Project Foundations Flashcards
What are a projects common attributes?
They are temporary -> time-bound (they have a beginning and an end, a lifetime)
They are unique -> uncertainty (they are different from each other)
They focus on goals -> result-oriented (concentrate/focus on setting goals)
They require teamwork -> group dynamics
They involve change -> unprecedented effects
What is the definition of a project?
A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result (PMI: PMBOK)
What is the Project Management Model?
Project model is part of the project methodology and consists of
three parts:
* Organizational roles: describes the responsibility and authority
for each role within the entire project life cycle.
* Project lifecycle: The series of phases and gates that a project
passes through from its start to its completion.
* Governing documents: template of documents required to
initiate, plan and follow up on a project.
What steps are there in the Project life cycle?
Pre-study: Analyze pre-requisites and specify assignments (define it).
Planning: Produce plans for execution (design it).
Execution: Carry out project activities and implement results (deliver it).
Closure: Close the project, assess the outcomes and lessons learned (develop it).
What is Project typology?
Defining the different characteristics, types, and sizes of projects and their effect on the skills needed to manage them effectively
What is The purpose of the organization?
A human innovation is to solve social and economical problems that cannot be solved individually
Has a legal and social identity
Formalize and regulate relationships to bring order to the working environment
Coordinate to achieve collective goals
Create efficiency in governing and utilizing resources
What does the organizational structure chart show?
The organizational structure chart shows how the organization is meant to work and how labor, responsibility and authority are distributed.
What is a Vertical organizational structure?
Vertical organizational structure is a pyramid-like top-down management structure. These organizations have clearly defined roles with the highest level of leadership at the top, followed by middle management then regular employees. Decision making often works from top to bottom, but work approval will work from bottom to top.
What is a Horizontal organizational structure?
Horizontal organizational structure is a flat management structure. Organizations with these structures often have few managers with many employees, and they allow employees to make decisions without needing manager approval.
Types of organizational
structures
- Functional hierarchical
- Project-based
- Matrix
- Network-based
- Flow-based
What is Functional hierarchical?
- Unity of command (one boss): employees report to only one boss
*Specialization
*Top-down collaboration
*Inflexible to changes
*Slow in cross-functional communication and decision making – Eg. Manufacturing companies
What is Project-based organisations?
*Unity of command
* Highly focused
* Fast decision making
* Weak linkage to parent org. & lost
lessons learned
* Portfolio-level: a group of projects
and programs prioritized and
coordinated to achieve strategic goals.
* Program-level: coordination of
projects to achieve benefits
* Project-level: time-limited venture
performed by a temporary group.
* Eg.1. Construction companies
What is a Matrix organisation?
Employees report to more than one boss -> increased confusion
Collaboration is required between functional and project managers
Flexible to external changers
Faster decision-making across functions
Shared resources -> sources of conflict (resource allocation syndrome)
Of weak (the project is not so important for the organisation), balanced, or strong type
Eg. Consulting companies
A structure in which there is more than one line of reporting managers
Project as a temporary
organization
- Assign resources from functions/lines
(of parent organization) to work
temporarily on an assignment (project
organization). - The project allows team members to
temporarily focus on a specific goal or
achieving results that are different
from every-day routines. - Project organization is dissolved after
completion.
What are the Permanent and temporary organisation relations?
Weak, balanced and strong matrix
