Virtual Team Concepts in Projects - Essay Example

? Virtual Team Concepts in Projects: A Case Study al Affiliation Virtual Team Concepts in Projects: A Case Study Summary of What the New South Wales Police Force Did with the Use of Virtual Teams The project named Country Capital Works Program (CCWP) was reportedly a three-year police communications project located in the New South Wales (NSW) in Australia. The use of virtual team was deemed necessary in view of the distance by which coordination and implementation of the ongoing radio communications system need to be undertaken. A colocated project team was reported to be located in Sydney which was tasked to monitor and govern effective liaison with the different members of the project. As disclosed, the whole project cost AUD $20.5 million. Likewise, the total members in the CCWP were noted to be 45, where all team members were revealed to be full-time employees of the New South Wales Police (NSWP). There was a project manager assigned to oversee and performance of the virtual team and was said to be instrumental to its success. The performance and operation of each team was gauged in terms of managing the following areas: time (or conformity to schedules), cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, and procurement through specifically identified goals and the ability, competency and efficiency within which challenges and problems were addressed, as well as objectives were successfully attained. Analysis of the Functions undertaken in each Functional Area of Project Management 1. Time Management: Time management concerns started with prescribed schedules and setting of milestones which were explicitly noted to be difficult within the virtual team environment. As revealed, “this was complicated by the large number of subprojects (more than 230) and certain engineering constraints, which required some subprojects to be completed within certain critical time periods” (Kuruppuarachchi, 2009, p. 28). Resolution of problems included monitoring of conformity to milestones set, and facilitating completion to prescribed schedules with the assistance of local government agencies. 2. Cost Management: Like time management, cost management relied on pre-defined budget allocations to ensure the project team operates within the prescribed monetary resources. The standards for monitoring and performance evaluation were the milestones set, including cash flow statements. As revealed, “the budget was monitored against time using simple means such as Excel worksheets and graphs showing cumulative values” (Kuruppuarachchi, 2009, p. 28) for the reason that all team members were noted to be familiar with this particular format. 3. Quality Management: This function was considered most challenging to monitor and gauge the actual quality outcome due to the remote locations of the team members. As such, standards to measure quality were based on more traditional and acceptable level by allowing the respective centers to adhere to quality standards and without the need for inspection from the central office. 4. Human Resource Management: There was a virtual team presented where the Project Manager from Sydney headed the project and governs the responsibilities of five center managers. As disclosed, since team members had been familiar with the organizational structure, policies, and roles, similar chain of command was therefore applied. 5. Communication Management: This functional area met most challenges in terms of the need to establish proper protocols for reporting on a center basis, as well as on the overall progress of the project. As such, there were clearly identified problems attributed as common to virtual teams, and those that were limited to them. Through the identification of these problems, proper strategies were proposed to resolve and iron out communication patterns, as required for the successful implementation of the project. 6. Risk Management: An overall risk management plan was reported to have been developed prior to the project; which became the conceptual basis for identifying and addressing risks. As noted, similar challenges in terms of quality management were encountered due to the failure to identify risks effectively from the perspectives of the respective teams. 7. Procurement Management: Objectives and guidelines were revealed to be properly designed at the onset. Eventual revisions, monitoring, and updating were required based on inputs provided on a per county team basis and to be eventually integrated as a procurement plan for the whole project. Advantages and Disadvantages Provided with the use of the Virtual Team The advantages with the use of virtual teams were noted to include the following: (1) cost minimization and financial gains due to reduction in travel time and improved productivity; (2) greater flexibility in working hours; (3) availability and accessibility to qualified and competent personnel regardless of geographic location; (4) immediate access to crucial information from different county centers to be immediately relayed to the project manager; (5) increased ability to complete project phases within schedule due to functional and technical expertise within their specialized areas; and (6) ability to tap external local resources and support systems that are instrumental in the completion of the project. On the other hand, there were evident disadvantages, to wit: (1) challenges in terms of communication, where lack of face-to-face communication, lack of contacts, lack of emotional response, as well as technology constraints were noted to have impacted on the trust and congenial interpersonal relationship among team members; (2) challenges in terms of leadership, particularly in monitoring performance, applying motivational strategies, provision of coaching and mentoring, as needed; (3) addressing quality and risk management on a per team member basis; and (4) implementing more effective means for performance evaluation of team members, as well as the progress of the project, itself. Comparative Analysis Virtual Teams versus Colocated Teams Virtual teams could be compared to collocated teams in terms of general facets such as communication, as well as team structures and leadership. Virtual teams differ from colocated teams in access to face-to-face communication; where virtual teams rely predominantly on electronic modes of communication. As such, there are challenges in terms of developing trusting relationship under virtual teams as compared to colocated teams; and the lack of interpersonal interaction could pose potentials for problems being left unattended. In the area of team structures and leadership, virtual teams are more difficult to manage due to unfamiliarity of the manager or leader to motivate, supervise and monitor each members’ performance; as well as the disparities in location which could impact on differences in drives and motivational needs. As such, virtual teams are more challenging to lead, manage and supervise, when compared to colocated teams. Explanation of the Lessons Learned from this Case Study The lessons learned from the case study focused more on addressing communication, as well as leadership patterns for virtual teams. There were suggested undertakings that aim to address communication problems, like setting opportunities for face-to-face meetings, provision of regular feedback, and using multiple channels of communication to attend to any identified weaknesses in the process. On the issue of leadership, the case study proposed measures that include setting clear operational guidelines, policies, protocols, and processes at the onset; selecting members that possess qualities for self-management; selecting leaders with skills that could appropriately address the needs of virtual team members; and ensuring that proper mechanisms are designed and set for regular monitoring and feedback, as needed. Reference Kuruppuarachchi, P. (2009, June). Virtual Team Concepts in Projects: A Case Study. Retrieved from Project Management Journal: https://angel.grantham.edu/AngelUploads/Content/BA50020130909155/_assoc/1491E799BD184F0C934D609DA7078594/ContentServer.pdf Read More