PJM460 MOD7 Peer discussion responses

Please reply to both POST1: (Question from the professor) and POST2: in at least 200 words

I have included my original post as reference.

My original post:

Re-Integrating Project Team Members After Project Close-Out

Every project has to have an ending, and that is what projectcompletion and closeout phase are mostly about. The project’s wholepoint is to deliver as promised. However, it does not mean that thingsare packed, and files are thrown in a drawer. The project team needs tobe released. During the project close-out phase, when all thestakeholder’s needs have been met, the project manager has a role toensure that the entire project aspects are appropriately concluded (DeFuria, 2016). For example, in a project where the IT team had finisheddeveloping an application, one requirement would be to close thecontract with the IT vendor that gave him two developers of HTML. Whilethis phase would be characterized by the project team’s loss of focuswhere some individuals may loosen the discipline rope to start going towork late, some after, appointed to another project, may haveconcentration issues. It is the responsibility of the project manager tohelp the team retain its focus in its last activities.

The project sponsor also plays a role in this phase. He is the onewho approves the report for the closeout, as proposed by the PM (Aziz,2015). Without this, the project may consume resources unnecessarily. Healso participates in the meeting to address some of the lessonslearned. For example, it is the sponsor’s work to ensure that the PMdoes not forget to close the contract with the two HTML developers sothat no more money is used to pay them. Lussier and Achua (2016),describe a leader walking the talk and one who embraces the adaptiveculture of active monitoring of the external factors, that is, HTMLdevelopers’ contracts. Usually, it is the sponsor who agrees thatresources ought to be released by signing an official release forresources committed, even the budget monies.

Functional managers, on the other hand, are in charge of staffing andtechnical support in a project (Nicholas & Steyn, 2017). Therefore,releasing the team is like giving them back to their functional managerwho knows them better. He is responsible for their performance reviewduring the lessons learned meeting. In this case, the functional managerwill review the performance of these two HTML developers and will beresponsible for their hiring the next time they are needed.

References

Aziz, E. E. (2015). Project closing: the small process group with bigimpact. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2015—EMEA, London,England. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

De Furia, G.E. (2016). Seven activities of a project closeout. Project Management. Retrieved from https://www.strategyex.co.uk/blog/pmoperspectives/…

Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2016). Leadership: Theory, Application & Skill Development. Australia: Cengage Learning

Nicholas, J. M., & Steyn, H. (2017). Project management for engineering, business and technology. Taylor & Francis.

POST1:

Thankyou Darby for starting our Module 7 Discussion Forum for sharing yourexperience with your post. What happens to contract workers who work in afunctional project management team setting?

Dr. Harrison.

POST2:

Theroles and responsibilities of Functional Managers, the Project Manager,and the Project Sponsor all vary greatly relative to re-integratingproject team member into the organization when the project to which theyhave been assigned on a full-time basis ends. Regardless of the teammember’s role within the organization before, during, or after whilere-integrating, functional managers, project managers, and projectsponsors should all have the same unified goal which aligns with theorganization’s vision, mission, ethical, and cultural goals. Functionalmanagers will have the most important role and responsibility forre-integrating members of the project team, after the close of theproject. The functional managers will be directly overseeing the teammembers once they have re-commenced activities and actions within thefunctional department. They will be a driving factor in there-integrated employee’s performance, attitude, and initiative. TheProject Managers will have the next largest role in which willsignificantly affect the project team member’s re-integration after theproject. During the transition period (from the start of closing theproject through a few weeks back into re-integration), the projectmanager should be there for the team members as an active coach andleader, providing support to the employees re-integrating back into theorganization. Project Sponsor’s roles should be minimal with the directcontact of the re-integrating employees during or after the closeout ofthe project. The sponsor should reiterate the organization’s overallmission, vision, and goals, letting everyone know how they contribute tothem every day.

A specific project relative to the discussion post this week was arecent Lean implementation project on a Fabrication line withinproduction operations in the manufacturing environment in which I work. Aproject team was organized and put together, of which whom performedVSM’s, implemented Pull and Kanban systems, and coached employees on 6S.At the close of the project, the project team had a hard timere-integrating back into their normal roles, as they have takenexceptional pride in working on the project and wanted to continue towork on the Lean improvements. As a functional manager, I coached themon the methodology of continuous improvement and employee ownership. Theproject manager provided coaching as well, and the Project Sponsorprovided macro / organization-level reiteration of the company’s goals.

References

Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2016). Leadership: Theory, Application & Skill Development. Australia: Cengage Learning.

Project Management Institute [PMI]. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ® Guide — 6th ed.). Newton Square, PA: PMI Publications