Osnova sekce

    • In the end of this module, you will find know:

      • how do you deal with human resources in initiation and planning phases
      • what is a stakeholder analysis
      • how does an OBS look like
      • what is a project steering committee
      • what is RACI and how to use it
      • and which are the main IT professions that you might need in a project of system implementation

      Human resource management is one of the most important and at the same time the most difficult tasks of a project manager on any project. The tasks associated with this activity vary according to the stage at which the project is currently in its life cycle. The first tasks related to HR management occur already in the initiation phase of the project, the aim of which - as we said in previous modules - is to decide which stimuli will be transformed into new projects. In this phase, activities related to HR are primarily focused on a stakeholder analysis the aim of which is, among other things:

      -- to identify key human resources that are potentially critical for the successful implementation of the project, incl. finding out their real availability for a possible project

      - - to determine the significance of the initiative within the company-wide strategy,

      - - to identify potential risks and methods of their elimination

      - - to identify the motivations of individual players for the project and related concerns and limitations

      - - to get the support of top management, middle management and line employees throughout the organization

      If a projects gets a "go-decision" from the responsible body within the organisation, a project manager is usually assigned to run the whole project. It is important to note, that the position of a project managemer is usually not an executive position within a line management structure. In a matrix organisational structure (see above), project managers run projects accross all involved organisational lines and departments and in this way create space for a flexible and smooth implementation of desired outcomes. As such, project managers have limited executive power and are dependend on top management support as well as collaboration of other line management staff.

    • Case Study by Herold Kerzner Soubor

    • On IT projects, a large variety of IT specialisations may be needed. The required IT professions  will vary based on the exact specification of the project scope and the implementation scenario (in-house, external supplier as a system integrator, internaly orchestrated delivery of a set of external suppliers, SaaS etc.).

      It is always important to keep in mind, that without tight cooperation with the customer´s staff, no supplier can complete a successful IT project! Therefore, some of the positions have to be duplicated: eg. information architect on the side of the customer, information architect on the side of the supplier. However, nominations to the project team must be carefully considered so that all project tasks may be completed by qualified personnel on both sides.

      Examples of IT professions that might be needed on IT projects (note: terminology is fluid, not 100% fixed, different titles may be used in different environments):

      -        Project manager

      -        IT architect

      -        IT analyst

      -        Business analyst

      -        SW specialist

      -        HW specialist

      -        Network specialist

      -        Security specialist

      -        Database specialist, data analyst, information architecture specialist 

      -        Programmer, developper (back-end, front-end ...)

      -        UX/UI specialist/designer

      -        Tester

      -        Trainer

      -        (operations etc.)

      Examples of other professions needed on a project:

      -        Client rep

      -        Product specialist

      -        Line management

      -        Procurement department

      -        Financial department

      -        Quality control / Risk management

      -        Project office (administrator)

      -        (Public relationship rep.)

      As you can see on the two lists, a successful implementation of an IT project usually requires an intense involvement not only of IT experts, but also of the business side of the organisation. One of the roles in which a project manager is crutially needed is to bridge the potential gap between those groups.

       

       

    • Useful tools for managing human resources on the project:

      • organisational breakdown structure
      • RACI

      Organisational breakdown structure

      A project manager is required to complete and provide to all project team members a visualisation of the project team. This visualisation is usually in a hierarchical  format with easily destinguished areas of responsibility of all members. OBS is crutial particularly when a new team is established, in which people from different organisational units as well as external companies participate. OBS also serves as a base for smooth communication and information exchange.

      A project manager usually holds a management position on the upper part of the OBS. However, he/she usually reports to a higher management body - the steering committee (see below).

      RACI 

      A RACI chart is a simple matrix used to assign roles and responsibilities for each task. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed. 

      • Responsible: This team member does the work to complete the task. 
      • Accountable: This person delegates work and reviews the its outcomes before completion. 
      • Consulted: These people provide further input needed for the completion of the task taking in consideration the impact of the particular deliverable on their main domain of interest and expertise. 
      • Informed: These team members need to be kept informed about specific deliverables, outcomes or progress of the project. 

      The RACI matrix may help you clearly assign tasks and prevent misunderstandings and conflicts among parties involved in the work on the particular workpackage.

    • Steering committee

      Project Bliss defines a steering committee as "a top-level project governing body that’s formed at project initiation to provide oversight, guidance, and support for the project. The project steering committee is made up of high-level stakeholders who have your project success at heart. It’s composed of members from the different groups who each have a vested interest in the project success. To get the full benefit of a project steering committee, it’s important for it to be made up of stakeholder representation from various areas, incl. the end-users reps". 

      Because steering committees are made up of a diverse group of individuals from different areas, they come with different perspectives. While this is desirable, it can also lead to challenges, such as these listed below. 

      1. Conflict of interest. The very fact that there are representatives from different areas different can cause potential conflict of interest. If a group wants to rally for being the first adopters of a project’s solution, they may use their leverage on the steering committee to push for that. 

      2. Conflict in general. Differing viewpoints can at times lead to conflict. While conflict itself isn’t a bad thing, unhealthy and disrespectful conflict can be. As the project manager, be aware of the relationships and communication in the group to ensure that everyone communicates respectfully and the project success is the primary focus of the group. 

      3. Intimidation. If there are different levels of seniority on the steering committee, depending on the company culture, others may be hesitant to speak up. 

      4. Delays in decision-making.  It’s rare that a group votes unanimously in any decision. And having decision-by-committee can often delay a final decision being made. Which in turn delays action. 

      5. Misunderstanding of purpose and roles. If the group members are not familiar with participating in a steering committee, they may not be as effective as possible. This can be overcome by creating a charter and guidelines for the roles and activities of the steering committee. 

       

      Project Bliss identifies among other the following goals of the steering commitee:

      • Provide strategic direction to a project 
      • Identify project goals and objectives
      • Ensure the project goals align with business and strategic objectives
      • Ensure that expenses and work effort are in alignment with stakeholder expectations
      • Set targets for achievement of goals
      • Manage project conflicts that occur across departments
      • Provide guidance to the project team
      • Monitor budget allocations to avoid overruns
      • Monitor project scope and activities 
      • Ensure adherence to timelines
      • Ensure deliverables meet organizational needs
      • Look out for potential risks and uncertainties that may be a threat to project success
      • Serve as an advocate for the project’s success
      • Stay informed of the project’s activities, progress, and outcomes
      • Help resolve any conflicting priorities
      • Raise issues to ensure the project continues to move forward successfully
      • Approve changes to the project scope, budget, or timeline

      Source: https://projectbliss.net/project-steering-committee/#What_is_a_Project_Steering_Committee 

    • TASK 1: What kind of informtion related to key project success factors can you as a project manager obtain from project sponsors and end-users?

      TASK 2: End-users tend to be resistent to change. Identify reasons for this resistance as well as means of overcoming it.