Project Organisation Flashcards
What is the project management triangle
The interaction of Time - Cost - Quality/Performance
What lies in the middle of project management triangle
customer satisfaction and health and safety
When deviations occur who decides which of the triple constraints can be changed
the sponsor and the project board
if deviations occur in the project who advises the the possible options and implications
the project manager
What are the 6 major project management activities
- Planning - making sure plans are in place to meet the project objectives
- Organising/Integrating - coordinting the mixture of human, financial and physical assets
- Monitoring - monitoring progress in time, cost, quality and customer satisfaction
- Controlling - taking corrective action when performance deviates from the plan
- Leading/Motivating - leading and motivating the team and seeing to the needs of individuals
- Reporting/Communicating - keeping stakeholders informed of progress and issues
What are the main aspects of a Functional project team structure - 2 points
- used mainly when project is within a single function, or a project passes from function to function (product development)
- used for less important projects or in organisations with no PM culture
What are the 3 basic types of Project Team Structure
- Functional
- Projectised
- Matrix Structures
- Weak
- Balanced
- Strong
In a Functional project team structure who coordinates the activities and makes the major decisions
The Functional Manager - there may or may not be a PM within each function or covering the whole project, however they would have limited power in/out of the function.
to whom does the project manager delegate the necessary authority to execute agreed work packages
Team Leader(s) - it is important they are aware of and committed to the overall project goals
What defines the End User
the group of people intended to benefit from the project.
It is important to realise they are the ultimate customers who will be the arbiters of the quality of the deliverables. Even if the project meets time and budget specs, if the end user is not satisfied then the project has failed. It is important the end user reps are closely involved in specifying the requirements and acceptance criteria for deliverables. They must be consulted and kept informed through the project lifecycle.
What are the main aspects of the projectised structure - 2 points
- mainly used by organisations whose main business consists of large capital projects (infrastructure)
- the PM has total control over all resources and reports directly to the senior executive
What are 5 positive factors of a Functional Structure
- develops strong specialist skills
- flexible resourcing - all resources under control of function
- good technical communication - all familiar with work of the function
- concentration on the business of the function
- project linked to career development
What are 5 negative factors of a Functional Structure
- communication between functions can be less efficient
- functional priorities can override project priorities
- PM has little authority - can be overruled by FM
- lack of exposure to outside projects can hinder career
- little customer focus
What are 6 positive factors of a Projectised Structure (Task Force)
- strong commitment to the project - no functional loyalties
- PM has total authority and accountability - clear management definition
- strong customer focus
- short project communications
- develops PM skills
- resource dedicated to project
What are 5 negative factors of a Projectised Structure
- loss of centres of excellence - team is temporary
- duplication and inefficient resource usage - increased cost
- reduced job security
- sharing lessons-learned can be problematic
- team can become distracted near end of project
