John Clark MBA, PhD, CSci, CEng, FInstP Fine R and D … Clark MBA, PhD, CSci, CEng, FInstP Fine R...
Transcript of John Clark MBA, PhD, CSci, CEng, FInstP Fine R and D … Clark MBA, PhD, CSci, CEng, FInstP Fine R...
Outline
Why do projects need to be managed?To achieve objectivesCTQ constraintVirtual teams – challengesUncertaintyDisagreement resolution
CTQ constraintCost
Very Often FixedTime
Very Often FixedIf Not, Scope to ‘Slide’ is Limited
QualityNot guaranteedWill not happen by itselfAll stakeholders need a quality outcomeImplies some need to set goals to measure againstNot trivial when there is uncertainty
Virtual teams – challenges
Team issuesLocation issuesDiffering expertise issuesCulture issues, e.g. cross-border
Shared Goals?
Contributing to overall goalsDivision of tasksRegular contributionsExplanations for periods of inactivityWillingness to re-assess pre-conceived assumptionsDebate & CompromiseGuidance from a leader/coordinatorRequires at least some planning & co-ordination
Shared Goals?
Shared Set of Professional toolsCross-cultural sensitivity; appreciation of other approachesAre we coming from the same place as each other?
Have we checked?Creative people are not always good at seeing each others’ virtues
Communication technology
Reliable Communication TechnologyPeople won’t use it if it is unreliable or unfriendly
Do have contingency planning
TeamsHaving an agreed common goal is absolutely critical
The alternative is conflictForm, Storm, Norm, Perform
Teams do not gel by fiat‘Hawthorne’ Effects
Discussed below‘Group Think’
Discussed belowBelbin Balance
People have preferred team roles Balance of preferred roles more important than ability
‘Hawthorne’ EffectsAptitude is a poor predictor of job performance because of social effectsA workplace is a social system with spontaneous informal organisationGroups set norms and reject both over and under performerswww.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/hawthorne.html
Group Think‘People behave differently in groups
Well documentedGet fewer rude surprises with a little understanding
http://www.cedu.niu.edu/~fulmer/groupthink.htm
Belbin RolesPlant Resource Investigator Monitor Evaluator Coordinator Shaper Implementer Completer-finisher Team WorkerSpecialist http://www.belbin.com
Other types to watchBasil Fawlty / Manuel
IncompetentDad’s Army
Naysayer (Fraser: “We’re doomed”)Own Agenda (Walker, the spiv)Always Bottles Out (Godfrey)Little Hitler (Hodges the Air Raid Warden)
Open All HoursArkwright (Mean, Dishonest, Loser)Granville (Lazy)Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Says She Will, But Never Does)
Bal and TeoReview five books on virtual teams
[i] Bal, J. and Teo, P. K., 2000, Implementing Virtual teamwork, Part 1: a Literature Review of Best Practice, Logistics Information Management, 13, 6, 346-352.[ii] Bal, J. and Teo, P. K., 2000, Implementing Virtual teamwork, Part 1: a Literature Review of Best Practice, Logistics Information Management, 13, 6, 346-352.
[iii] Lipnack, J. and Stamps, J., 1997, Virtual Teams: Reaching Across Space, Time and Organisations with Technology, New York: Wiley.[iv] Henry, J. E. and Hartzler, M., 1998, Tools for Virtual Teams, Milwaukee: ASQ Quality Press.[v] Haywood, M., 1998, Managing Virtual Teams: Practical Techniques for High Technology Project Managers, Boston: Artech House.[vi] Duarte, D. L. and Snyder, N. T., 1999, Mastering Virtual Teams, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.[vii] Fisher, K and Fisher, M. D., 1997, The Distributed Mind, New York: AMACOM.
UncertaintyObeng, E., "All Change: Project Manager's Secret Handbook“,Financial Times Management, 1996
Paint-By-Numbers
Make-a-Movie
Quest
Pro
cess
Unc
erta
inty
FoggyProject
Outcome Uncertainty
Examples
Build a Housing EstateOutcome knownProcess known
Dynamic HolographicAssembler
Most techniques knownStarting idea (‘script’) critical
Don’t yet know how good
Manhattan ProjectKnew desired outcome
Didn’t know how
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Pro
cess
Unc
erta
inty
Quantum TheoryDevelopment
Changed scientifc methodUnknown outcome
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Outcome Uncertainty
Sales Campaign
Product is analogue of movie script
Process known
Customers unknown
Handling UncertaintyObeng, Op. Cit.
Keeping Stakeholders happyPlanning
Leading PeopleOpenness to Novelty
Keeping Stakeholders HappyOpenness to Novelty
Leading PeoplePlanning
Leading PeoplePlanning
Keeping Stakeholders HappyOpenness to Novelty
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Pro
cess
Unc
erta
inty
Openness to NoveltyLeading People
Keeping Stakeholders HappyPlanning
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Outcome Uncertainty
Keeping Stakeholders happy
Openness to Novelty
Leading People
Planning
Conflict & NegotiationThamhain, H. J and Wilemon , D. L. “Conflict Management in Project Life Cycles” Sloan Management Review, Spring, 1975, pp31-50
Sources of conflict in projectsSchedulesPrioritiesLabourTechnical issuesProceduresCostPersonality
Conflict over Life CycleThamhain, H. J and Wilemon , D. L. “Conflict Management in Project Life Cycles” Sloan Management Review, Spring, 1975, pp31-50
Equally important at startSchedules & priorities early in projectSchedules & technical issues in main phase; personality now fadesTowards end, schedules dominate & personality increases in importance
Conflict Resolution
Thomas, K. W. and Kilmann, R. H., 1974,
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument,
Tuxedo, NY, Xicom