must be
considered
Crises occur that require special resources
 Acquiring and Motivating Personnel

Most project workers are borrowed from

functional managers
The project manager negotiates for the
desired worker but
The project manager wants the best qualified
individual
The functional manager decides who to assign
Acquiring and Motivating Personnel Continued

The functional manager also decides

The skill level to assign
The pay and promotion of the worker assigned
to the project
Additionally, the worker will most likely
return to the functional manager once the
project is finished
Acquiring and Motivating Personnel Continued

Once workers are assigned to a project, the

project manager must motivate them
The project manager have little or no control
over pay and promotion
This is especially true in shorter projects
 Dealing with Obstacles

Every project is unique

The project manager will face a series of
crises
A big problem is scope creep
 Dealing with Obstacles Continued

Early problems associated with resources

Later problems are associated with
1. Last-minute schedule and technical changes
2. What happens to the team when the project is
completed
 Making Project Goal Trade-Offs

Trade-offs involve
1. Cost
2. Time
3. Performance
Multiple projects
Project goals and organizational goals
Project, firm, career
 Failure and the Risk and Fear of Failure

Well understood projects (Type 1)

Appear simple
Natural flow introduces problems
Poorly understood projects (Type 2)
Many difficulties early in the life of the project
Most are planning problems
May have psychic consequences
 Breadth of Communication

1. Why the project exists

2. Some projects fail
3. Top management support needed
4. Information network needed
5. Must be flexible
 Negotiations

Acquiring adequate resources

Motivating personnel
Dealing with obstacles
Making project goal trade-offs
Handling failure
Maintaining communication
 Selecting the Project Manager

1. Credibility
2. Sensitivity
3. Leadership, ethics, and management style
4. Ability to handle stress
 Credibility

1. Technical credibility

2. Administrative credibility
 Sensitivity

Political sensitivity

Interpersonal sensitivity

Technical sensitivity
Leadership, Ethics, and Management Style

Leadership
Strong sense ethics
A management style that fits the project
 Ability to Handle Stress

1. No consistent procedures
2. Too much to do
3. High need to achieve
4. Organizations in change
 Problems of Cultural Differences

Project managers must adapt to the social/cultural

environment in which they are working
This is especially true when the project is in
another country
There can be real problems on international
projects when a cultures opinion of some group
is different from the firms
 Aspects of Culture

Technology
Institutions
Language
Aesthetic values
 Culture and the Project

Time
Staffing projects
Knowledge of people
 Impact of Institutional Environments

1. Socioeconomic environment
2. Legal environment
3. Business cycle as an environment
4. Technological environment
 Socioeconomic Environment

Must deal with the local government

Local government is interested in its
citizens
Must honor local customs
 Legal Environment

Different countries/regions have different

legal structures

The project must conform to those laws

 Legal Environment Continued

Ownership of the project

Patents
Copyrights
Trademarks
Trade secrets
 The Business Cycle as an Environment

The business environment can be very different in

various countries
The general economic environment can also be
different
Cost of living
Unemployment
Average income
Work day
 Technological Environment

Some countries are technologically advanced

Some other countries are less advanced
This affects the technology available for the
project
It affects the local workers ability to understand
and use technology
 Multicultural Communications and
Management Behavior
Cultural differences have a tremendous impact on project
personnel
Differences in value systems present problems to project
personnel
The logistics of relocating project personnel on international
projects is huge
This is especially true in developing countries
Large distances constrain travel
Just getting to a meeting may take days
Language and educational differences present communication
problems