3/18/2024

TOPIC 12
CONSTRUCTION AND
ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACHES

Prepared by:
Dr. Khaled Khodary, Dr. Wael Alattyih, Dr. Emad Elbeltagi

CONTENTS

1. THE PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

2. TYPES OF PROJECT ORGANIZATIONS
STRUCTURES
3. MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE
4. KEY RESPONSIBILITY IN ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
5. TOWARDS A PROJECT ROLE TAXONOMY

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PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE: Definitions

• Definitions:
• The typically hierarchical arrangement of lines of authority,
communications, rights and duties of an organization.
• Organizational structure determines how the roles, power and
responsibilities are assigned, controlled, and coordinated
• Also, how
information
flows
between the
different
levels.

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PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE: Definitions

Terms:
• Hierarchy: the level of responsibility within on organisation (shown in
vertical layers).
• Chain of Command: the channel through which decisions are passed
down between the different levels in the organisation.
• Span of Control: Refers to a person who is directly responsible for
another. (Example: Supervisor A is responsible for 5 sales staff.
• Group: A set of people who are assigned to a common task and who
work individually to accomplish their assignment.
• Team: A group of people working on the same task in a project (with the
same goal). They depend on one another to do their tasks.
• Project Team: Based on the premise that every member can and must
make a valuable contribution to the project.
• Committee: Comprised of people who come together to review and
critique issues, propose recommendations for action.
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PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE: Definitions

• A project Organization:
• is a structure to facilitate the coordination and implementation of
project activities.
• It is a set of organizational units and their relationships with each
other.
• designated to foster interactions among the team members with
a minimum disruptions, overlaps and conflict.
• one of the important decisions of project management is the
form of organizational structure that will be used for the project.
• the design of an organizational structure should consider its
unique characteristics of the project(organizational environment,
the project characteristics in which it will operate, and the level of
authority the project manager is given).
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PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE: Why?

• Why Project Organization Structure?
• To reduce uncertainty and confusion that typically occurs at the
project initiation phase.
• To define the relationships among members of the project
management and the relationships with the external environment.
• An organization usually has 3 different types of relationships
between organizational units.
• Reporting structure: To report status information
• Decision structure: To propagating decisions
• Communication structure: To exchange of information
• To define the authority and responsibilities by means of a graphical
illustration called an organization chart.

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PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE: Organization Chart

• Organization Chart:
• shows where each person is placed in the project structure.
• It is drawn in hierarchical form where individuals located closer to the top
of the hierarchy have more authority and responsibility than those located
toward the bottom.
• the relative locations of
the individuals on the
chart specifies the working
relationships, and the lines
connecting the boxes
designate formal
supervision and lines of
communication between
the individuals.

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PROJECT ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE: Structure Design

• Concerns Arise When Designing a Structure:
• Specialization affects the project structure by the degree of specialty
in technical areas or development focus:
• projects can be highly specialized and focus on a specific area of
development or
• have different broad specializations in many areas of
development.
• Delegation of authority- the process of assigning various degrees
of decision-making authority to subordinate.
• Departmentation: the grouping of related jobs, activities, or processes
into major organizational subunits.
• Span of control: the number of people who report directly to a given
manager.
• Coordination: the linking of activities in the organization that serves to
achieve a common goal or objective.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES

• An organization structure could be simply defined as how to tie
the project to the parent firm?

• There are three main forms of organizational structures:

• Functional or Departmental Organization Structure.

• Project Organization Structure.

• Matrix Organization Structure (this type has different forms).

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Function

• Functional organizational structure using the current organization
hierarchical structure, the various components of the project are taken by
the functional units, each unit is responsible for its charged component.
• Utilizes the firm’s normal functional channels with each manager
responsible for a segment of the project.
• If the project established,
a functional area play a
dominant role, functional
areas on completion of
the project, senior
department managers
will be responsible for
project coordination.
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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Function

• In such organizational, employees are grouped together according to
their similar tasks, skills or activities.
• Functional structures are suitable for SMEs with high level of
specialization.

• The decision
making is
centralized at the
top of the
organization or
top of each
department.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Function

• Examples:

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Function

• Advantages:
• Project is completed within the basis functional structure of the parent
organization.
• The decision making is centralized, providing a unified direction from
the top.
• Communication and coordination among employees within each
department are excellent.
• The organization is provided with in depth skill specialization and
development.
• Employees are provided with career progress within functional
departments.
• The structure promotes high quality technical problem solving.
• When the project team members leave, the functions can be used as
the basis for maintaining the continuity of the project.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Function

• Disadvantages:
• Decisions normally favor the strongest functional groups.
• No one individual is directly responsible for the total project.
• There is difficulty in pinpointing responsibility, very little project-
oriented planning and no clear project authority.
• A project may be delayed if a functional manager is busy with other
projects. Also, Response to customer needs is slow.
• Projects often lack focus, each unit has its own core functions of
general business, sometimes in order to meet their basic needs,
responsibility for the project will be ignored.
• Such organization has certain difficulties in the inter-departmental
cooperation, communication and coordination.
• Motivation is not strong enough for project participants, they think the
project is an additional burden, and not directly related to their career
development and upgrading.
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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Project-Based

• Team of experts from relevant functional areas and assigned to
every project manager.
• This structure refers to the creation of an independent project
team,
• The team’s management is separated from the parent
organization’s other units, have their own technical staff and
management.
• Enterprise assigns certain
resources to project team,
and grant project manager of
the authority of
implementing the project.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Project-Based

• It is a project-focused organization.
• The project manager has complete control, all team members
report directly to the project manager.

• Sometimes, these team

members are permanent and
sometimes they are hired as
temporary workers with a given
project.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Project-Based

• Examples:

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Project-Based

• Advantages:
• Structure is more responsive to the needs of a project.
• It provides complete line authority over the project.
• Strong communications channels.
• Personnel are loyal to the project.
• Project manager is solely responsible for the project, the only task for
project members is to complete the project, and they only report to
the project manager, avoiding the multiple leadership;
• The project team’s decision is developed within the project, the
reaction time is short;
• Members work with strong power, high cohesion, they share the
common goal of the project, and have clear responsibilities.
• Upper-level management maintains more free time for executive
decision making.
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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Project-Based

• Disadvantages:
• When a company has several projects, each project has its own
separate team, thus lead to inefficient usage of resources (duplication
of effort, facilities and personnel). Requires a lot of owner resources.
• The project team is an independent entity, prone to a condition known
as “Project inflammatory” disease, that is, there is a clear dividing line
between the project team and the parent organization, weakening the
effective integration between the team and the parent organization;
• Team members lack business continuity and security, once the project
ended, return to their original functions may be more difficult.
• Tendency to retain personnel on a project long after they are needed.
• Technology suffers because of no strong functional groups.
• Lack of opportunities for technical interchange among projects.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Matrix Structure

• Matrix Organization is a
trade-off between the two
structures. It is a hybrid
form of project structure
on the functional
hierarchical structure.

• This structure combines both the functional and project structures. Each
team member has two bosses, they report to both the functional and
project managers.
• Good communication is essential for success.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Matrix Structure

• According to the relative
power of project
managers and functional
managers, in practice
there are different types
of matrix organizations:
• Functional (Weak) Matrix: in this matrix, functional managers have greater
powers than project managers;
• Project (Strong) Matrix: in this matrix, project managers have greater
powers than functional managers;
• Balanced Matrix: in this matrix, functional managers and project managers
have the equal powers.
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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Matrix Structure

• Advantages:
• The project manager has the authority to commit company resources.
• A strong technical base can be developed.
• Like functional structure, resources can be shared in multiple projects,
which can significantly reduce the problem of redundant staff;
• The project Manager maintains maximum project control and
responsible for the coordination and integration between different
units.
• When there are multiple projects simultaneously, the company can
balance the resources to ensure that all the projects can progress to
complete their requirements;
• The worry of project members is reduced after the end of the project,
as they are strongly associated with the project, Each person has a
"home" after project completion.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: Matrix Structure

• Disadvantages:
• Multidimensional information / workflow.
• Double reporting.
• Potential for continuous conflict and conflict resolution, tensions
between functional manager and project manager.
• Management goals differ from project goals.
• Under any circumstances, sharing equipment, resources and personnel
among different projects will lead to conflict and competition for
scarce resources;
• The project manager needs to negotiate and consult with the
department managers on various issues, which leads to the delay in
decision making;
• project members have two bosses, the project manager and functional
managers, when their commands are divided, it will make members at
a loss.
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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: A Comparison

• Comparison Among Different Organizational Structures.

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TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES: When to Use?

• Functional Organization:
• Used with projects have high degree of certainty, stability, and repetition.
• Requires little communication; Role definitions are clear
• When?
• The more people on the project, the more need for a formal structure
• Customer might insist that test team be independent from design team
• Project manager insists on a previously successful structure
• Project or Matrix Organization:
• Projects with degree of uncertainty.
• Open communication needed among members; Roles are defined on project
basis
• When?
• Requirements change during development
• New technology develops during project
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MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE

• Role Mapping is the process of defining and aligning job roles
within an organization to its goals, strategies, and competencies.
• Each position in the organization should have a corresponding
position description outlining roles, responsibilities, and key
tasks.
• This ensures everyone understands their function and
contribution to the overall goals.
• Mapping assists in defining the roles and responsibilities of each
position in the organization.
• Organizational mapping can extend to include the allocation of
technology and other resources. This aids in resource planning
and ensures that teams have the necessary tools to fulfill their
roles.

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MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE: Key Concepts

• Authority:
• The power granted to individuals ao that they are able to make binding
decisions.
• Responsibility:
• The commitment or obligation incurred by individuals in their roles in the
organization in order to perform assignemen ts to achieve specific results.
• Accountability: (accountability = authority + responsibility)
• Is the state of being answerable for the satisfactory completion of a specific
assignment (Tracking a task performance to a participant).
• Delegation: (To Be a Great Leader, You Have to Learn How to Delegate Well)
• Binding an authority assigned to one person to another person.
• It is the act of redirecting tasks and initiatives to other team members.
• You may delegate work to distribute responsibility, or because the
task is more relevant to another team member’s priorities, skills, or
interests.
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MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE: Authority vs. Responsibility

Authority Responsibility
is the power or right to give is the state or fact of having a
Definitions orders, make decisions, and duty to deal with something, or
enforce obedience. of having control over someone.
Basically It is power. It is a duty.
Main orders and commands play a duties and obedience play a vital
functions vital role. role.
Time It stays for a longer period as completed with the completion
duration compared to responsibility. of the task (shorter period).
Direction flows downwards. flows upwards.
Delegation can be delegated to others. cannot be delegated.
The right of a manager to The obligation of a subordinate to
Example
command his subordinates. complete task.

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MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE: Responsibility vs. Accountability

• Responsibility relates to the completion of a task, whereas
accountability relates to the subsequent examination of its success.
• A person can be both responsible and accountable, or only responsible
or accountable.
• Accountability is reserved for managers, team leaders. They are held
responsible for the consequences of the work they're in charge of.
• Responsibility may be bestowed, but accountability must be taken.
• Only one accountable person can be assigned to an action. But
responsibility can be shared.
• Accountable person is the individual who is ultimately answerable for
the activity or decision.
• Responsible person is the individual(s) who actually responsible for
action/implementation.

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MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE: Delegation

• Delegation: Rebinding an authority assigned to one participant
(including yourself) to another project participant.
• Reasons for delegation:
• Time Management: To free yourself up to do other tasks
• Expertise: To have the most qualified person make decisions
• Training: To develop another person’s ability to handle
additional authority .
• Authority can be delegated. Responsibility can be shared but
cannot be delegated.
• Accountability can neither be shared or delegated. One has to
answer for their work.

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MAPPING ROLES TO PEOPLE: Relationships between Roles

• Organizations can have many different types of associations
between roles.
• The three most important associations for project organizations
are: Reporting, decision making and communicating
• Reporting association:
• Used for reporting status information
• Decision association
• Used for propagating decisions
• Communication association
• Used for exchanging information needed for decisions (e.g.,
requirements, design models, issues).
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES IN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

• Project Manager: The person ultimately responsible for the

successful completion of the project
• Project Team Members: Participants who are responsible for
performing individual activities and tasks (in a project or matrix
organization)
• Functional Manager: The team member‘s supervisor in the
department (in a functional organization)
• Upper management: People in charge of the departments or
projects

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Project Manager

• Determine objectives, schedule and resource budgets
• Prepare the project management plan (PMP)
• Create and sustain focused and motivated teams
• Determine the team‘s work procedures, reporting systems and
communication infrastructure.
• Accomplish project objective within time and budget
• Monitor performance against the plan
• Resolve technical conflicts and interpersonal conflicts
• Control changes in the project
• Report on project activities to upper management
• Keep the client informed and committed
• Contribute to the team members performance approval
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Team Members

• Technical responsibilities:
• Perform assigned tasks within time and budget
• Acquire technical skills and knowledge needed to perform
the work
• Memebrs responsibilities:
• Identify situations and problems that might affect other
team members‘s tasks
• Keep other team members informed of progress and
problems encountered
• Some Team Member Roles:
• Team leader
• Planner
• Document Editor
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Team Members

• Responsibilities of the Team Leader:
• Receive the tasks and responsibilities assigned for the team from
the project manager.
• Assign tasks to team members
• Follow up and review weekly team progress and take actions
• Reporting to the project manager regarding the team status
• Insist that project guidelines are followed
• Listen to gripes from individual team members and resolve
conflicts
• Attend and prepare for the meetings with project manager
• Primary facilitator for his team meetings: Run the team meetings
and post the agenda before the meetings

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Team Members

• Responsibilities of the Planner:
• Plans the activities of an individual team.
• Define project plan for team.
• Make project plan available to management.
• Report team project status to team leader.
• No explicit planner in many teams. Responsibility usually assumed
by team leaders or project manager.
• Responsibilities of the Document Editor:
• Collect, proofread and distribute team documentation.
• Collect agendas of meetings
• Take minutes at meetings

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TOWARDS A PROJECT ROLE TAXONOMY

Promoter roles

Consultant roles

Cross functional roles

Development roles

Management roles

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TOWARDS A PROJECT ROLE TAXONOMY

• Management Roles:
• Organization and execution of the project within constraints.
Examples: project manager, team leader.
• Development Roles:
• Specification, design and construction of subsystems. Examples:
Analyst, software architect, programmer.
• Cross Functional Roles:
• Execute project functions. Example: application programming
interface (API) Liaison, configuration manager
• Consultant Roles:
• Supports in areas where the project participants lack expertise.
Examples: End user/client, application domain specialist (problem
domain), technical consultant (solution domain).
• Promoter Roles:
• Deals with change in the organization, application/solution domain
or process.
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TOWARDS A PROJECT ROLE TAXONOMY: Promoter Roles

• A project promoter is a person or a group of people who are
responsible for the success of a project.
• They provide guidance, resources, and support to the project
manager and team.
• They also align the project with the business goals, strategy, and
objectives
• They are member of the corporate organization and may not
necessarily be directly involved with the project.
• Because of their power, knowledge of technology, or familiarity
with the project’s processes, they are able to promote and push
specific changes through an existing organization which are
needed to make the project a success.
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TOWARDS A PROJECT ROLE TAXONOMY: Promoter Roles

• A Project Promoter:
• has a long-term perspective and focuses on the big picture.
• is a generalist who can work with different types of projects
and teams.
• is a leader who inspires, motivates, and guides the project
teams and stakeholders.
• is a strategist who decides what projects to pursue and how to
align them with the business goals.
• is a risk-taker who embraces change, creativity, and
innovation.

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