Project Human Resource Management

Mohammad A. Rob

What is Project Human Resource Management?

Project human resource management includes the processes required to make the most effective use of the people involved with a project.

This includes all stakeholders - sponsors, customers, partners, team members, and others

Managing People

Dealing with people is an ongoing process in a project. It includes abilities such as:– Leading, communicating, negotiating, problem

solving, and influencing.– Delegating, motivating, coaching, and mentoring– Team building and dealing with conflicts– Performance appraisal, recruitment, retention, labor

relations, health and safety regulations Most of these activities are common to human

resources, but in a project, many of these are of temporary nature as a project is temporary

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Problem Solving: Problem solving involves a combination of problem definition and decision-making.

Problem definition requires distinguishing between causes and symptoms. Problems may be internal or external; or it can be technical, managerial, or interpersonal.

Decision-making includes analyzing the problem to identify viable solutions, and then making a choice from among them. Decision also has time element to them – the “right” decision may not be the “best” decision if it is

made too early or too late.

Influencing the Organization

Influence the Organization: Influence means the ability to “get things done.”

It requires an understanding of both the formal and informal structures of all the organizations involved – the performing organization, customer, partners, contractors, and others.

Influencing the organization also requires an understanding of the mechanics or power and politics.

Human Resources Management Processes

There are four processes in project human resources management:– Human Resource Planning– Acquiring the Project Team– Developing the Project Team– Managing the project Team

Human Resource (HR) Planning

HR planning involves identifying, documenting, and assigning project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships

Input to this process mainly includes staffing requirements - kind of people and competencies needed in necessary time frame

Outputs include:– project organizational charts– work definition and assignment process– responsibility assignment matrixes– resource histograms

HR Planning

Project organizational charts: After identifying important skills and types of people needed to staff a project, the project manager creates an organizational chart for the project

It is a hierarchical chart describing the roles and reporting structure of the people or people group in the project

It includes the project manager, deputy project manager, sub-project manager or group leaders, and individual team members such as programmers, engineers, and analysts

Typical Organizational Chart for a Large IT Project

Sample Organizational Chart

HR Planning Work definition and assignment process: After creating an

organizational chart, the project manger works on to develop work assignments.

The assignment of work leads from the following activities or steps:– Requirements Finalization: a request for proposal (RFP) from the

sponsor starts the process. It leads to a project charter that recognizes the project. A scope statement is then created that describes the project’s products and deliverables

– How the work will be done: Technical approach such as product-oriented or phase-approached, in-house development or outsourcing,

– Breaking down the work: The project is then broken down into manageable elements of work or a work breakdown structure (WBS) is created.

– Assigning the work: The project manager then creates an organizational breakdown structure (OBS) which describes the assignment of work to organizational units according to best fit. A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) is then created that describes the people responsible for performing the work described in the OBS and WBS.

Work Definition and Assignment Process

Sample Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Sample Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

RAM Showing Stakeholder Roles

HR Planning

Staffing Management Plan: – In addition to the organizational breakdown structure (OBS)

and responsibility assignment matrix (RAM), another output of organizational planning is a staffing management plan.

A staffing management plan describes when and how people will be added to and taken off the project team

It includes the type of people (programmers, business analyst, technical analyst, database analyst, technical writer) needed and the number of people needed each month

It typically includes a resource histogram, which is a column chart that shows the number and type of people needed over time

Sample Resource Histogram for a Large IT Project

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Java programmers Business analysts Technical writers

Managers Administrative staff Database analysts

Testing specialists

Num

ber

of P

eopl

e

Acquiring the Project TeamAfter developing a staffing management plan, the project

manger works with other people to assign particular personnel to their work or acquire additional personnel

Organization should have a good staffing plan, which includes the number and type of people who are currently in the organization and the number and type of people anticipated for the project

An important component of staffing plans is maintaining a complete and accurate inventory of employee’s skills

If necessary for the project, existing personnel needs to be sent for training

It is also important to have good procedures in place for hiring contractors and hiring new employees

Sample Staffing Plan

Effective Staff ManagementOnce people are assigned to the project activities, there

are two techniques available to help use project staff most effectively: resource loading and resource leveling

Resource loading refers to the amount of individual resources an existing project schedule requires during specific time periods

Resource histograms show resource loading, which can be very helpful in determining staffing needs or identifying staffing problems

Over-allocation means more resources than are available are assigned to perform work at a given time

Sample Histogram Showing an Over-allocated Individual

Resource leveling is a technique for resolving resource conflicts by delaying tasks

The main purpose of resource leveling is to create a smoother distribution of resource usage and reduce over-allocation

Project managers examine the network diagram for areas of slack or float, and to identify resource conflicts

Resource leveling aims to minimize period-by-period variations in resource loading by shifting tasks within their slack allowances

Effective Staff Management

Resource Leveling Example

Developing the Project Team It takes teamwork to successfully complete most

projectsThe main goal is to help people work together more

effectively to improve project performanceTraining can help people understand themselves, each

other, and how to work better in teamsTeam-based reward and recognition systems can

promote teamworkFocus on rewarding teams for achieving specific goalsAllow time for team members to mentor and help each

other to meet project goals and develop human resources

Developing the Project TeamFive stages of Team Development by Bruce Tuckman:

– Forming: involves introduction of existing or new team member

– Storming: team members communicate and collaborate, as well as have arguments, conflicts, and mistrusts

– Norming: Team members ultimately develop a common ground to work together and develop a trust on each other

– Performing: Team members work together towards a common goal of completing the project

– Adjourning: Break-up of the team after successful completion of the work

General Advice on Team DevelopmentFocus on meeting project objectives and producing

positive resultsFix the problem instead of blaming peopleEstablish regular, effective meetingsNurture team members and encourage them to help

each otherLimit the team size to three to seven membersAcknowledge individual and group

accomplishmentsPlan some social activities between the team

members and other stakeholders

Managing the Project TeamThe project manager must lead the teamAssess team performanceDecide if any change is neededApply corrective or preventive actionUpdate on HR management planMotivate and manage each team member

Managing People

Leading and managing: Leading and managing go hand to hand. Managing is primarily concerned with “consistently producing key results expected by stakeholders.” Managing involves:– Establishing direction – developing both a vision of the future

and strategies for producing the changes needed to achieve that vision.

– Aligning people – communicating the vision by words and deeds to all those whose cooperation may be needed to achieve the vision.

– Motivating and inspiring – helping people energize themselves to overcome political, bureaucratic, and resource barriers to change.

Managing People

Communicating: Communication involves exchange of information. It has many dimensions such as:

Written and oral, listening and speaking Internal (within the project) and external (to the

customer, the media, the public) Formal (reports, briefing) and informal (memos, ad

hoc conversation, etc.)• Vertical (up and down the organization) and

horizontal (with peers and partner organizations)

Managing People

Negotiating: Negotiating involves conferring with others to come to terms with them or reach an agreement. Negotiation occurs around many issues, at many times, and at many levels of the project.

During the course of the project, the project manager is likely to negotiate for: Scope, cost, and schedule

Changes to scope, cost, or schedule Contract terms and conditions Assignments Resources.

Keys to Managing People

Psychologists and management theorists have devoted much research and thought to the field of managing people at work

Important areas related to project management include– motivation– influence and power– effectiveness

Motivation

Frederick Herzberg wrote several famous books and articles about worker motivation. He distinguished between– motivational factors: achievement, recognition, the

work itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth, which produce job satisfaction

– hygiene factors: cause dissatisfaction if not present, but do not motivate workers to do more. Examples include larger salaries, more supervision, and a more attractive work environment

Influence on Projects: Thamhain and Wilemon’s Ways

1. Authority: the legitimate hierarchical right to issue orders

2. Assignment: the project manager's perceived ability to influence a worker's later work assignments

3. Budget: the project manager's perceived ability to authorize others' use of discretionary funds

4. Promotion: the ability to improve a worker's position

5. Money: the ability to increase a worker's pay and benefits

6. Penalty: the project manager's perceived ability to dispense or cause punishment

7. Work challenge: the ability to assign work that capitalizes on a worker's enjoyment of doing a particular task

8. Expertise: the project manager's perceived special knowledge that others deem important

9. Friendship: the ability to establish friendly personal relationships between the project manager and others

Ways to Influence that Help and Hurt Projects

Projects are more likely to succeed when project managers influence with– his or her expert knowledge– providing challenging work

Projects are more likely to fail when project managers rely too heavily on– using his or her authority– money– penalty

Power

Power is the potential ability to influence behavior to get people to do things they would not otherwise do

Types of power include:– Coercive: punishment, threat (fire from job)– Legitimate: expectation based on position– Expert: personal knowledge/expertise– Reward: use incentives (money, promotion) – Referent: personal charisma

Improving Effectiveness:Covey’s 7 Habits

Project managers can apply Covey’s 7 habits to improve effectiveness on projects– Be proactive: anticipate problems and changes, hence plan

accordingly– Begin with the end in mind: focus on the achievement after

completion of a work– Put first things first: do things that are important, not urgent

(develop project plan, maintain relationships to stakeholders)– Think win/win: work together for all-win situation– Seek first to understand, then to be understood: Listen to others– Synergize: create a collaborative work environment– Sharpen the saw: retrain, reenergize, relax to avoid burnout

Software to Assist HR Management

Software can help in producing resource allocation matrix (RAM) and resource histograms

Project management software includes several features related to human resource management such as – viewing resource usage information– identifying under and over-allocated

resources– leveling resources

Software to Assist HR Management

Software to Assist HR Management