The Phrases of a Project

IT Project Management

List and describe the three types of organizational structures and their impact on the management of a project.

The three types of organizational structures are functional, project and matrix. The text notes that a lot of companies use all three of the forms in one way or another, depending on the situation at hand and what is needed. A functional organizational structure is when the traditional hierarchy and chain of command is used. Functional managers or vice presidents are typically present from every department including engineering, manufacturing, information technology, human resources and so forth. Those functional managers all report to a higher executive, often the CEO. A project manager layout is similar except that the CEO has people from different programs, rather than functional departments, reporting to him. With a matrix situation, there is still a basic hierarchy but there are many other lines driven so that basically everyone is connected to everyone else to one degree or another. As described by the text, the matrix setup is a hybrid or "middle ground" between the other two methods. The three methods exist on a continuum of sorts with functional being on one end, project being another and different degrees of matrix structures being in the middle. The amount of personnel assigned to full time project work varies based on structure with functional have none (or close to it) and project-based structures being maxed out or close to it.

2. Compare and contrast the predictive and adaptive product life cycle models.

A predictive life cycle, per the text, is when the scope of the project can be spoken and summarized in a clear fashion and this includes in terms of schedule and cost. Indeed, how long the project will take and how much it will cost will be pretty clear in a predictive life cycle. Predictive life cycles can be further divided between the waterfall life cycle model and the spiral life cycle. Waterfall models assume that requirements and patterns will remain stable. The spiral life cycle is an outgrowth and follower of the waterfall. The big difference is that there is a circular approach rather than a linear one, like with waterfall. What makes the predictive model clearly different is that the requirements cannot be clearly described or covered in the earlier stages of the project. This method is also used when there is more freedom and "agility" desired in terms of steering the project. Rather than staying on the original plan and knowing that plan in complete form in advance, there is more fluidity and the ability to "adapt" if things come up that warrant such a change. While many such changes would be minor and fairly small, such changes and fluidity runs completely counter to a predictive life cycle.

3. Discuss each of the four phases of a project life cycle and the importance of each.

The four parts of the cycle, in order, are concept, development, implementation and close-out. Deliverables for the concept phase would be a business case, a preliminary cost estimate and a two-level work breakdown structure (WBS). The deliverables for the development phase would be the project management plan, budgetary cost estimate and a 3+ work breakdown structure. The implementation phase is typified by execution of work packages, definitive cost estimates and performance reports. Finally, the close-out would have deliverables like completed work, lessons learned and customer acceptance. Of the four phases, the implementation phase will be the costliest, the most time-consuming and so on. Also, it should be noted that not all project teams and projects in particular follow this model, at least not to the letter. There will still be general phases but the important parts will be there. Generally, a project will have a planned outcome, a start, a middle and an end. Everything else is subject to change and customization. Regardless, a project, defined literally, is something that is not perpetual or ongoing. It is something with a definite start and a definite end even if the precise timing of either or both is not known up front. It is important to plan and open the project properly, execute the plan properly and then close things out when all is in place.

4. Compare and contrast the "four frames of organizations" and why they are important to a program manager's understanding of the organization.