Human Aspects of Project Management - Essay Example

Human aspects of project management Executive Summary: A project is a one time effort that is taken up in response to a need to achieve a particularstrategic organizational objective. But project management can be hindered by the human aspects, if they are not well managed, because human behavior is unpredictable and cannot be reliably predicted. When members of a team implementing a project do not coordinate effectively, it will hinder the progress of the project. The introduction of changes also leaves a project susceptible to the vagaries of human error. It is thus necessary to execute a well planned project that takes into account all the inherent uncertainties of the human elements associated with the projected. Human Aspects in Project Management A project can best be understood as a one time undertaking or endeavor in response to a need. But although a project begins as a response to a need, the manner in which it evolves is not always disciplined, due to its human elements that leave scope for errors to occur (Heerkens, 2003). According to LaBrosse (2007), projects are short term efforts that are undertaken in order to meet the strategic objectives of the organization. But in managing a project effectively, human elements are the most diverse and complex elements that must be managed. There are various human interfaces that may form part of a project, such as the project manager, project team members and stakeholders. (Rao, No date). A project team may comprise members drawn from various cross sections of society, belonging to different ethnic groups and with different temperaments and skill levels. The difficulties in successful implementation of a project may be increased when these different human elements are unable to coordinate together effectively, which in turn can impact negatively upon the progress of the project.(Rao, no date). Heerkens(2003) has set out four ways to measure the degree of success in executing a project (a) meeting project targets in terms of cost, quality and functionality (b) project efficiency or how well the project was managed (c) user utility or the extent to which the project addressed the need that gave rise to the project and (d) whether there was improvement in the organization as a result of the project? He points out that in all of these four aspects, the human elements impact significantly on the degree to which the project is successful. For instance, the achievement of the project targets will depend upon how well the project manager executed what was expected. LaBrosse (2007) points out human elements can impact upon the speed of completion of the project. For instance, through an over-scheduling of people’s time, inefficient business processes or chaotic work environments. Projects may also be delayed, especially in public sector projects, when people change their minds about what they want or when Government leadership cycles change. From the perspective of project efficiency, it is likely that a project will be perceived to be successful only if customers, members of the project team or others were not affected adversely by the project (Heerkens, 2003). The extent to which a project contributes to user utility also demonstrates that it is only when the end user is satisfied with the outcome that the project will be held to be successful. Lastly, organizational learning also focuses on people within the organization and whether they have benefited from it. When there organizational dynamics are poor and people within a project management team do not get along well with each other, guidelines and protocols may need to be redeveloped especially in public sector projects, so that people are able to interact positively with each other and prevent conflict which can hinder the progress of a project.(LaBrosse, 2007).Heerkens(2003) also points out that the human element affects project management most significantly through the inherent difficulties in maintaining discipline while carrying through on the project. It is human tendency to want to solve a problem right away by tackling a problem with the first solution that pops up. But although this appears to be a useful solution in that it appears to help in resolving problems quickly and decisively, it may not necessarily produce good project management, which requires that all aspects of the project are thoroughly evaluated and understood. McRae (1986) suggests that the cost and value of an organization’s personnel must also be included when evaluating the cost of implementing a project. Correctly assessing the costs of human personnel and including the uncertainties and extra costs that could arise due to the unpredictability of the human element, will help to ensure that the project is not ensnared within the environmental uncertainties and human unpredictability. Project management always involves facing up to uncertainties in the environment. Rice et al (2008) have identified three different categories of uncertainties in the environment (a) technical uncertainties (b) market uncertainties (c) organizational uncertainties and (d) resource uncertainties. Technical uncertainties relate to the correctness of the underlying scientific knowledge that is to be applied in a project, such as manufacturing processes and technical specification of a product. Market uncertainties relate to the extent to which the project is able to cater to the uncertainties of customer demands. Customer Relationship management is the most important part of implementation of any project. (ODR White Paper, no date). As Rao (no date) has pointed out, project progress is most often hampered by the introduction of changes after the project has been commenced. A failure to take into account the uncertainties of the human elements in a project, while introducing changes can impact upon the management of the project. When a major change is being implemented, it can either be achieved through the implementation of an ineffective solution or by implementing a solution badly. If a project is to be successful, it must be well chosen and well implemented in order to bring about transformation. Investing in customer resource management and taking pains to incorporate changing customer tastes and preferences can help to contribute to the success of a project. Organizational uncertainties may arise when there is a conflict between the mainstream organization and the unit dealing with management of a specific project, which may involve innovative measures that differ from conventional organizational practices. Resource uncertainties relate to the availability of finances and other requirements that are necessary to successfully complete the project. It may be noted that all of these uncertainties may be affected by the underlying human elements. According to Rice et al (2008), a failure by the people involved in the project to recognize even one of these uncertainties increases the likelihood that the project could be adversely impacted by one of the se project uncertainties. Customer tastes are unpredictable, while the interaction within the organization will involve interaction between people. Successfully applying technical knowledge also requires cooperation from the humans operating those systems while the availability of resources for a project may also be affected by the underlying human elements responsible for procuring those resources. This is the reason why Rice et al (2008) have suggested that a learning plan be implemented during the project planning stage in order to address the various uncertainties that are likely to arise. They have suggested that training programs be organized for managers as well as technical and market specialists. The Learning program must include tests for every assumption that is made under the project, while evaluation must also form an important part of the process, to assess how far learning has been successful. According to Rao (no date) a well thought out project plan can help ensure success of a project, especially if the plan also allows for unexpected changes that may occur. The developments in technology have also changed the way of working, which can impact significantly upon the outcomes in management of organizational projects. But one study found that those in the Human resources department in organizations were indifferent to the potential benefits of IT systems and did not plan to make any changes to their use of HR systems.(Anonymous, 1996). But it is precisely such technology that has brought about a change in the way projects are managed and a failure to appreciate and maximize the role of technology can affect effective project management, because such systems are more subject to the vagaries of human error. The human issues that could arise in a project include expectation issues, behavioral issues, operational issues and personal issues.(Rao, no date). Expectation issues arise when there is a failure to communicate effectively or when communication is hindered. Behavioral issues may arise due to the differences in temperament and ethnicity among people which could lead to conflict. Operational issues could arise when the human elements fail to perform satisfactorily, or when the allocation of work is imbalanced. Personal issues are those issues which individuals may be facing in their own lives, which also spill over into the work arena. In conclusion, it may be noted that human elements impact upon project management, because human behavior is unpredictable and cannot be accurately forecasted or planned for. There is always likely to be diversity in the temperaments and ethnicity of a team that is working together on a project. Such differences can be a source of conflict in some instances and if such behavioral and expectations issues are not well management and planned for, then they can cause turbulence and chaos in project implementation. A chaotic work environment, or an environment where the people working on a project are multi-tasking and overloaded with work, is not likely to aid in fast project completion.(LaBrosse, 2007). References: * Anonymous, 1996. “People management and technology”, International Journal of Physical distribution and Logistics Management, 26(7): 6-9 * Heerkens, Gary R, 2003. “The human aspects of project management”, Tata McGraw-Hill * LaBrosse, Michelle, 2007. “Project management: best practices for the public sector”, Public Manager, 36(2):25-28 * McRae, Thomas W, 1986. “Human resource Accounting as a management tool”, Journal of Accountancy, 138: 32-39 * ODR White Paper, No date. “Managing the human aspects of CRM projects: installation v Realization”, http://www.masieweb.com/dmdocuments/Managing_Human_Aspects_of_CRM.pdf; August 25, 2008 * Rao, Ranganath Rao, Venkat, No Date. “Human Issues in Project Management”, http://www.qaiindia.com/Conferences/presentations/venkat-ranga_baan.pdf; August 25, 2008 * Rice, Mark P, Colarelli O’Connor, Gina and Pierantozzi, Ronald, 2008. “Implementing a Learning project to counter Project uncertainty”, Sloan Management Review, 49(2): 53-65 http://www.masieweb.com/dmdocuments/Managing_Human_Aspects_of_CRM.pdf Read More