Chapter 3
The Project Manager
ClickProject
The to add Manager
Text
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Introduction
According to Rear Admiral Grace
Hopper, inventor of COBOL and a
computer visionary, “Leadership and
management are two different things.
You lead people and you manage
projects.”
Leadership and Management
Leadership is a talent only a few are
born with
Management is a skill that anyone can
acquire
Projects are Riskier
1. Expectations are more specific
2. The resources are more diverse–and
many are not even in your department
3. Deadlines are shorter
4. No chance to do better next time if
there is a problem
Project Management and the Project
Manager
The project manager functions as a mini-
CEO
The project manager must have a clear
understanding of how the project fits into the
overall organization
This is why broad knowledge is more
valuable than technical knowledge
Budgets, timetables, and criteria, magnify
management problems on projects
The Project Manager Continued
The project manager should come into the
project early
We want him to help produce as much of the
project plan as possible
This helps insure that the project manager
“buys into” the plans
Over time, plans are refined and people are
added to the project staff
Functional Management
Figure 3-1
Functional Management Continued
Department heads are usually functional
specialists
They have the technical skills to evaluate all
members of their organization
They decide who performs each task and, to
a certain degree, how the task is performed
That is, they exercise a great deal of control
over every aspect of the work that gets
performed within their area
Project Management
Figure 3-2
Project Management Continued
Project managers are usually generalists
It would be very unusual for a project manager to
have all the technical skills that are used on their
projects
The project manager rarely decides who performs
each task and lacks the technical skills to evaluate
much of the work performed on the project
That is, they exercise very little control over most
aspects of the work that gets performed on the
project
Comparing Functional & Project
Managers
Functional manager needs technical skills while
project manager need negotiation skills
Functional manager must be skilled at analysis while
project manager must be skilled at synthesis
Functional manager uses the analytic approach
while project manager uses the systems approach
Functional manager is responsible for a small area
while project manager is responsible for the big
picture
Functional manager is a manager while the project
manager is a facilitator
Special Cases
1. When a project is small, line personnel may
be assigned as project manager. When
conflicts between the line position and the
project arise, the project will suffer
2. When a line person is assigned as a project
manager, conflicts can arise between the
line and project for resource assignment
3. When projects are small, a project manager
may manage multiple project. This can be a
problem when the projects conflict
Project Manager Responsibilities
1. The parent company
2. The project/client
3. The project staff
The Parent Company
Proper usage of resources
Timely and accurate reports
– Covered in detail later
Keep project sponsor informed
The Project / Client
Preserve the integrity of the project
– This may be difficult with all sides wanting
changes
Keepthe client informed of major
changes
The Project Staff
Very few people will work for the project
manager
The “team” will disband at the end of the
project
The project manager must look out for
everyone’s future
This is in the best interest of the project,
otherwise as the project winds down,
everyone will be looking after themselves
Special Demands on Project
Manager
Acquiring adequate resources
Acquiring and motivating personnel
Dealing with obstacles
Making project goal trade-offs
Failure and the risk and fear of failure
Breadth of communication
Negotiation
Acquiring Adequate Resources
Projectbudgets are usually inadequate
There are resource trade-offs that must
be considered
Crises occur that require special
resources
Acquiring and Motivating Personnel
Most project workers are borrowed
from functional managers
The project manager negotiates for the
desired worker but
– The project manager wants the best
qualified individual
– The functional manager decides who to
assign
Acquiring and Motivating Personnel
Continued
The functional manager also decides…
– The skill level to assign
– The pay and promotion of the worker
assigned to the project
Additionally, the worker will most likely
return to the functional manager once
the project is finished
Acquiring and Motivating Personnel
Continued
Once workers are assigned to a
project, the project manager must
motivate them
– The project manager have little or no
control over pay and promotion
– This is especially true in shorter projects
Dealing with Obstacles
Every project is unique
The project manager will face a series
of crises
A big problem is “scope creep”
Dealing with Obstacles Continued
Early problems associated with
resources
Later problems are associated with…
1. Last-minute schedule and technical
changes
2. What happens to the team when the
project is completed
Making Project Goal Trade-Offs
Trade-offs involve…
1. Cost
2. Time
3. Performance
Multiple projects
Project goals and organizational goals
Project, firm, career
Failure and the Risk and Fear of
Failure
Well understood projects (Type 1)…
– Appear simple
– Natural flow introduces problems
Poorly understood project (Type 2)…
– Many difficulties early on
– Most are planning problem
– May have psychic consequences
Breadth of Communication
1. Why the project exists
2. Some projects fail
3. Top management support needed
4. Information network needed
5. Must be flexible
Negotiations
Acquiring adequate resources
Motivating personnel
Dealing with obstacles
Making project goal trade-offs
Handing failure
Maintaining communication
Selecting the Project Manager
1. Credibility
2. Sensitivity
3. Leadership, ethics, and management
style
4. Ability to handle stress
Creditability
1. Technical credibility
2. Administrative credibility
Sensitivity
Politicalsensitivity
Interpersonal sensitivity
Technically sensitivity
Leadership, Ethics, and Management
Style
Leadership
Strongsense ethics
A management style that fits the project
Ability to Handle Stress
1. No consistent procedures
2. Too much to do
3. High need to achieve
4. Organizations in change
Problems of Cultural Differences
Project managers must adapt to the
social/cultural environment in which they are
workings
This is especially true when the project is in
another country
There can be real problems on international
projects when a culture’s opinion of some
group are different from the firm’s
Aspects of Culture
Technology
Institutions
Language
Aesthetic values
Culture and the Project
Time
Staffing
projects
Knowledge of people
Impact of Institutional Environments
1. Socioeconomic environment
2. Legal environment
3. Business cycle as an environment
4. Technologically environment
Socioeconomic Environment
Must deal with the local government
Local government is interested in its
citizens
Must honor local customs
Legal Environment
Different countries/regions have
different legal structures
The project must conform to those laws
Projects may also have to conform to
US (Your country) laws
Legal Environment Continued
Ownership of the project
Patents
Copyrights
Trademarks
Trade secrets
The Business Cycle as an Environment
The business environment can be very
different in various countries
The general economic environment can also
be different
– Cost of living
– Unemployment
– Average income
– Work day
Technological Environment
The US is very technologically advanced
Some other countries are less advanced
This affects the technology available for the
project
It affects the local worker’s ability to
understand and use technology
Multicultural Communications and
Management Behavior
Cultural differences have a tremendous impact on
project personnel
Differences in value systems present problems to
project personnel
The logistics of relocating project personnel on
international projects is huge
This is especially true in developing countries
– Large distances constrain travel
– Just getting to a meeting may take days
Language and educational differences present
communication problems
