what level of Authority a project manager should has to manage his/her project successfully in a weak project matrix organization structure.
Can a project manager make decision in the product like the look and feel of it assuming there is no acceptance criteria for the look and feel ? Saving Changes...
"Can a project manager make decision in the product like the look and feel of it assuming there is no acceptance criteria for the look and feel ?"
As a general rule PMs can't make such decisions no matter their level of authority.
If it is a project that delivers a product or service to be used by a particular organization then the users make such decisions working with different kind of analysts, for instance business analysts.
If is a product to be sold then you will have different kind of product experts that make such decisions such as product managers.
"what level of Authority a project manager should has to manage his/her project successfully in a weak project matrix organization structure."
Many companies don't expect the project managers to have any level of authority, they expect them to act more like facilitators being able to get the stakeholders to work well together. Also many employers expect their PMs to keep track of the work, manage the scope and monitor the budget.
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1 reply by DINA MUHAMAD
Oct 19, 2019 1:45 AM
DINA MUHAMAD
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Agreed.
By the way the project is an internet . I am not an external vendor.
So I thought because no one cared about the design, only functionality . Also because of the home work I did about Intranet ,I should highlight again as an end user the short coming of the look and feel ,and that came purely for the best of the result.
I totally agree with your post if I was an external vendor.But also as @nguyen highlighted it looks like my manager is the customer(buisness owner) in this project so I am better off to give up my feeling and focus on his needs.
Saving Changes...
Khai Ng.IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUPHanoi, Viet Nam
Oct 18, 2019 12:13 AM
Replying to DINA MUHAMAD
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Hi George,
Yeah I have created the project charter.
It is an Intranet project and
Again as a project manager and what I have seen from all the home work I did is that the look and feel of an Intranet is one of it's main success factors.i also am an end user of the Intranet and didn't like what I saw.
The developers didn't seem to care and my manager told them we need to launch ASAP before even asking how much it takes to enhance the design and ask me what's the deadlne
So it feels like I am helpless and don't have a say because the developers always respond to my manager requests rather than mine as a project manager
@Dina
I think, in your project, your manager is also one of key stakeholders and you should listen to his or her voice. For "there is no acceptance criteria for the look and feel" then you should analyze requirements or interview your manager to get "acceptance criteria" ASAP. Remember that in all cases, with what level of authority, you should not give decision just by what you think it is right, in this case as you said is "i also am an end user of the Intranet and didn't like what I saw", without supported data; you are an end user but you are just "Interest" in the result and you do not have "Power" to give decision. If your stakeholder, in this case is your manager, has "Power" and also "Interest" in the result, then give up your own feeling and just focus on his or her needs. Saving Changes...
"Can a project manager make decision in the product like the look and feel of it assuming there is no acceptance criteria for the look and feel ?"
As a general rule PMs can't make such decisions no matter their level of authority.
If it is a project that delivers a product or service to be used by a particular organization then the users make such decisions working with different kind of analysts, for instance business analysts.
If is a product to be sold then you will have different kind of product experts that make such decisions such as product managers.
"what level of Authority a project manager should has to manage his/her project successfully in a weak project matrix organization structure."
Many companies don't expect the project managers to have any level of authority, they expect them to act more like facilitators being able to get the stakeholders to work well together. Also many employers expect their PMs to keep track of the work, manage the scope and monitor the budget.
Agreed.
By the way the project is an internet . I am not an external vendor.
So I thought because no one cared about the design, only functionality . Also because of the home work I did about Intranet ,I should highlight again as an end user the short coming of the look and feel ,and that came purely for the best of the result.
I totally agree with your post if I was an external vendor.But also as @nguyen highlighted it looks like my manager is the customer(buisness owner) in this project so I am better off to give up my feeling and focus on his needs.
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1 reply by Adrian Carlogea
Oct 19, 2019 6:59 PM
Adrian Carlogea
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The way I see things this has nothing to do with the project manager's authority but is more about the amount of authority your manager is willing to delegate to you.
I assume your manager is the project sponsor and he is not willing to delegate the decision making power regarding the project requirements to you. He wants to make the decisions by himself and that's why he deals with the developers directly.
Normally Project Managers don't make decisions regarding the requirements of the project. It is not the role of the PM to decide what the project would deliver. The role of the PM is to work with relevant stakeholders in order to deliver what was requested.
The particularity of your case is that you are also a user of the product and you think that since you are the PM you can influence the requirements. As a PM you don't have such a decision making power unless the sponsor delegates it to you.
Even if the project is internal as a PM you still have customer even if that customer is your own organization or even functional department.
Saving Changes...
Mikel SteadmanPMO Leader| Development Dimensions InternationalTroy, Nh, United States
Dina,
Influence and sponsorship. It's important in a weak matrix to get everyone educated and aligned on the priorities. Being a true business partner with the functional leaders is critical before and after each project. The sponsor and sponsor delegates should help with this alignment as well. If it's important to the department or organization's strategy, then it needs to be important to the functional leaders whom have authority of the resources.
One way I've seen this be successful is to map annual goals of the project into the functional areas of the business.
FWIW: I would be weary as a PM to make requirements or design decisions without the alignment of the functional resources, leaders, and SteerCo. Saving Changes...
By the way the project is an internet . I am not an external vendor.
So I thought because no one cared about the design, only functionality . Also because of the home work I did about Intranet ,I should highlight again as an end user the short coming of the look and feel ,and that came purely for the best of the result.
I totally agree with your post if I was an external vendor.But also as @nguyen highlighted it looks like my manager is the customer(buisness owner) in this project so I am better off to give up my feeling and focus on his needs.
The way I see things this has nothing to do with the project manager's authority but is more about the amount of authority your manager is willing to delegate to you.
I assume your manager is the project sponsor and he is not willing to delegate the decision making power regarding the project requirements to you. He wants to make the decisions by himself and that's why he deals with the developers directly.
Normally Project Managers don't make decisions regarding the requirements of the project. It is not the role of the PM to decide what the project would deliver. The role of the PM is to work with relevant stakeholders in order to deliver what was requested.
The particularity of your case is that you are also a user of the product and you think that since you are the PM you can influence the requirements. As a PM you don't have such a decision making power unless the sponsor delegates it to you.
Even if the project is internal as a PM you still have customer even if that customer is your own organization or even functional department. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Dina
Generally, the PM does not get involved in the specification but I've been where you are many times. What sort of roles do you have on your project team? Do you have an analyst/s? Who is responsible for the specifications? Hopefully, the answer is not anybody or nobody :)
But I would sit down with the person/team and raise my concerns regarding the look and feel. But if there is nobody responsible then I would take ownership, something I've done before. Irrespective of your approach make sure that specifications are properly documented and agreed/approved.
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1 reply by DINA MUHAMAD
Oct 22, 2019 12:59 AM
DINA MUHAMAD
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Thanks Anton.
That's what I was thinking when i took the initiative in the look and feel requirement . The business analyst role is not assigned to any team member . The project could be successful from the point of view that it met all the rquirements listed but what if we have overlooked some of the key requirments because no body in the project team has highlighted it and there is no owner for this . Anyways i am trying to allocate this responsibility and bring in a new team member for this role.
Generally, the PM does not get involved in the specification but I've been where you are many times. What sort of roles do you have on your project team? Do you have an analyst/s? Who is responsible for the specifications? Hopefully, the answer is not anybody or nobody :)
But I would sit down with the person/team and raise my concerns regarding the look and feel. But if there is nobody responsible then I would take ownership, something I've done before. Irrespective of your approach make sure that specifications are properly documented and agreed/approved.
Thanks Anton.
That's what I was thinking when i took the initiative in the look and feel requirement . The business analyst role is not assigned to any team member . The project could be successful from the point of view that it met all the rquirements listed but what if we have overlooked some of the key requirments because no body in the project team has highlighted it and there is no owner for this . Anyways i am trying to allocate this responsibility and bring in a new team member for this role. Saving Changes...
