project manager delivering project success

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma

Project Manager Delivering Project Success Assignment by Prof. Prbhakaran

References : Class Materials ,Google, Wiki & Blogs 1

Project : AllenSolly Store, Commercial Street, Bangalore

Project Manager : Bipin Barma

Area of the store : 2000sft

Budget Approved : 80 Lakhs

Execution Period : 35 days

Location : High Street , in one of the costliest area of Bangalore.

Project Objectives :

• To execute the project in a span of 35 days in comparision to the regular project duration of 50 days to save the dead

rent and to start the business as early as possible.(within the specified budget & Quality Standards)

• It should be one of the best store in the high street with ACP cladded Facade and back lit LED Signages, best interiors

for superior customer shopping experience

QN-1 : Describe what made the project manager for the project effective or ineffective.

Effectiveness is defined as being “a measure of the quality of attainment in meeting objectives; to be distinguished

from efficiency which is measured by the volume of output achieved for the input used”

Here in this case effective project management means whether or not the project met its stated goals and whether

the project Manager managed the project effectively.

� The following Qualities and deliveries made the Project Manager effective in the process of executing the project .

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



�

(In the following pages ,each of the above heads are been described how it helped the project manager during the execution

process and the improvements that could have been stressed upon.)

Knowledge &

Skills

Participative in

decision-making

Leadership &

Ownership

Meeting

Success Criteria

Delivering Value

Managing Risks

& Conflicts

Team Work Managing

Relationship

Effective Project Manager

Sense of

responsibility

Delegation of

Power

1. Time : Execution should

complete in 35 days

2. Cost : Capex Spent to be

within the approved budget of

80 Lakhs

3. Scope : Design to meet the

guidelines of New identity -

High Street

4. Quality : To be the best in

standards ( in comparison to

the competitors)

5. Visual Merchandising &

Facade : has to be distinctive

(standing out)

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Knowledge & Skills (project manager is an Architect with formal project management credentials)

� To execute a retail store following basic skills are must

1. Understanding of design ,capability of customising minor details as per site conditions

2. Drawing reading (Auto Cad files) and making the Contractor understand what exactly to be done

3. Making Drawings –the main mode of communication

4. MS Project – execution Plan developement & tracking

5. MS office- for detail calculations and financial spread sheet presentations

6. Knowledge of materials, cost & availibility- procurement best practices

7. Leadership skill, team work culture, conflict handling capabilities and negotiation skills – helped the project

manager making the best use of all resources to achieve the project Goals.

� Area of improvement :

o Political skills – ability to build a power base and establish the right connections with upper management.

Sense of responsibility (Lead from the front)

� Project Manager was influential and one point of contact to all external and internal stakeholders for

information transfer and decision making,

� This created a transperent environment where accuracy of all data (whether it is the target dates of mile

stones, Cash flow requirements ,cost differntial values ,risk assesment etc.) remain stable.

� If there is an scope change ,design change or cost over run - every department (visual merchandising,

Opertaion, Vendors) could communicate to him for change requests having an faith it will be processed as

per organisational best practise.

� A well defined RAM (Responsibility Allocation Matrix) was prepared and followed so that each

stakeholder understands his accountibility and deliverables in accomplishing the project.

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Participative in decision making

� All designs and cost related planning exercises used to go through the project manager ,he used to be the formal signoff

authority of every action that is going to be implemented .

� Being participative he could logically analyse every dimensions of actions before being getting executed ,this helped

eliminating the prevailing errors and risks

Leadership & Ownership

Through Leadership The project manager had to provide direction to all stake holders, energize others, and obtainin their

voluntary commitment to the over all vision of the project .

The mjor areas where Leadership is driven by the project manager :

� Motivating Others

� Managing Change

� Developing People

� Building Power Bases

� Understanding Behavioural styles

� Managing the Team

� Providing Project Leadership

� Managing Project Politics

� Developing Personal Effectiveness

� Managing Project Conflicts

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Meeting Sucess Criteria:

� Following objectives were set and achieved :

� Time : Execution completed in 35 days ,handed over to operation on time for opening

� Cost : Capex Spent was within the approved budget of 80 Lakhs (76 lakhs)

� Scope : Design was made as per the guidelines of New identity - High Street , (store came out very well and

got awarded by the President )

� Quality : Over all execution quality was up to the standards in comparision to the other competitors.

� Visual Merchandising & Facade : New glazing with spider fittings ,Facade -ACP cladded, signage - 3D back

lit,Fore court newly paved, Interiors –new visuals been put, Luxurious Lounge been created , The Store came

out very well and opened with increased footfall.

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Delivering Values : “Professionalism ,Integrity ,Corporate Values and problem solving” were the three major areas which

demanded value addition.The project manager could extract all these values from all the stakeholders throughout the project

life cycle.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Mean Values

Project Managerial effectiveness through Value addition

E

F

F

E

C

T

I

V

E

N

E

S

S

Critical

Zone

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Managing Risks and Conflicts :

Following were the major risks handled carefully by the project manager.

1. Scope Creep : Initiation of change request form to tap time and cost impact due to changes and approval of the same

before /during execution.

a. Facade implementation cost increased twice than that was planned earlier

b. Gnerator Space re designed due to increase in size of the Machine

2. Police and Traffic issues :

a. Bribing of more than 3 Lakhs to police to move raw materials to the site during day time and to continue fit out

work in the day time.(Contingencies cap increased to 10% of the total Capex)

3. Conflicts between Contractors & departments : (difference of opinion)

a. Reduction of execution time, resulted conflicts between the contractors -through discussion & re evaluating the

dependencies every week the PM could reduce the friction for smoother execution.

� Conflict management is a critical activity which requires in depth evaluation of the Cause and require delicate handling to

keep the motivation up of all stakeholders.Most of the times it generates high level of negative energy in the project

environment. Not all who involved in the process express their desire and emotion openly and becomes difficult to

understand the issue at grass root level.

� The following is one of the frame work that could help resolving the conflicts by ( FORCING ,COLLBORATING,COPROMISING

,AVOIDING AND ACCOMODATING )- various issues.

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Conflict handling Frame Work

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Managing relationship, delegation of Power and Team Work

� Relationship Management through TO & RO bifurcation

� In this project environment ,relationship with vendors, external consultants,local authorities (external

stakeholders )- is mostly Task Oriented (TO) and the relationship with departments ,Team members

,management (internal stake holders) is Relationship Oriented (RO)

� Relationships:

�

Related

(high -RO)

Integrated

( high- TO

& RO)

Separated

(Low- TO

& RO)

Dedicated

(High -RO)

Relationship

Orientation

(RO)

Feelings,

mutual- trust, &

encouragement

Task Orientation (TO) – Plan, Organise & Control

Present Case

1. Relationship with

external stakeholders t

handled through proper

Planning ,Organising

and Control

2. Relationship with

Internal Stake holders

handled through

mutual trust

development

,encouragement and

caring the feelings

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



� Delegation of Power or Authority: (through various levels)

Creating Six levels of authority and delegating Power :

Levels Results

Level 1:

look into the problem; report all; decide what to do.

Seek Approval for

Authority

Level 2:

look into the problem; let the PM know alternative actions including pros and cons of each;

recommend one for his approval.

Justify the logic and be

authorised to implement

Level 3:

look into the problem; let the PM know what is to be done ; don’t take action until PM approves.

Seek Approval for

Authority

Level 4:

look into the problem; let the PM know what is intended to be done ; do it unless PM says “No.”

You are authorised no

further approval required

Level 5:

take action; let the PM know what you did.

Authorised ,but keep

reporting

Level 6:

take action; no further contact with PM is required

You are empowered to

do so

The Project Manager always remained as a power house of all authorities, with his due approval unless mentioned in the

Responsibility allocation Matrix the power or authority to take a decision can be shifted from one person to other.

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



� Team Work :

Undestanding the importance of team work, following guidelines were followed throughout the Project Life Cycle.

� Seeking out other’s opinions and involvement in matters that concern them before making decisions or plans final.

� Trusting the team to develop a consensus on an issue, even if it takes a little more time.

� Voluntarily offering your own relevant experiences, ideas and findings to colleagues who could use them.

� Acknowledging a colleague’s contribution sharing the credit

� Being non defensive and receptive to the suggestions, ideas opinions and needs of colleagues. Making the effort to

understand before criticising.

� Considering impact of your plans on others.

� Being unwilling to criticise a third party who isn’t present, not gossiping.

� Coming prepared to present or participate when you have a role in meetings.

� Expressing appreciation for teamwork extended to you that was helpful.

� Identifying and helping pick up loose ends even though they may not be your responsibility.

� Keeping people advised of changes, developments and new information on a task or project.

� Being supportive of the team’s objectives once they are set.

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



Summary :

With thorough evaluation of all steps we can conclude that the effectiveness of the Project Manager or any stakeholder who is

involved in the Project delivery need to have the following Values :

1. Integrated

2. Dedicated

3. Developer

4. Executive

5. Benevolent Autocrat

Related

Separated

Integrated

Dedicated

Developer

Bureaucrat

Executive

Benevolent

Autocrat

Missionary

Developer

Compro -

miser

Autocrat

RO –

Relationship

Oriented

TO – Task

Oriented

MORE

EFFECTIVE (ME)

LESS EFFECTIVE

(LE)

January 19, 2012

Bipin Barma



THE OUTCOME :

AllenSolly Store

Commercial

Street, Bangalore

project manager delivering project success

Business

responsibility

visual merchandising

approved budget

project manager

capex spent

class materials

wiki amp

decision making