ACS 303 SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

ACS 303 SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT. DR. JOSHUA OKEMWA COMPUTER SCIENCE DAYSTAR UNIVERSITY.

Project Human Resource Management.

The Importance of Human Resource Management. Many corporate executives have said, “People are our most important asset” People determine the success and failure of organizations and projects.

Implications for the Future of IT Human Resource Management.

What is Project Human Resource Management?. Making the most effective use of the people involved with a project Processes include Planning human resource management: identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships Acquiring the project team: getting the needed personnel assigned to and working on the project Developing the project team: building individual and group skills to enhance project performance Managing the project team: tracking team member performance, motivating team members, providing timely feedback, resolving issues and conflicts, and coordinating changes to help enhance project performance.

Keys to Managing People. Psychologists and management theorists have devoted much research and thought to the field of managing people at work Important areas related to project management include motivation theories influence and power effectiveness.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. Intrinsic motivation causes people to participate in an activity for their own enjoyment Extrinsic motivation causes people to do something for a reward or to avoid a penalty For example, some children take piano lessons for intrinsic motivation (they enjoy it) while others take them for extrinsic motivation (to get a reward or avoid punishment).

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Abraham Maslow argued that humans possess unique qualities that enable them to make independent choices, thus giving them control of their destiny Maslow developed a hierarchy of needs which states that people’s behaviors are guided or motivated by a sequence of needs.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Challenging projects, opportunities for innovation and creativity Acceptance, love, affection, association with a team/group Food, water, etc. 5. Self- Actualization 4. Esteem 3. Social 2. Safety 1. Physiological high Recognition, prestige, status Physical safety, economic security low A satisfied need is no longer a motivator.

Explanation. Physiological needs- These are the basic needs of air, water, food, clothing and shelter. In other words, physiological needs are the needs for basic amenities of life. Safety needs- Safety needs include physical, environmental and emotional safety and protection. For instance- Job security, financial security, protection from animals, family security, health security, etc. Social needs- Social needs include the need for love, affection, care, belongingness, and friendship. Esteem needs- Esteem needs are of two types: internal esteem needs (self- respect, confidence, competence, achievement and freedom) and external esteem needs (recognition, power, status, attention and admiration)..

Cont.. 5. Self-actualization need- This include the urge to become what you are capable of becoming/what you have the potential to become . It includes the need for growth and self-contentment. It also includes desire for gaining more knowledge, social- service, creativity and being aesthetic. The self- actualization needs are never fully satiable. As an individual grows psychologically, opportunities keep cropping up to continue growing. Note: According to Maslow, individuals are motivated by unsatisfied needs. As each of these needs is significantly satisfied, it drives and forces the next need to emerge. Maslow grouped the five needs into two categories - Higher-order needs and Lower-order needs . The physiological and the safety needs constituted the lower-order needs. These lower-order needs are mainly satisfied externally . The social, esteem, and self-actualization needs constituted the higher-order needs. These higher-order needs are generally satisfied internally, i.e., within an individual ..

Developing the Human Resource Plan. Involves identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships Contents include project organizational charts staffing management plan responsibility assignment matrixes resource histograms.

Conflict Handling Modes. Confrontation : Directly face a conflict using a problem-solving approach Compromise : Use a give-and-take approach Smoothing : De-emphasize areas of difference and emphasize areas of agreement Forcing : The win-lose approach Withdrawal : Retreat or withdraw from an actual or potential disagreement Collaborating : Decision makers incorporate different viewpoints and insights to develop consensus and commitment.

Five Dysfunctions of a Team. The five dysfunctions of teams are Absence of trust Fear of conflict Lack of commitment Avoidance of accountability Inattention to results.

General Advice on Teams. Be patient and kind with your team Fix the problem instead of blaming people Establish regular, effective meetings Allow time for teams to go through the basic team-building stages Limit the size of work teams to three to seven members.

General Advice on Teams (cont’d). Plan some social activities to help project team members and other stakeholders get to know each other better Stress team identity Nurture team members and encourage them to help each other Take additional actions to work with virtual team members.