Information Technology Project
Management, Seventh Edition
Information Technology Project
Management, Seventh Edition 2
Explain the importance of good human resource
management on projects
Define project human resource management and
understand its processes
Understand important issues involved in project staff
acquisition and explain the concepts of resource
assignments, resource loading, and resource leveling
Assist in team development with training, team-building
activities, and reward systems
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 3
Many corporate executives have said, “People are our
most important asset”
People determine the success and failure of organizations
and projects
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 4
[Link] human resource management: identifying
and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and
reporting relationships
[Link] the project team: getting the needed
personnel assigned to and working on the project
[Link] the project team: building individual and
group skills to enhance project performance
[Link] the project team: tracking team member
performance, motivating team members, providing timely
feedback, resolving issues and conflicts, and coordinating
changes to help enhance project performance.
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 5
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 6
Important areas related to project management include
◦ motivation theories
◦ influence and power
◦ effectiveness
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 7
Intrinsic motivation causes people to participate in an
activity for their own enjoyment
Extrinsic motivation causes people to do something for
a reward or to avoid a penalty
For example, some children take piano lessons for
intrinsic motivation (they enjoy it) while others take them
for extrinsic motivation (to get a reward or avoid
punishment)
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 8
Abraham Maslow argued that humans possess unique
qualities that enable them to make independent choices,
thus giving them control of their destiny
Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs which states
that people’s behaviors are guided or motivated by a
sequence of needs
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 9
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 10
Frederick Herzberg wrote several famous books and
articles about worker motivation. He distinguished
between
◦ motivational factors: achievement, recognition, the
work itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth,
which produce job satisfaction
◦ hygiene factors: cause dissatisfaction if not present,
but do not motivate workers to do more.
Examples include larger salaries, more supervision, and
a more attractive work environment
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 11
Involves identifying and documenting
project roles, responsibilities, and
reporting relationships
Contents include
◦ project organizational charts
◦ staffing management plan
◦ responsibility assignment matrixes
◦ resource histograms
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 12
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 13
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 14
A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is a matrix
that maps the work of the project as described in the
WBS to the people responsible for performing the work
as described in the OBS
Can be created in different ways to meet unique project
needs
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 15
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 16
RACI charts to show four key roles for project
stakeholders:
Responsibility: Who does the task?
Accountability: Who signs off on the task or has authority
for it?
Consultation: Who has information necessary to
complete the task?
Informed: Who needs to be notified of task status and
results?
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 17
R = responsibility
A = accountability, only one A per task
C = consultation
I = informed
Note that some people reverse the definitions of responsible and accountable.
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 18
Project Project
Function Developer Analyst
Sponsor Manager
Project Initiation R,P R,P
Establish Project
R,P
Plan
Collate User
R,P
Requirements
Define Technical
R,P
Requirements
Develop Software
R,P
Tools
Test Software R,P
Install Software R,P
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Management, Seventh Edition 19
Project Project
Function Developer Analyst
Sponsor Manager
Project Initiation C A,R
Establish
I A,R C C
Project Plan
Collate User
I A I R
Requirements
Define Technical
I A R
Requirements
Develop
I A R C
Software Tools
Test Software I A C R
Install Software C A C R
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Management, Seventh Edition 20
A staffing management plan describes when and how
people will be added to and taken off the project team
A resource histogram is a column chart that shows the
number of resources assigned to a project over time
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 21
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 22
Acquiring qualified people for teams is crucial
The project manager who is the smartest person on the
team has done a poor job of recruiting!
It’s important to assign the appropriate type and number
of people to work on projects at the appropriate times
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 23
Resource leveling is a technique for resolving resource
conflicts by delaying tasks
The main purpose of resource leveling is to create a
smoother distribution of resource usage and reduce
overallocation
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 24
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 25
When resources are used on a more constant basis,
they require less management
It may enable project managers to use a just-in-time
inventory type of policy for using subcontractors or other
expensive resources
It results in fewer problems for project personnel and
accounting department
It often improves morale
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 26
The main goal of team development is to help people
work together more effectively to improve project
performance
It takes teamwork to successfully complete most projects
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 27
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 28
Training can help people understand themselves,
each other, and how to work better in teams
Team building activities include
◦ physical challenges
◦ psychological preference indicator tools
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 29
Project managers must lead their teams in performing
various project activities
After assessing team performance and related
information, the project manager must decide
◦ if changes should be requested to the project
◦ if corrective or preventive actions should be
recommended
◦ if updates are needed to the project management plan
or organizational process assets.
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 30
Observation and conversation
Project performance appraisals
Interpersonal skills
Conflict management
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 31
1. Confrontation: Directly face a conflict using a problem-
solving approach
2. Compromise: Use a give-and-take approach
3. Smoothing: De-emphasize areas of difference and
emphasize areas of agreement
4. Forcing: The win-lose approach
5. Withdrawal: Retreat or withdraw from an actual or potential
disagreement
6. Collaborating: Decision makers incorporate different
viewpoints and insights to develop consensus and
Informationcommitment
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 32
Conflict often produces important results, such as new
ideas, better alternatives, and motivation to work harder
and more collaboratively
Groupthink: Conformance to the values or ethical
standards of a group. Groupthink can develop if there are
no conflicting viewpoints
Research suggests that task-related conflict often
improves team performance, but emotional conflict often
depresses team performance
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 33
The five dysfunctions of teams are
1. Absence of trust
2. Fear of conflict
3. Lack of commitment
4. Avoidance of accountability
5. Inattention to results
*Lencioni, Patrick, “Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” Jossey-Bass:
San Francisco, CA (2005), p. 3.
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 34
Project human resource management includes the
processes required to make the most effective use of the
people involved with a project
Main processes include
◦ Plan human resource management
◦ Acquire project team
◦ Develop project team
◦ Manage project team
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Management, Seventh Edition Copyright 2014 35