Pmbok Guide Current Week Blackboard Questions
PJM460 MOD7 Peer discussion responses
Please reply to both POST1: (Question from the professor) and POST2: in at least 200 words
I have included my original post as reference.
My original post:
Re-Integrating Project Team Members After Project Close-Out
Every project has to have an ending, and that is what project
completion and closeout phase are mostly about. The project’s whole
point is to deliver as promised. However, it does not mean that things
are packed, and files are thrown in a drawer. The project team needs to
be released. During the project close-out phase, when all the
stakeholder’s needs have been met, the project manager has a role to
ensure that the entire project aspects are appropriately concluded (De
Furia, 2016). For example, in a project where the IT team had finished
developing an application, one requirement would be to close the
contract with the IT vendor that gave him two developers of HTML. While
this phase would be characterized by the project team’s loss of focus
where some individuals may loosen the discipline rope to start going to
work late, some after, appointed to another project, may have
concentration issues. It is the responsibility of the project manager to
help the team retain its focus in its last activities.
The project sponsor also plays a role in this phase. He is the one
who approves the report for the closeout, as proposed by the PM (Aziz,
2015). Without this, the project may consume resources unnecessarily. He
also participates in the meeting to address some of the lessons
learned. For example, it is the sponsor’s work to ensure that the PM
does not forget to close the contract with the two HTML developers so
that no more money is used to pay them. Lussier and Achua (2016),
describe a leader walking the talk and one who embraces the adaptive
culture of active monitoring of the external factors, that is, HTML
developers’ contracts. Usually, it is the sponsor who agrees that
resources ought to be released by signing an official release for
resources committed, even the budget monies.
Functional managers, on the other hand, are in charge of staffing and
technical support in a project (Nicholas & Steyn, 2017). Therefore,
releasing the team is like giving them back to their functional manager
who knows them better. He is responsible for their performance review
during the lessons learned meeting. In this case, the functional manager
will review the performance of these two HTML developers and will be
responsible for their hiring the next time they are needed.
References
Aziz, E. E. (2015). Project closing: the small process group with big
impact. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2015—EMEA, London,
England. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.
De Furia, G.E. (2016). Seven activities of a project closeout. Project Management. Retrieved from https://www.strategyex.co.uk/blog/pmoperspectives/…
Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2016). Leadership: Theory, Application & Skill Development. Australia: Cengage Learning
Nicholas, J. M., & Steyn, H. (2017). Project management for engineering, business and technology. Taylor & Francis.
POST1:
Thank
you Darby for starting our Module 7 Discussion Forum for sharing your
experience with your post. What happens to contract workers who work in a
functional project management team setting?
Dr. Harrison.
POST2:
The
roles and responsibilities of Functional Managers, the Project Manager,
and the Project Sponsor all vary greatly relative to re-integrating
project team member into the organization when the project to which they
have been assigned on a full-time basis ends. Regardless of the team
member’s role within the organization before, during, or after while
re-integrating, functional managers, project managers, and project
sponsors should all have the same unified goal which aligns with the
organization’s vision, mission, ethical, and cultural goals. Functional
managers will have the most important role and responsibility for
re-integrating members of the project team, after the close of the
project. The functional managers will be directly overseeing the team
members once they have re-commenced activities and actions within the
functional department. They will be a driving factor in the
re-integrated employee’s performance, attitude, and initiative. The
Project Managers will have the next largest role in which will
significantly affect the project team member’s re-integration after the
project. During the transition period (from the start of closing the
project through a few weeks back into re-integration), the project
manager should be there for the team members as an active coach and
leader, providing support to the employees re-integrating back into the
organization. Project Sponsor’s roles should be minimal with the direct
contact of the re-integrating employees during or after the closeout of
the project. The sponsor should reiterate the organization’s overall
mission, vision, and goals, letting everyone know how they contribute to
them every day.
A specific project relative to the discussion post this week was a
recent Lean implementation project on a Fabrication line within
production operations in the manufacturing environment in which I work. A
project team was organized and put together, of which whom performed
VSM’s, implemented Pull and Kanban systems, and coached employees on 6S.
At the close of the project, the project team had a hard time
re-integrating back into their normal roles, as they have taken
exceptional pride in working on the project and wanted to continue to
work on the Lean improvements. As a functional manager, I coached them
on the methodology of continuous improvement and employee ownership. The
project manager provided coaching as well, and the Project Sponsor
provided macro / organization-level reiteration of the company’s goals.
References
Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2016). Leadership: Theory, Application & Skill Development. Australia: Cengage Learning.
Project Management Institute [PMI]. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ® Guide — 6th ed.). Newton Square, PA: PMI Publications