Project Termination
External Projects
Internal Projects
Final Report
12.3 CHAPTER TEACHING TIPS
To teach the material covered in Chapter 12 of the text, use the Comprehensive Lecture Outline (see section 12.4 below). Supplement the Comprehensive Lecture Outline with some of the following instructor’s resources:
PowerPoint® slides can be used for review purposes by both instructors and students. Each presentation provides a basic framework for the chapter. Instructors can access them on the instructor's companion website and on the Instructor’s Resource CD. Students can access the slides on the CourseMate website for this book
Knowledge to Action (text) Chapter 12 includes three Knowledge to Action features that help students:
* Choose between types of teams for a project team and identify team leader strengths (p. 270)
* Describe and discuss ground rules. (p 275)
* Discuss frequency of team meetings. (p. 276)
(Note: See the Comprehensive Lecture Outline below for suggested answers to the questions.)
Videos (CourseMate). The authors have selected and recommend the following video clip for Chapter 12:
* Ford
Opening Vignette Straight Talk from the Field (text) Dan Hoover, PMP, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Cyberwoven, a web development company, introduces students to different aspects of team management. Consider using the opener as a potential alternative to the icebreaker included in the Comprehensive Lecture Outline.
Leveraging Technology (text) Numerous software programs are available to plan, schedule, and monitor projects. Some packages are customized. Microsoft Office software is basic software that works well for small businesses and in office situations.
Questions for Reflection (text and section 12.5 below for suggested responses) Consider using the questions for out-of-class assignments or to start in-class discussions to assess student understanding and application of the most important concepts in the chapter Consider also using some of the questions as part of your tests or quizzes.
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Hands-on Activities (text and section 12.6 below for suggested responses) This section includes one activity that may require students to do individual and/or group research beyond the text. Consider using this activity after the completion of the lecture for this chapter. For Chapter 12 the activity is Explore Project Software Individual or Team Activity.
You Decide Case Study (text and section 12.7 below for suggested responses) This case covers Leading a Cross-functional Team and gives students an opportunity to apply the concepts covered in the chapter through answering questions about a hypothetical, yet realistic, scenario. Students practice critical thinking, problem solving, and other skills as part of a classroom discussion or as a graded assignment. This is a helpful case to begin the study of decision making that team leaders may face with a team member of a crossfunctional team.
The Manager’s Toolkit (text and section 12.8 below for suggested responses) This provides students with a structured opportunity to prepare documents to help them develop as an effective leader of a high-performance project team. Assign Manager’s Toolkit activities at the end of each chapter occasionally or consider assigning all or most of them to help students create a Management Portfolio for use in the workplace or interviews.
Soft Skills for Success (text and section 12.9 below for suggested responses) This activity is designed for both individual work and team work. Students develop a project tool that is a guide for accountability. They will also meet with their team to discuss and refine their guides.
Miscellaneous Activities (Instructor’s Manual, section 12.10) This activity, Bell Hop, demonstrates the planning and cooperation required for teamwork and the dynamics of feedback in teamwork and its role in productivity. It also teaches effective communication in a team environment.
Learn It On the Web (Instructor’s Manual, section 12.11) After reading an article on being a good team member and an article on the qualities of a team leader, students are asked a series of questions. They are also asked to rate themselves, and then have one of their teammates rate them as a team member and as a leader.
12.4 COMPREHENSIVE LECTURE OUTLINE ICEBREAKER ACTIVITY
What experience have you had as a project manager or team leader? What did you find the most challenging? The least challenging? If you had it to do over again, what, if anything, would you change to make the project run more smoothly?
I. Sources of Projects A project is a defined set of tasks with specific outcomes that form a unit of work to be completed in a specified timeframe with specified resources. Project management relies on high-performance teams. This chapter focuses primarily on projects
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in an administrative setting. Project teams may work on projects continuously, occasionally, or for special projects. A team leader manages the team.
A. Authority for Projects This comes either through the team leader or management.
a. Proposed Projects A team may propose a project to senior management for approval.
b. Assigned Projects Most projects are assigned. To avoid wasting time, the team leader should be involved in the initial discussion of the project with management
II. Scope of the Project The project scope is a definition of the objectives, everything that is included in the project, everything that is specifically excluded, and the outcomes that must be produced.
A. Project Risks All projects have inherent risks that must be assessed. Risk is the possibility of loss, damage, or adverse results.
a. Assessing Risk The first risk assessment is done by the team leader before the project begins. Once a team has been formed, the entire team is responsible for the project.
b. Prioritizing Risks After assessing risks, the next step is to think about what will be the adverse impact if something goes wrong.
B. Contingency Planning After prioritizing the risks, the team must develop a contingency plan for those things that do not go according to plan.
III. Forming the Team The team begins with a strong team leader who frequently has input in the selection of team members.
A. Team Size The team size depends on the scope and complexity of the project, with larger teams being harder to manage. Team members may be a leadership group with staff members reporting to them.
B. Type of Team This also varies with the project Projects that affect different areas of an organization may have cross-functional teams, which is a team with members from different functional areas.
KNOWLEDGE TO ACTION
1. If you were asked to lead a project team, would you prefer to have a team from your own department or a cross-functional team that represented the whole division or company? Explain the reasons for your selection.
Students’ answers should reflect that they understand the difference between the two types of teams. Team members from your own department are designed to improve work processes within a department. Cross-functional teams represent different functional areas.
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2. What are your main strengths that would make you a good team leader?
Answers will vary depending on the individual’s strengths. A student might say they are able to work well with others, to weigh all the options, and make good decisions.
IV. Project Plan This is the strategic plan for the project.
A. Major Activities and Tasks The team must determine the major components (activities or tasks) and an estimate of the time required for each to meet the objectives.
B. Resources Required The project components and the estimated time needed determine the types and kinds of resources needed. Resources include people, budget or financial resources, and technology or equipment. Gantt charts may be used to plan, schedule, and monitor a project.
V. Project Operational Plan Once the high-level or strategic plan is completed, the plan is presented to management or the client to ensure all key components are included and the resources are available. Next, the team should prepare the operational plan, which includes the key components and tasks that have to be performed, timing and sequence, and confirmation that needed resources are available.
VI. Launching the Project To launch a project, teams need ground rules, communication, and to monitor the project.
A. Ground Rules The project ground rules are the behavior expected of each member as the members interact as a team.
KNOWLEDGE TO ACTION
1. Describe some of the ground rules you think are important to establish.
Answers will vary. Expect responses that include such things as good communication among team members; each team member is expected to do his or her fair share of work and accept responsibility; team members should empower each other, etc.
2. Should team members participate in establishing the ground rules? Why or why not?
Yes, because each member must understand the team goals as well as the specific, individual goals for which they are responsible, and all team members must understand the ground rules.
B. Team Communication Managers feel that team communication is the second most important quality according to a report by Timothy R. Barry from ESI International. Regular meetings are the best way to involve all team members in the project.
C. Monitoring the Project The team leader has primary responsibility for monitoring progress of the project, but all team members should be kept abreast of the progress.
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Monitoring provides the opportunity to detect needed changes and make those changes in a timely manner.
VII. Project Termination The steps to completing a project are to ensure all deliverables and quality standards have been met and to prepare a report that documents the project. The completion process depends on whether the project was external or internal.
A. External Projects The agreement with the client should be reviewed to ensure that deliverables meet and preferably exceed expectations, which may generate additional business.
KNOWLEDGE TO ACTION
1. What do you think are the main advantages of having frequent team meetings?
Answers will vary. Students may say that it keeps team members informed and inspired and that it helps with communication
2. What pitfalls do you see to having frequent team meetings?
Answers will vary. Most students will say that meetings are time consuming and can take them away from their work.
3. What could you do to make meetings more effective to minimize any pitfalls?
Answers will vary. Students might say the team leader must be organized and keep everyone on track, or that more technology (email, texting, and online meetings) should be used
A. Internal Projects Teams should analyze their work and provide extensive feedback to management to ensure that the scope of the project was accurate and that expectations are being met.
B. Final Report This written report is prepared by the leader, with approval by all team members and managers. This report documents that all aspects of the project are completed and meet all quality and quantity specifications. The final report can be used for future projects. The leader, with team members participating in the process, may give a presentation of the report to answer questions and to provide suggestions for implementation. After this report, evaluations and rewards take place.
1.5 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. In projects that you have worked on in college or at work, what were the things that were well done and produced good results?
Answers will vary depending on each individual’s experience. Students might say the current team they are working on with this class produced a good presentation for an assignment because everyone fulfilled their assigned tasks, they had good communication
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with the use of technology, and they celebrated together at the completion of the assignment.
2. What were the things that were done poorly? What caused the poor performance?
Answers will vary. Students might say that the team leader did not clarify what was expected of each team member because communication was poor.
3. With the information you now have, how would you suggest improving projects that you have worked on?
Answers will vary. Students might say, for example, that they would spend more time on the project plan or forming the team.
4. What five personal qualities do you think are the most important qualities needed to be an effective project leader?
Answers will vary. Expect results such as organization, good communication skills, the ability to motivate others, being a good listener, asking questions, confidence, etc.
5. Organizations rarely evaluate projects on an individual team member basis. The whole team has the same evaluation—the project was either effective or not. Do you agree with this type of evaluation? Why or why not?
Students will say either yes or no, but all should explain their answer. A student might say no, because some individual team members may contribute more than others, or a student might say yes, because all team members are responsible equally for the success of the project
12.6 HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES
Explore Project Software—Individual or Team Activity The objective of this activity is to learn more about project software. Students, working alone or in teams, are asked to find a software package on the Internet that has a free demo, watch the demo, and then answer a series of questions about the product. They are also asked to use OneNote to set up tabs for a project or organize a course, or watch a demo of it on the Internet.
12.7 YOU DECIDE: CASE STUDY Leading a Cross-functional Team
1. Should Laura wait until she sees how Drew performs working independently before she does anything?
Students may say yes or no, but most will say yes, but that she should check up on Drew and have a conversation that encourages him and also lets him know his responsibilities.
2. Should Laura talk with Drew’s manager about the situation now? Why or why not?
If students say yes, they might add that Laura and the team can’t wait because Drew has already shown he’s not invested. If students say no, they might suggest that Laura wait to
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give Drew a chance and document his behavior so she has proof to show the manager there is a problem.
3. If not, should she talk with Drew about the situation? If so, should she talk with Drew before talking to his manager, at the same time, or after talking to his manager? Explain why you selected this approach.
Answers will vary. A student might say that she should talk to Drew before talking with the manager because that shows good leadership skills and leaves her with the option of going to the manager if the situation does not improve.
4. Should she talk with the other team members from marketing individually about Drew? Why or why not?
No. Her discussions with Drew should be kept confidential.
12.8 MANAGER’S TOOLKIT
The Chapter 12 Manager’s Toolkit asks students to prepare documents to help them develop as an effective leader of a high-performance project team. Suggest they review the information in Chapter 5 as well as this chapter, and then answer the four questions.
12.9 SOFT SKILLS FOR SUCCESS
Chapter 12 focuses on accountability. Students are asked to individually develop a project entitled: Guide for Creating a Culture of Accountability. They must specify outcomes (goals) and divide them into tasks, and assign each task to a team member; develop charts for visual communication of tasks, the person responsible for each task, and the progress or lack thereof; explain the importance of each team member to be aware of the team’s progress; and set up frequent meetings for problem solving.
12.10 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
Bell Hop
Purpose:
To demonstrate the planning and cooperation required for teamwork
To demonstrate the dynamics of feedback in teamwork and its role in productivity.
To practice effective communication in a team environment.
Time: 20 minutes
Players: Teams of 4
Supplies: Player Instructions
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Computer with projector (for Player Instructions)
Twenty-one newspaper sections or large pieces of cardboard. Copy paper boxes may be cut into large squares approximately 14" x 14".
Two blindfolds (cloth) or purchase from a party store
Two dinner bells, chimes, or noisemakers.
Masking tape to hold down newspaper or cardboard as needed.
Steps:
Divide the group into teams of 4. If there are more than 8 students, either set up two stations or rotate groups.
Set up a path of 16 newspaper sections or cardboard in a straight line as shown below:
Define the task: Each team selects a representative. The two representatives will be blindfolded and placed at opposite ends of the path. Each team must guide its representative to the other end of the path using only a bell, chime, or noisemaker. You may not speak to one another. Rules of passage:
* Representatives may only move forward.
* Two representatives may not stand on the same space.
* Representatives may not step off the path. If either steps off the path, she/he must be returned to the starting point.
The game is over when both representatives have successfully moved to the opposite ends of the path. Players have 8 minutes to move from one end to the other.
Ask each team to hold a meeting and select its representative.
Display the Player Instructions and begin the game.
Ask each representative to stand at one end of the path. Instruct a team member to blindfold each representative.
When each team has blindfolded its representative, remind teams that no talking is allowed for the rest of the game.
Place the last five newspapers on the floor as shown below (after the representatives are blindfolded):
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Inform players they have 8 minutes to cross to the other side. Play continues until the two players have passed to the other side or until time is called Facilitator Notes for Bell Hop:
Do not force anyone to be blindfolded. People may become stressed out when blindfolded so ask for volunteers.
This game is effective for teams whose members work at a distance from each other It will highlight the phenomenon of not having been told the full instructions or goals for a project. This is especially true if part of the team works in the office and the rest of the team works at a distance.
Debrief the blindfolded people first. They have been under the most stress and may feel they have been tricked Ask: “What type of feedback would have been helpful to you?” and “How would you like to have received that feedback?”
A few questions that would be pertinent to this game include:
o In what way do you feel blindfolded at work?
o What are the consequences of being blindfolded at work?
o What can be done to keep the blindfold off at work?
o How can your team improve?
o What is the role of coaching for success?
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