Project teams: structure, roles, and effectiveness

¶ … Managing Project Teams

Effectively managing a complex information technology project requires a sharp mind adept at prudent planning, a thorough comprehension of the tools and tech needed to succeed, and the ability to adapt seamlessly in the face of adversity. While working in the field of IT project management may initially appear to be a solitary task conducted in a clinical environment, the reality is that the vast majority of IT projects are collaborative efforts involving the combined efforts of several individuals. Learning how to balance competing personalities, resolving interpersonal conflicts, pairing team members according to their competency level, and inspiring a genuine sense of motivation are all integral aspects to managing a project team. Mastering the intricacies of access control, scope verification, and the other intricacies of IT project management represents only half of the proverbial battle, and in order to assure that every project you lead is performing at peak levels of effectiveness and efficiency, it is crucial that you interact with and observe every team member under your stewardship. In all actuality, this dimension of IT project management can be most likened to coaching an athletic team, because while the objectives and strategies may be different, the interpersonal skills used to create a cohesive team are widely similar across the spectrum of human activity.

In my personal experience, the two most significant tools and techniques used in managing a project team are Observation and Conversation, and Conflict Management (Schwalbe, 2011), because these skills allow a project manager to maintain an active presence in all aspects of the project. One of the central lessons imparted throughout this course has been the importance of developing clear and concise project priorities to be pursued, and as a project manager the best way to ensure that your objectives are being met is to personally interact with team members. The concept of "managing by walking around" mentioned in our textbook is especially common within IT projects, because more often than not the entire team will be working within the confines of a shared office suite or computer bank. In the event that telecommuting is a major component of your current project, the effect of "walking around" can be realized through email threads, instant messaging, or even through external observation of the team member's work screen. When team members consider their project manager to be part of the team, and not merely a detached supervisor issuing orders, the likelihood that they will exert maximum effort on behalf of the team can be dramatically increased.