All You Need to Know to Manage the People Side of Projects for Maximum Value
The first PM guide 100% focused on effective HR, communications, and stakeholder management
Helps you integrate all the “people” functions that must work together for projects to succeed Shows how to identify, connect, and address the needs of everyone with a role or stake in your project For all project managers, at all levels of experience, in any organization Master all the modern project, program, and portfolio organization techniques you need, in one focused tutorial!
Expert project manager and PM instructor Harjit Singh guides you through every phase of project communications and HR management, from initiation and planning through development, management, and control. You’ll learn how to identify key stakeholders…plan communications…build, develop, and manage teams that communicate and work together well…keep stakeholders engaged and participants moving forward throughout your entire project.
Unlike other books, which address these issues only in passing, this book drills down to offer real-world concepts, in-the-trenches insights, actual case studies, and proven applications. Whether you’re an experienced PM or a newcomer, you’ll learn how to gain and maintain buy-in—and recruit, organize, and manage your team to success
People make or break your projects: the people on your project team, and the stakeholders you serve. You can’t manage projects well unless you understand the people issues, and know how to address them at every project stage, from initiation through control. Today, that means understanding the best ways to identify stakeholders, build and run cohesive teams, and promote engagement in multiple forms and venues.
In this unique book, Harjit Singh draws on his extensive experience as a project manager and PM instructor to fully illuminate these issues. Singh shows how to carefully plan for—and systematically address—every communications and stakeholder management challenge you’re likely to face.
Through all project management stages within the PMBOK® framework, Singh fully explains the importance, implications, and scope of each key project HR issue. He defines specific mechanisms and proven process flows for addressing each issue, and provides tools, tips, and measurement criteria for improving performance.
- Identify all your stakeholders—and what it will take to satisfy them
- Recruit, develop, manage, and lead cohesive teams capable of meeting your project goals
- Plan communication to serve people with widely diverse backgrounds, locations, needs, and expectations
- Communicate the right information to the right audience at the right time, in the right format, through the right channels
- Define plans and strategies to keep stakeholders appropriately engaged
- Strengthen team performance by improving members’ competencies, interactions, and motivation
- Assess ongoing communication and engagement, and overcome emerging problems
Introduction 1
Section I Initiating Stage 5
Chapter 1 Stakeholder Identification and Analysis 7
Learning Objectives 7
What Is a Stakeholder? 8
Types of Stakeholders 8
Policy-Level Stakeholders 8
Implementation-Level Stakeholders 9
Stakeholder Identification and Analysis 9
Purpose 10
Scope 11
Timing 12
Mechanism 12
Summary 28
Key Terms 28
Case Study: From Shopping Mall Project to an Outlet Mall Project–A Case Study for a Stakeholder Analysis 28
Background 29
Why Did the Original Project Fail? 29
New Approach 30
Conclusion 30
Case Study Questions 35
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 36
Reference Notes 36
Section II Planning Stage 39
Chapter 2 Planning Human Resource Management 41
Learning Objectives 41
Purpose 42
Scope 42
Timing 43
Mechanism 43
How to Plan Project Human Resource Management 43
Understand the Project Framework and Approach 44
Determine the Resources Required to Complete the Project Work 45
Understand the Project Environment 45
Consult the Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 48
Consult Subject Matter Experts 49
Understand Organizational Behavior 50
Determine the Format for Documenting Project Roles and Responsibilities 51
Develop the Human Resource Management Plan 55
Summary 58
Key Terms 58
Case Study: A Case of Failed Human Resource Management Planning 59
What Led to the Roadblock? 60
Conclusion 60
Case Study Questions 61
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 61
Reference Notes 62
Chapter 3 Planning Communications Management 63
Learning Objectives 63
Purpose 64
Scope 65
Timing 65
Mechanism 65
How to Plan Project Communications Management 66
Review the Project Management Plan 67
Obtain Stakeholder Information from the Stakeholder Register 67
Understand the Project Environment 68
Review the Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 68
Utilize Appropriate Project Communication Methods and Tools 69
Develop a Communications Management Plan 74
Update the Current Project Documents 74
Summary 75
Key Terms 76
Case Study: An Effective Communications Management Plan Devised to Save People from the Clutches of Cancer 76
Communications Management Plan 76
Tailoring the Message 77
Using the Right Communications Channels 78
Case Conclusion 79
Case Questions 79
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 80
Reference Notes 80
Chapter 4 Planning Stakeholder Management 83
Learning Objectives 83
Purpose 84
Scope 84
Timing 85
Mechanism 85
How to Plan for Stakeholder Management 85
Understand Project Framework and Approach 86
Obtain Stakeholder Information 87
Understand the Project Environment 87
Consult Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 87
Consult Subject Matter Experts 88
Perform Stakeholder Engagement Analysis 89
Synthesize Stakeholder Management Planning Information 90
Stakeholder Engagement Strategy 91
Stakeholder Management Plan 93
Summary 94
Key Terms 95
Case Study: First City Bank Implements an ERP System 95
Case Questions 97
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 97
Reference Notes 98
Section III Developing and Managing (Executing) Stage 99
Chapter 5 Acquiring Project Human Resources 101
Learning Objectives 101
Purpose 102
Scope 102
Factors Influencing the Scope of the Project Human Resource Acquisition 102
Timing 104
Mechanism 104
How to Acquire Project Human Resources 104
Summary 113
Key Terms 113
Case Study: An Unusual Challenge–Immediate Staffing for a Government Project 114
Challenge 114
Action 115
Conclusion 116
Case Study Questions 116
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 116
Reference Notes 117
Chapter 6 Developing Project Human Resources 119
Learning Objectives 119
Purpose 120
Scope 121
Timing 121
Mechanism 122
How to Develop Project Human Resources 122
Review Project Staff Assignments 122
Review Human Resource Management Plan 123
Determine Resource Availability 124
Utilize Project Human Resource Management Tools 124
Coaching and Training 126
Team-Building Activities 127
Tips for Effective Team Building 129
Kickoff Meetings 130
Ground Rules 130
Co-Location 132
Recognition and Rewards 133
Human Resource (Team Member) Assessments 134
Conduct Team Performance Assessments 135
Update Project Environment Information 135
Check Point: Measuring the Success of Team Development Efforts 136
Summary 138
Key Terms 138
Case Study: A Focus on Competency Development and Training Doubles the Success Rate of New Initiatives 139
Company 139
Challenge 139
Solution 139
Results 140
Case Study Questions 141
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 141
References Notes 142
Chapter 7 Managing Project Human Resources 143
Learning Objectives 143
Purpose 144
Scope 145
Timing 146
Mechanism 146
Basic Control Process 146
Baseline, Planned, or Reference Input 147
Actual Input 148
Control Process 148
Feedback 148
How to Manage Project Human Resources 149
Review Project Staff Assignments 150
Review Human Resource Management Plan 150
Monitor and Control Team Performance 151
Baseline, Planned, or Reference Input (Wanted Team Performance) 151
Actual Input (Assessed Team Performance) 151
Determine Team Performance Variance 152
Feedback 152
Review Project Work Performance Status Reports 154
Utilize Project Human Resource Management Tools 155
Interpersonal Skills 155
Project Performance Evaluations 158
Team Conflict Management 159
Manage Issues 160
Manage Change Requests 160
Update Project Management Plan 161
Update Project Current, Operational, or Living Documents 161
Update Project Environment Information 162
Update Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 162
Summary 163
Key Terms 164
Case Study: Omega Machine 164
Challenge 165
Solution 167
Results 167
Case Study Questions 168
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 168
Reference Notes 169
Chapter 8 Managing Project Communications 171
Learning Objectives 171
Purpose 172
Scope 172
Timing 173
Mechanism 173
How to Manage Project Communications 173
Review Communications Management Plan 174
Process Work Performance Reports 174
Understand Project Environment 175
Review Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 175
Use Project Communications Management Tools 175
Information Management Systems 177
Performance Reporting 177
Conduct Project Communications 178
Update Project/Communications Management Plans 178
Update Current Project Documents 179
Update Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 179
Summary 180
Key Terms 180
Case Study: Project Communications Management: Best Practices in Practice 181
Case Study Questions 182
Chapter Review Questions 182
Reference Notes 183
Chapter 9 Managing Stakeholder Engagement 185
Learning Objectives 185
Purpose 186
Scope 186
Timing 187
Mechanism 187
How to Manage Stakeholder Engagement 187
Determine Whom to Engage and How to Engage 188
Utilize Soft Skills Effectively 189
Collect Project Changes Information 191
Consult Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 191
Document Change Requests Generated from Managing Stakeholder Engagement 192
Document Changes to Stakeholder Requirements 192
Update Project Logs and Risk Register 193
Project Logs Update 193
Stakeholder Register Update 194
Record Updates to Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 194
Summary 196
Key Terms 196
Case Study; Solenoid Electric India Limited–Using Its Core Values to Lead the Way in Effective Stakeholder Engagement Management 196
Stakeholder Engagement Strategies 197
Managing Stakeholder Engagement 198
Internal Stakeholder Engagement 198
External Stakeholder Engagement 199
Stakeholder Conflict 199
Conclusion 200
Case Study Questions 200
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 200
Reference Notes 201
Section IV Controlling Stage 203
Chapter 10 Controlling Project Communications 205
Learning Objectives 205
Purpose 206
Scope 206
Timing 207
Mechanism 207
How to Control Project Communications 207
Obtain Communications Performance Data 208
Obtain Baseline (Planned) Information 209
Review Project Communications Issues 209
Review Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 209
Utilize Communications Control Tools 210
Monitor and Control Project Communications Performance 212
Baseline, Planned, or Reference Input (Wanted Performance) 212
Actual Input (Assessed Communications Performance) 213
Determine Communications Performance Variance 213
Synthesize and Disseminate Project Work Performance Information 214
Update Project Management Plan 214
Update Current Project Documents 214
Update Historical Organizational Project Artifacts 215
Summary 216
Key Terms 216
Case Study 217
Challenge 217
Solution 218
Results 218
Case Study Questions 218
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 219
Reference Notes 219
Chapter 11 Controlling Stakeholder Engagement 221
Learning Objectives 221
Purpose 222
Scope 223
Timing 223
Mechanism 223
How to Control Stakeholder Engagement 223
Utilize Stakeholder Engagement Control Tools 227
Monitor and Control Stakeholder Engagement Performance 227
Summary 229
Key Terms 230
Case Study 230
The City of Mayflower Community Center Construction Project 230
Case Study Questions 231
Chapter Review and Discussion Questions 232
Reference Notes 232
Index 233