Ch. 4 Flashcards
Describe how a strong (project) matrix is different from a weak (functional) matrix.
In a strong project matrix project managers have more power. In a weak matrix the functional manager has more power. They are two points on a continuum of organizational forms in which power wanders from fm to pm.
Which organizational structure is often used for small projects that require most of their work from a single department?
Functional Organizational Structure
What is co-location, and why is it used?
An organizational placement strategy where the project team members are physically located close to one another in order to improve communication, working relationships, and productivity. Helps in strengthening focus on customers, enhancing identity of the team members, integrate project effort
List advantages and disadvantages of functional, projectized, and matrix forms of organization.
NOTES
What are organizational values, and why should a project manager be aware of them?
The norms and the beliefs that guide the functioning of the organization, a moral guide that shows what’s right or wrong. PM can inspire ethical actions, and keep a check on how competition, decision-making, and cooperation are carried out. determine how employees are treated
List and describe four different types of corporate culture.
-Power Culture: is when those in formal authority control competition, conflict resolution and communication; everyone tries to please the boss.
-Role Culture: motivate everyone to understand and follow their appointed roles; reliable workers follow formal designations of responsibility with utmost respect for regulations.
-Task Culture: more important to get the job done than worrying about who does the work and who gets credit.
-Personal Culture: people show genuine interest in the needs of workers, consider worker development as critical to the organizations success.
If more than one parent company is involved in a project, why is it important for the project manager to understand the culture of each?
To facilitate effective project communications and decision making
The project manager and sponsor need to act in the best interest of which three
constituencies?
- The project itself: attempting to deliver what is promised
- The project team: encouraging and developing all team members
- The other project stakeholders: satisfying their needs and wants.
According to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, project managers need to exhibit which four behaviors?
- Responsibility
- Respect
- Fairness
- Honesty
In your own words, describe an ethical project culture.
An ethical project culture is one in which all members and leaders of a team treat each other with respect and act in each other’s best interests, fulfilling their duties while encouraging and helping others fulfill theirs. An ethical project team communicates as often as possible, takes responsibility for their actions, and acts fairly.
What are some characteristics of almost all project life cycles?
- They all have definite starting and ending points
- They involve a series of phases that need to be completed and approved before proceeding to the next phase.
- The phases generally include at least one initiating, one planning, one closing and one or more executing phases.
- The various life cycle models are all frequently adapted based on how they align with the organization culture and language.
What does the DMAIC model acronym stand for? When is this type of model used?
DMAIC stands for Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control. This type of model is used during the Six Sigma approach to quality improvement.
What is Agile?
Agile is a form of adaptive or change-driven project management largely reacting to what has happened in the early stages of a project rather than planning everything in detail from the start.
Why use Agile?
Traditional plan-driven project management works well in many situations, but if the scope is hard to define early in the project and/or when much change is expected, an Agile approach often works better. For these ill-defined and rapidly changing projects, Agile pro- ponents claim to decrease time, cost, and risk while increasing visibility and innovation.
What distinguishes an Agile project life cycle model from other types of life cycle models?
The agile project life cycle has four key ideas:
1. Satisfy customers by emphasizing outputs that fulfill their needs
2. Engage participants through empowerment, cooperation, and knowledge sharing
3. Facilitate engagement through servant leadership & continual communication
4. Keep things simple with sustainable pace and emphasis on process improvement
