This white paper suggests project management methods and practices can move from a static, unidirectional framework, to a dynamics, multidirectional framework. We focus on how project role dynamics and process dynamics can benefit a modern complicated project environment. Although some of the dynamic practices are well known informally, the whole framework can be improved by introducing them to the formal project management methodology literature. Besides role and process Project Management dynamics, there can be other dynamics topics that are worthwhile to investigate and get introduced in future Project Management models.
The Dynamics of Project Management Eric Tse
Abstract This white paper suggests project management methods and practices can move from a static, unidirectional framework, to a dynamics, multidirectional framework. We focus on how project role dynamics and process dynamics can benefit a modern complicated project environment. Although some of the dynamic practices are well known informally, the whole framework can be improved by introducing them to the formal project management methodology literature. Besides role and process Project Management dynamics, there can be other dynamics topics that are worthwhile to investigate and get introduced in future Project Management models.
Introduction There have been traditional management theories and techniques for many years. In this paper, we are trying to review the newer management practice by introducing the concept of "dynamics" into existing the traditional Project Management model and methodology. Many of the concepts are not new.
? Some of them are philosophical insight from the orient.
? Some of them have been utilized in software engineering or industrial engineering, but haven't got formally introduced into project management methodology.
? And some of them people may have been doing it everyday in modern enterprise, but they haven't formally been introduced to the formal PMI framework. By integrating these elements into our daily management practice in project management or project execution, project members can achieve better project outcome and better career satisfaction.
Two Dynamics We focus on two dynamics:
? Role dynamics
? Process dynamics. Role Dynamics Traditional US managers are more concerned with role clarity. They are concerned with who is responsible to do what. The task has to be clearly outlined before things can move forward. If you are in a role A and you do work of role B, you will get into trouble [1]. The following diagram from PMBOK may illustrate how role is defined in a normal PM HR process. [4]
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In a Japanese environment, they have another ways of doing this. They do it very informally. By frequently meeting each other, there can be informal and social gatherings. During those events people know what they need to do and things can be worked out without insisting on documenting clear role matrixes. It may make things easier to communicate at the beginning if there are clear cut roles and stuff. On the other hand it may make people interpret this behaviour as a display of distrust and view it with suspicion [2]. This would more likely to happen if US people want to manage Eastern people. Moreover the very nature of the project as a unique cluster of tasks can often call for a certain degree of role ambiguity not often prevalent among the rest of Americans. With a rigid role system, members tend to have less flexibility to change their roles if they need help to meet the changing needs. Team members may think it is other people's responsibility to carry out that role, so even if the person is swamped, other people cannot give them a hand unless the whole team get a common consensuses through formal project management notification. [3] On the other hand, especially in a large enterprise, team members with different roles may be afraid of helping the other team members, preventing overlapping roles, offending people by performing their role, or trying to take existing power from other people. These may be because of role overlap or conflicts can have influence on performance evaluation. Also by exchanging roles, team members can expand their skills of individuals. This can provide project redundancy, and better career development satisfaction.
Process Dynamics From the PMBOK, the project management knowledge areas and processes are relatively linear, unidirectional and static. [4]. Although the steps inside the processes are rich and complex, you can tell things are being done in one direction. The steps would not be iterative or going back and forth.
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For example in the following planning process groups, you can see things are not iterative, and this implies there are not ... [download for more]
