Unit I Article ReviewUsing the CSU Online Library, locate and review an article that describes how an organization’s structure can shape theroles of a project manager and project team throughout the

MBA 6941, Managing Project Teams 1 Cou rse Learning Outcomes for Unit I Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 1. Examine the nuances of individual and organizational behavior. 1.1 Describe how an organization’s structure shapes the roles of a project manager and his or her project team members. 8. Assess strategies to manage organizational change. 8.1 Explain the process organizations utilize when determining the need for organizational change. 8.2 Describe the six steps involved in developing a project strategy. 8.3 Discuss the five necessary conditions for project success. Reading Assignment Chapter 1: Leading Change Chapter 2: Beneficial Chang e Chapter 3: Project Strategy and Success Unit Lesson Project management is the “application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements” (Perrin, 2013. p. 2 -2). The application and integration of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques are the primary responsibilities of an effective project manager. Therefore, project management is the application and the integration of processes logically grouped into the following five process groups:  initiating,  planning,  executing,  monitoring and controlling, and  closing (Perrin, 2013, p. 2 -2). Initiating is the authorization of the overall project. It is in this initial phase that objectives are established, the scope is clearly defined, and responsible parties and deliverables are identified. During the planning phase, a clear course of action is spelled out regarding both core processes and facilitating processes. W hen we discuss execution, we are referring to putting the plan into action and coordinating resources, human and otherwise. The monitoring and controlling p hase takes on the role of being a watchdog in the areas of processes like cost control, quality control, and schedule control. Contracts are settled and there is administrative closure during the final stage known as closing (American Society of Associatio n Executives, 2014). Managing a project typically includes the following:  identifying project requirements;  addressing stakeholder needs;  balancing completing project constraints; UNIT I STUDY GUIDE Project Strategy and Success Factors MBA 6941, Managing Project Teams 2 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title  establishing project objectives;  specifying and establishing quality of t he deliverable;  estimating resources and schedule;  developing an effective business case to justify project strategic objectives;  securing organizational buy -in and funding;  developing and implementing a project management plan;  hiring, leading, motivating and managing the project team;  identifying and managing project risks, issues, and change requests;  monitoring and controlling actuals against project plans;  managing the project budget;  maintaining communications with project stakeholders;  managing project stakeholders;  balancing project constraints such as cost, time, scope, quality, and resources; and  closing the project both contractually and administratively (Perrin, 2013; Turner, 2014). As a project manager, you are responsible for the success of the project through the active management of all the project stakeholders. The project manager spends at least 90% of his or her time communicating to the project stakeholders. While the project manager’s role includes the integration of all activities to achieve the project objectives, the project team role is to complete the project activities. Projects do not occur in a vacuum. Instead, projects occur within an organization. Therefore, project objectives must align to the overall organizational objec tives. Otherwise, the project would be considered a failure. However, the organizational strategic objectives and effective projects have to equally adjust to these changes. There are factors that force organizational change such as competition, globalizat ion, technological changes, human resources shift, political changes, market demands, legislations, economic and market trends, and organizational change in core strategic objectives. The fact is that organizational posture is always changing, and projects must also respond and adapt to these changes, meaning that projects must develop their strategies. According to your textbook, there are six steps in developing a project strategy:  develop the organizational strategy,  identify the project requirements,  develop the project business plan,  set the success criteria,  identify the project success factors, and  develop the project model: plan, resources; organization (Turner, 2014, p. 55). Suppose you work for a distance education provider, and there has been a push recently to include mobile technology in the courses the provider produces. You would first ensure that the project being proposed corresponds with the education provider’s overall strategic plan. Next, you will determine exactly what the required out put and outcome of the project should be. Will it be the implementation of just a few mobile learning activities within some of the provider’s courses, or will it be a requirement for all courses? Next, you will determine the value of mobile technology to the distance education provider and present your findings to the stakeholders. Next, you will specify the methods that you will use to deem the project a success, such as preparing a pilot course including mobile technology and allowing student volunteers to take the course. After taking the course, the students would give their thoughts about the course and how easy it was to utilize the mobile technology within it. From their opinions, you can deem the project a success or failure. Once this occurs, a pla n can be developed that can outline exactly what tasks will be performed during the project, by whom the tasks will be performed, and how the project will be managed (Turner, 2014). The effectiveness of a project strategy must be measured on clear and me asurable success criteria and success factors. By success criteria, we mean how the project will be evaluated, and by success factors, we mean those factors of the project that we can influence to enhance project outcomes. According to your textbook, crite ria for evaluating project success include the following:  the project increases the shareholder value of the parent organization;  the project generates a profit;  the project provides the desired performance improvement;  the new asset works as expected;  the new asset produces a product or provides service that consumers want to buy; MBA 6941, Managing Project Teams 3 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title  the new asset is easy to operate;  the project is finished on time, to budget, and with the desired quality;  the project team had a satisfactory experience, and the project me t their needs; and  the contractors made a profit (Turner, 2014, p. 55). If you look at the project success criteria, you would quickly realize that a project manager has to be diligent and knowledgeable about his or her project and about the organization and all the relevant stakeholders. References American Society of Association Executives (2014). Five essential elements of project management. Retrieved from htt p://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/AMMagSidebarDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=9668 Perrin, R. (2013). PMP exam prep boot camp. Retrieved from http://edwel.com/materials/PMP%20Exam%20Prep%20Manual%20Online%20Free%205_0_1.pdf Turner, J. R. (2014). The handbook of pro ject -based management: Leading strategic change in organizations (4th ed.). New York: McGraw -Hill.