In today’s new work environment, what’s the title and role of the person who brings all the resources together in the project team? Is this Brand U a project manager, leader, coach, facilitator, or some other term? Project leadership is abstract, touchie-feely, and frankly difficult for many of us. The projectized organization looks and feels […]
In the projectized model, work gets done differently. A project is still organized around a lead person, who may be called project leader instead of manager. The project leader facilitates more than manages the project. While a project may have started with one person who had the vision and authority to push onwards, one-person management
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Reciprocal promises among project stakeholders are honored. People and resources assigned to a project are not arbitrarily moved. Left hand actively shares information with the right hand. Team members actively search for ways to work with each other amicably. Each team member’s deliverables are as important as another’s and each party works to ensure
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I don’t know if the middle manager will disappear as many work gurus predict. Someone or some group has to monitor and control workflow. In the hierarchal and function driven organization, we knew it was the middle manager. However, if work becomes core processed and projectized then we need another person to assign, monitor, lead,
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Little administrative support Possibility of changing priorities Multiple work flow paths Simultaneous and conflicting projects Control and power conflicts High overhead due to parallel costs Additional organizational layers Group think, excessive management, or decision making by consensus Focus on process, instead of products and customer requirements Multiple and maybe conflicting policies and procedures Communication and
Project Work Challenges Read More »
An orchestra is another favorite Brand U metaphor for organizational and project excellence. The orchestra is a group of Brand U’s, each of whom is gifted, has a unique talent, and a distinct way of delivering music to satisfied customers. Usually, each player is a superstar Brand U in his or her right. Each musician
Orchestra as Project Metaphor Read More »
The orchestra is composed of different instruments and sections. This is very similar to any office or factory with its functional groups, professionals, processes, and teams. The goal of each musical section, whether it’s woodwinds, strings, or brass is to consistently blend with other musical sections. Each Brand U professional may also add his or
Orchestra Conductor = Project Manager Read More »
As we’ve discussed, Brand U work if often described in terms of theatrical, orchestral, or movie productions. For example, there are multiple stakeholders in a theatrical or movie projects. The director is the project manager responsible for getting the job done on time and on budget. The producer is the project sponsor concerned with securing
Project Work is Orchestral Read More »
Wrong people on the wrong job Crypto-fascist management Prima Donna or maverick team members Stupid project managers ‘Hole in the wall’ offices and facilities Death march project mentality Reinvent the universe project objectives ‘Throw more people’ at the project attitude ‘We’re all behind you’ attitude by stakeholders Project creep and more creeps Gold plating
Why Projects Fail? Read More »
Software and the Internet are today’s hot Brand U projects. Software development is hot and sexy. These software projects range from small projects to enterprise wide applications. Small projects may require three people to work for three months. Or, mega-projects can occupy hundreds of people for years such as writing millions of line of code
Software Projects Success Read More »