Management

What does the author mean by technical and sociocultural aspects of project management?

Our text on page 16 states “some suggest that the technical dimension represent the “science” of PM while the sociocultural dimension represents the “art” of PM. Some PM’s delve too deeply into the technical aspects of PM with new software, creating charts, and making things look pretty, while controlling the project from afar. Other PM’s rely on teamwork and politics to complete a project.

Project management is a continual balance between three main elements. What are they?

• Resources

People, equipment, material

• Time

Task durations, dependencies, critical path

• Money

Costs, contingencies, profit

• Scope

Project size, goals, requirements

What are the three basic ways to organize project teams? Briefly identify and describe an advantage and disadvantage for each.

1. Functional Organizations- advantages are no change, flexibility, in depth expertise, and easy post project transition. Disadvantages are lack of focus, poor integration, slow, and lack of ownership.

2. Projectized organization structure-strengths are that they are simple, fast, cohesive and cross-functional integration. Disadvantages are expensive, internal conflicts, limited technological expertise, and difficult post project transition.

3. Matrix structure-strengths are efficient, strong project focus, easier post project transition, and flexible. Disadvantages are dysfunctional conflict, infighting, stressful, and slow. There can be weak, balanced, and strong matrix structures.

List and describe the phases of a project.

1. Defining stage is when the goals,specs, objectives, major responsibilities, and teams are formed.

2. Planning stage deals with writing schedules, budgets, resources, risks, and staffing.

3. Executing stage refers to completing status reports, making changes, determining the quality, and looking at the forecasts of the project.

4....