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As technology continues to grow, it is always good practice to stay current with available project management software (PMS) and use the tools that are the most fitting for your company’s business practices.

Recently, you learned about project management software (PMS) applications you can use to help manage a project efficiently. You have also been exploring some of these tools and applications. In this activity, you will identify one PMS tool that you think can be used to track and monitor the XYZ Business Workflow project efficiently. Keep in mind that in Project Two, you will need to create a project schedule and generate a Gantt chart.

For your initial post, answer the following questions:

· Choose one tool and describe its features and available options. Include a short description of the tool and its features and provide a link, if possible. What do you think are its pros and cons?

· If you are currently using the tool or have used the tool in the past, discuss your experience. If the tool is new to you, describe how the tool could be useful in managing projects.

· List one or two other tools you tried and did not choose for this project. Why did you decide not to use this tool?

· Review other tools you might think. Are they tools you tried or worked with already?

· Do they have all the features you were looking for when selecting your tool? What do you like or dislike about the tool?

As technology continues to grow, it is always good practice to stay

current with available project management software (PMS) and use the

tools that are the most fitting for your company’s business practices

.

Recently

, you learned about project management software (PMS)

applications you can use to help manage a project efficiently. You have

also been exploring some of these tools and applications. In this

activity, you will identify one PMS tool that you t

hink can be used to

track and monitor the XYZ Business Workflow project efficiently. Keep

in mind that in Project Two, you will need to create a project schedule

and generate a Gantt chart.

For your initial post, answer the following questions:

·

Choose one tool and describe its features and available options.

Include a short description of the tool and its features and provide

a link, if possible. What do you think are its pros and cons?

·

If you are currently using the tool

or have used the tool in the

past, discuss your experience. If the tool is new to you, describe

how the tool could be useful in managing projects.

·

List one or two other tools you tried and did not choose for this

project. Why did you decide not to use thi

s tool?

·

Review

other tools you might think

. Are they tools you tried or

worked with already?

·

Do they have all the features you were looking for when selecting

your tool? What do you like or dislike about

the tool?

As technology continues to grow, it is always good practice to stay

current with available project management software (PMS) and use the

tools that are the most fitting for your company’s business practices.

Recently, you learned about project management software (PMS)

applications you can use to help manage a project efficiently. You have

also been exploring some of these tools and applications. In this

activity, you will identify one PMS tool that you think can be used to

track and monitor the XYZ Business Workflow project efficiently. Keep

in mind that in Project Two, you will need to create a project schedule

and generate a Gantt chart.

For your initial post, answer the following questions:

 Choose one tool and describe its features and available options.

Include a short description of the tool and its features and provide

a link, if possible. What do you think are its pros and cons?

 If you are currently using the tool or have used the tool in the

past, discuss your experience. If the tool is new to you, describe

how the tool could be useful in managing projects.

 List one or two other tools you tried and did not choose for this

project. Why did you decide not to use this tool?

 Review other tools you might think. Are they tools you tried or

worked with already?

 Do they have all the features you were looking for when selecting

your tool? What do you like or dislike about the tool?

Module Five: Project Execution

Module Five: Project Execution

As their team works through the Execution stage, the project manager collects information to compare project progress to the baselines and standards they created during the Planning stage. They will
form, develop, and work with a project team, applying change control, performance reporting, and other methods for reviewing project progress. Additionally, the team will keep an eye out for any new
risks that could result from events both within the project and outside the project or organization.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, you should be able to:

1. Form, develop, and lead project teams
2. Compare project plans to progress
3. Review performance and adjust project work as needed
4. Address change as it occurs
5. Complete a project status report
6. Report performance to pertinent stakeholders
7. Keep a project on track

5-1 Module Five Pre-test

Module Five Pre-test

Click “Next” to access the Module Five Pre-test

5-2 Executing the Project Work

Executing the Project Work

During the Execution stage of a project, the project manager and their team will begin to see the deliverables take shape as they complete the actual project work. The project manager must work with
their team to direct and complete the activities they prepared for in the Planning stage. As the team completes their work, the project manager will track their performance in creating results; the manager
will then use this performance information in the Monitoring and Controlling stage to guide and supervise the team’s work.

Executing essentially encompasses all of the actions needed to complete the work defined in the project’s scope statement. Typical Execution tasks include:

Click on each of the arrows below for more information.

Creating project deliverables and performing activities to meet project requirements

Managing and coordinating project resources

Staffing and managing teams and training team members

Managing project communication channels and distributing relevant project information

Generating data related to project cost, schedule, quality, and progress for comparison to baselines

Making changes and adjustments to project plans and the project environment

Execution is often the longest portion of a project. On an S-curve, the Execution stage is the steepest part of the curve where project resources—and, therefore, the project budget—are used at the
fastest rate.

The Project Manager as a Communicator

In an ideal world, the preparation the project manager did in the Planning stage would free them from having to spend a lot of time replanning during Execution. The project manager would then just be
ensuring that project activities are being completed as planned.

But in the real world, the project may not work as hoped, even with the best-laid and most comprehensive plans. Activities may move faster or slower than expected, so project work will need to be

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adjusted. Variances may affect the project plan and require analysis and appropriate response.

As issues like these occur, it is very important to acknowledge them and to convey reactions and responses to appropriate stakeholders. By distributing important information quickly and succinctly to the
right stakeholders, the project manager will ensure that key project participants are informed of project issues and will not be surprised by adjustments and results.

The Project Manager as a Leader

It is also during project execution that the skills of a manager are the most visible. When a team is executing project work, conflicts and interpersonal issues may arise that require the project manager to
use their people skills to manage and resolve. They may also need to rely on these skills to manage team dynamics and inter-organizational relationships. And they’ll need to ensure that team members
gain experience and new skills that will help them progress along their career paths. It is here, in Execution, that the project manager has to lead the team in completing their work and achieving results
instead of simply managing their output.

The Execution stage of the project can be challenging but can also be very rewarding. Here, the team will be implementing the plans that they prepared, putting their hard work into action. They’ll
complete the objectives set forth in the project charter and create the unique results that the project was designed for. The project manager will also see personal progress and accomplishments as they
help their team members grow and flourish.

5-3 The Project Journal

The Project Journal

Throughout a project, a project manager (and team members, too) should record their observations in a project journal. The project journal is a notebook or work document that a
project manager can use at the end of a project or phase (in project reviews and retrospectives) to remind themselves of the good and bad things that happened during the project.
The journal can be as formal or informal as needed as long as it serves its purpose—to remind the project manager and project team of any issues they encountered as they worked
on the project.

Capturing Data in Real Time

Many project participants wait until the end of a project to try to collect and collate the lessons they learned on the project. But looking back on the project inevitably leads to missed
information and opportunities to improve projects. By recording this information as it happens, the project team will have a more complete reference to work from to improve future projects and project
work.

The Journal Content and Format

Some teams develop specific forms or templates to use in their journals, while others just use notes and bulleted lists to track information. Whatever format practitioners use, it should be efficient enough
to capture important information without causing undue hardship to the person who is capturing and documenting the project details.

The project manager should ask all project participants to consider keeping a project journal to ensure full coverage of all project angles and perspectives. Including as many people as is feasible
guarantees that multiple viewpoints will be heard and ensures that details about issues will be uncovered, recorded, and better understood because the people closest to the work will be the ones
tracking the issues and improvement opportunities related to it.

It will also be helpful to record information from conversations that project participants have with external resources or stakeholders. Because these external resources may not be involved in
retrospectives or lessons learned meetings, having someone on the project team capture this information ensures that this important data will not be lost at project end.

5-4 What is a Team?

What is a Team?

Project managers don’t execute projects in isolation; they need the help of others to complete objectives and fulfill requirements. The vast majority of project work is done by a collection of people who
work together to achieve goals and meet expectations. But a team is more than just a simple panel of talent; it is an intertwining of skills and interdependencies with a common purpose and a shared
understanding.

Any discussion of teams should start with a clear definition of terms. A group can be defined as two or more persons interacting with each other, such that each one is influenced by the other. In contrast,
a team has four necessary characteristics: complementary skills, the pursuit of a common goal, a shared approach and performance measurements, and mutual accountability.

Click on the next and previous buttons to progress through the slideshow.

Slide 1

Complementary Skills:
Individual members possess or obtain technical, functional, problem-solving, decision-making, and interpersonal skills required by the team as a whole.

Slide 2

Pursuit of a Common Goal:

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The focus of the entire team at all times is the team’s shared goal. A team must have a shared goal.

Slide 3

Shared Approach and Performance Metrics:
Team members share a common approach to their work and track their progress through shared performance metrics.

Slide 4

Mutual Accountability:
Each team member holds him or herself accountable for their work while also holding fellow team members accountable for their work. This requires the commitment and trust of all team
members.

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Team Classifications

There are many types of teams, most often classified according to what they do. Some of the more common team types are described in the accordion below.

Click on each of the headings below for more information on common types of teams.

Quality Circles
Quality circles are small groups of employees from a given work area who meet regularly to investigate quality problems and recommend solutions.

Work Teams
Work teams are generally permanent teams that actually make a product or provide a service. Work teams differ from work groups insofar as the entire work team decides how to do the work.

Problem-solving Teams
Problem-solving teams are temporary teams put in place to work on a specific problem facing an organization and to make recommendations for others to implement.

Management Teams
Management teams are teams of managers who, in many cases, coordinate work teams. Management teams coach work teams to become self-managing or self-organizing. They also
coordinate efforts between work teams.

Product Development Teams
Product development teams are cross-functional teams tasked with creating new products and services.

Virtual Teams
Virtual teams are teams that collaborate via electronic communication (for example, videoconferencing or email). Virtual teams may be very efficient, as face-to-face meetings can be kept to a
minimum, travel time reduced, and communications facilitated through different technologies.

Self-organizing Teams
Self-organizing teams are teams that recognize that they are responsible for managing and completing their own work, with minimal guidance and direction for authority figures.

Developing a Team, Not a Group

A project leader’s key responsibility is to develop a team from a group. The leader must incorporate team characteristics into the group’s dynamic through specific, targeted actions, as described in the
table below.

5-5 Forming the Project Team

Forming the Project Team

Building a strong and effective project team starts by taking enterprise environmental factors (such as organizational structure and culture, existing human resources, personnel administration policies,
and marketplace conditions) into account. The project manager must also ensure, throughout the life of the project, that the team environment is positive and productive.

One of the project leader’s first tasks, at the beginning of the project, should be to develop a plan for managing the project’s team members and human resources. While planning team management, the
project manager should define roles, authority, responsibilities, competency, and project organization charts. Here are some basic definitions of these terms:

Team Characteristics Leadership Action
Team members have a shared understanding of how to perform their
roles.

The team leader should help define and communicate team roles.

Teams have a clear understanding of what constitutes the team’s “work”
and why that work is important.

The team leader must clearly articulate what the team needs to accomplish and why the team’s success is significant to the
organization.

Team members can describe what the team needs to achieve, as well
as the norms and values that will guide them.

As a team is forming, it can be useful to hold a meeting where the team collectively discusses the values that are important to
them and agrees on ways of working.

Teams have a spirit that shows a sense of bonding and camaraderie. The team leader should initiate team development activities. These may be formal or informal in nature, and they should help
individuals begin thinking more with the frame of “we,” rather than “me” or “I.”

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Project Team Assignments

Team management planning also involves documenting project team assignments. These documented assignments may include the following information:

Click on each of the numbered boxes below for more information.

How and when project team members will be acquired

The criteria for releasing team members from the project

Training needs

Plans for recognition and rewards

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Compliance considerations and safety issues

The impact of project assignments on the rest of the organization

Staffing the Project

Once team management planning is complete, the project manager then will need to compile a project team. But the process of putting together a team may not be easy—human resources, like most
other resources on a project, are limited and may have to be shared with other departments or projects. In addition, team members may not possess the necessary skills to complete needed activities, so
those skills will need to be procured or acquired in some form. But for the project to be completed successfully, the project manager will have to ensure that an effective team can be created, with people
whose skills and abilities will contribute the most to achieving the project’s goals.

Putting together and managing a project team is a multidimensional activity. It involves:

In addition, there are constraints that will affect the project and its roles and responsibilities. For example, a weak matrix organization may grant the project manager less authority; there may be union
contracts that can hamper or limit staffing choices; or budgetary constraints may limit travel or staffing. All of these factors will need to be taken into account as the project manager completes the project
roster.

Negotiating for Services

Even after deciding who he or she would like to have on the team, the project manager may need to negotiate for their services—with functional managers (in a functional organization) or other project
managers (in hybrid or projectized organizations). This negotiation should ideally be done face-to-face, with a copy of important project documents (like the project charter) sent to the other negotiating
party in advance. (An email summarizing the project’s sponsor, intent, objectives, duration, and time frame can also be used.) The project manager might also specify the name(s) of potential team
candidate(s) or their required skill sets. Negotiations should be done in good faith, with a win-win result as the goal of both parties. If the other party in the negotiation responds unenthusiastically to the
request, the project manager may want to strategize possible compromises, including the replacement of an employee pulled away, or some other compensatory mechanism.

5-6 Developing a Project Team

Developing a Project Team

Project managers must cultivate the project team by fostering dynamic environments of collaboration, open communication, competency, and diversity. This process can include formal and informal
training, rewards and recognition, and challenges and opportunities for the team to overcome. Project managers should guide and develop the team from beginning to end, and they should provide
motivation and support for the project team to efficiently perform and complete project objectives.

The Project Manager’s Toolbox

Before the development needs of a team member can be adequately addressed, his or her existing skills must be assessed, and then strategies will need to be developed to fill any gaps that may be
found. This is usually accomplished by reviewing performance assessments that contain specific, predetermined criteria set forth early in the project. Relevant criteria may include competence in the
technical-, schedule-, and budgetary-based aspects of the project, as well as continuing education accomplishments and improvement activities.

Click on each of the headings below for more information.

Colocation
When teams are colocated, it means that they are occupying the same physical workspace. This can enhance team performance and development. Colocation can exist for the duration of a
project, or at specified events, such as certain meetings or strategic times. Shared workspace can increasingly foster a sense of commitment and understanding among team members.

Virtual teams
As technology continuously improves and is adapted in the workplace, traditional team structures are no longer the only option. Virtual teams can cut costs and provide access to individuals that
may have otherwise been unable to contribute to a project.

Ground Rules

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It is important for a project manager to set ground rules. Ground rules can help to articulate differences and provide accommodations for situations that may arise when team members do not
know each other very well or when they come from different cultures and backgrounds.

Communication technology
Communication technology can strengthen team bonds and performance in both virtual and colocated settings. Communication technology enables team members to communicate, share and
collaborate, and organize project activities.

Interpersonal and team skills

Interpersonal and team skills (i.e., “soft skills”) are important qualities for project managers to possess to manage and lead their team successfully. Important interpersonal and team skills while
developing a project team include:

Conflict management for resolving conflicts in a constructive and timely manner;
Influencing to gather relevant information and reach favorable agreements;
Motivation for empowering teams and encouraging them to perform at an optimal level;
Negotiation to build trust and come to a consensus on project and team needs; and
Team building to transform teams into high-performing, efficient, interdependent units.

Recognition and rewards
To keep teams motivated and on-task, desirable behavior can be rewarded and recognized. Project managers should recognize and reward the team and individual members throughout the
duration of the project life cycle. These rewards may be financial, but they are not always.

Training

Sometimes team members need coaching or training in a specific area. Training and coaching don’t have to be formal processes; unplanned observations, teaching, and reviews can provide
informal opportunities for development and improvement. Training and development opportunities can occur whenever and wherever needed.

Various training activities, formal and informal, can take place over the course of the project. The purpose of training is to improve the skills and competencies of team members and enhance
their overall project performance. Training can be planned or unplanned, and it can be provided in-house or externally. Organizations should take special care to ensure that training outcomes
can be measured in an efficient manner, to guarantee that training activities strengthen employee skill sets and produce results as expected.

Individual and team assessments
Over the course of a project life cycle, project managers will assess the performance of individuals and the project team as a whole. As project managers learn more about their team members’
goals, work styles, strengths, and weaknesses, they can adjust project plans to promote productivity and efficiency. There is a multitude of assessment tools (such as surveys, interviews, tests,
and focus groups) that can be used. The goal of these assessments is to enhance team performance by building trust, understanding, commitment, and communication skills.

Meetings
Meetings can be opportunities to discuss important project information with team members. The focus of meetings can vary from team kick-off meetings and orientations to team building and
development meetings.

The Tuckman Model

Projects take place in an increasingly global and culturally diverse sphere. Team members come from different places and bring different competencies and levels of expertise. It is the project manager’s
responsibility to manage and lead these individuals into forming a cohesive, high performing unit.

Team building includes conducting activities—formal and informal— that enhance the social relations between team members and improve team rapport, trust, and functionality. The purpose of such
activities is to bring teammates together and foster a collaborative and cooperative working space. Informal “getting-to-know-you” activities can be even more important with remote teams, as it is crucial
for team members to become acquainted and interdependent in order to complete project tasks. Teams should have meetings to set up ground rules and expectations. Team building and development is
a continuous process, and a project manager must be particularly sensitive to any environmental changes or other disruptions. The project manager should monitor team relations and performance and
make adjustments, when necessary.

Most teams go through a series of developmental stages known as the Tuckman Ladder, which is described below.

Click on each rung in the ladder below for more information.

Often, teams get “stuck” in one stage of the ladder and need assistance in order to progress in their development. It is the project manager’s responsibility to help the team get “unstuck” so they can
function properly and meet project goals as an efficient and cohesive unit.

5-7 Exercise: The Tuckman Model
This assignment does not contain any printable content.

5-8 Leading a High-Performing Team

Leading a High-Performing Team

An empowered or high-performing team will greatly increase the possibility of project success. Therefore, a key responsibility of the project manager is to develop this highly functioning team out of a
collection of people. A high-performing team possesses four common characteristics:

Click on each of the checkmarks below for more information.

Complementary skills

Forming

In the early stages of a team’s development, the forming of the group takes place.
From a work perspective, the group meets, learns about the project, agrees on
goals, and then begins working on tasks. From a behavioral perspective, the team
members tend to act independently and are on their best behavior. This stage is
important because the group gets to know one another and grows more friendly.

Because team members are just getting adjusted to new project tasks and new
coworkers, the team leader needs to be directive during the Forming stage.

Storming

After leaving the Forming stage, teams enter the Storming stage. In this stage,
different ideas and/or approaches compete for consideration by the group. The
team members feel more open with one another and confront different ideas and
perspectives. During Storming, team members deal with questions that include how
the team will function independently and collectively, as well as what leadership
model will be adopted. The length of the Storming stage varies by team. The
maturity of the group members typically determines when the team moves out of
this stage.

During the Storming stage, the team leader should focus on two areas:

Emphasizing tolerance of team members and their differences
Continuing to be directive in guiding decision-making

Norming

After the Storming stage concludes, teams enter the Norming stage. After
weathering the conflict of Storming, team members modify their behavior as they
develop team-oriented work habits. This results in more natural teamwork. The
group begins to build internal trust, and motivation increases as the team becomes
more comfortable with the project.

The team leader plays a more participative role than in the earlier stages. With the
group members working more cooperatively and effectively, they can be expected
to take more responsibility for decision-making.

Performing

High-performing teams reach what is called the Performing stage, when a team
finds ways to accomplish its work effectively without inappropriate conflict or the
need for external supervision. Team members become interdependent. Conflict is
handled through means that are acceptable to the team.

The team leader plays a participative role during the Performing stage, since the
team makes most of the necessary decisions.

Adjourning

As the project comes to a close, teams enter an Adjourning stage that offers a
sense of closure for the current project and acts as a stepping-off point for future
projects. This completion stage gives team members a chance to recognize their
achievements and say goodbye to each other before they move on to new roles
and activities. This can be a difficult time for some team members because the
relationships that have developed during the project are coming to an end, and
practitioners may be beginning new assignments that are not well-defined.

In the Adjourning stage, team leaders may need to rely on their “soft skills” to
alleviate concerns and enable team members to appropriately shift their focus to
their new activities. Leaders may be called upon to provide guidance to group
members and to assist in these transitions, to reduce uncertainty and ensure a
smooth progression to subsequent work.

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The pursuit of a common goal

A shared approach and performance measurements

Mutual accountability

Empowered or high-performing teams communicate freely, exchange input and feedback, and discuss ideas openly. These team members work effectively together, are more enthusiastic and
committed, and resolve conflicts more quickly without intervention. And working on these types of teams encourages people to internalize the teams’ goals and be more highly motivated, more excited,
more creative, and harder working.

Team Leader Considerations

Company culture is reflected in company policies and procedures, work ethic, work hours, and team members’ shared values and norms, all of which impact team dynamics. A team leader with a highly
participative style will likely run into problems in an organization that is very hierarchical, while a team leader with a very authoritarian style will find it difficult to operate in a participative organization.
Leadership styles may also need to be adjusted based on the current stage of the project, but project leaders should consistently cultivate an atmosphere of teamwork.

Click on each of the leadership attributes below for more information.

Company Culture Trumps Personal Leadership Styles:
Company culture is a very strong and pervasive force. Even if a project
manager’s leadership style has been successful at one company, it may not be
successful at another. A project management team leader must consider whether
their personal leadership style complements the overall company culture. When
the two are in conflict, they must consider how they can modify their personal
styles to be more compatible with the overall company culture.

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Organizational Structure May Limit Leadership Authority:
Just as company culture can be a barrier to project management team leadership
success, so can the organizational structure. Project managers working in a
functional organization, for example, must expect to have limited authority over
the team. In this environment, authority resides with the functional manager.
Although leadership cannot be exerted through authority in this type of
organization, there may be other sources of power that a project manager can
seek to use, such as expertise or respect.

Leaders Should Recognize Team Development Stages:
Normal team development stages can have an effect on project output. The
Forming stage is less productive as the team begins to understand the
requirements of the project. Then, time and resources are often consumed as the
team works through conflicts in the Storming stage. Once in the Norming phase,
project work picks up. Project managers must recognize this pattern and modify
their project plans and schedules accordingly.

Different Leadership Styles Are Needed for Different Team Development
Stages:
Successful project team leaders are flexible in many aspects including leadership
styles. In the Forming and Storming stages, it is crucial that the team leader
behave in a directive way. As the team evolves into the Norming, Performing, and
Adjourning phases, the project management leader’s style should become more
participative and engaging.

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All teams, including Agile and adaptive ones, can benefit from using an empirical process. This sets the boundaries for a project but allows new work processes to develop, which means that teams can
work openly and collaboratively within project boundaries. Team members should experiment with new methods of achieving results, with limited stakeholder interference. This is most effective when
team members are co-located and when lessons learned are regularly shared, so that teams can learn and adapt as they explore new approaches to problem solving.

Challenges

There are, however, …

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