2.5 PROJECT WORK PERFORMANCE DOMAIN
Project work is associated with establishing the processes and performing the work to enable the project team to deliver the expected deliverables and outcomes.
The following definitions are relevant to the Project Work Performance Domain:
Bid Documents. All documents used to solicit information, quotations, or proposals from prospective sellers.
Bidder Conference. The meetings with prospective sellers prior to the preparation of a bid or proposal to ensure all prospective vendors have a clear and common understanding of the procurement. Also known as contractor conferences, vendor conferences, or pre-bid conferences.
Explicit Knowledge. Knowledge that can be codified using symbols such as words, numbers, and pictures.
Tacit Knowledge. Personal knowledge that can be difficult to articulate and share such as beliefs, experience, and insights.
Project work keeps the project team focused and project activities running smoothly. This includes but is not limited to:
▶ Managing the flow of existing work, new work, and changes to work;
▶ Keeping the project team focused;
▶ Establishing efficient project systems and processes;
▶ Communicating with stakeholders;
▶ Managing material, equipment, supplies, and logistics;
▶ Working with contracting professionals and vendors to plan and manage procurements and contracts;
▶ Monitoring changes that can affect the project; and
▶ Enabling project learning and knowledge transfer.
2.5.1 PROJECT PROCESSES
The project manager and the project team establish and periodically review the processes the project team is using to conduct the work. This can take the form of reviewing task boards to determine if there are bottlenecks in the process, if work is flowing at the expected rate, and if there are any impediments that are blocking progress.
Process tailoring can be used to optimize the process for the needs of the project. In general, large projects have more process compared to small projects, and critical projects have more process than less significant projects. Tailoring takes into consideration the demands of the environment. Ways of optimizing the processes for the environment include:
▶ Lean production methods. Lean production uses techniques such as value stream mapping to measure the ratio of value-adding activities and non-value-adding activities. The metrics calculated form a basis and measurement system for identifying and removing waste from production systems.
▶ Retrospectives or lessons learned. These meetings provide an opportunity for the project team to review the way in which it works and to suggest changes to improve process and efficiency.
▶ Where is the next best funding spent? Asking this question can help project teams determine if they should continue with the current task or move onto the next activity to optimize value delivery.
Reviewing processes can entail determining if processes are efficient, or if there is waste in the process that can be eliminated. Time spent tracking conformance to process is time the project team cannot spend on delivering the outcomes for which the project was commissioned. Therefore, project teams utilize just enough time reviewing process conformance to maximize the benefits delivered from the review while still satisfying the governance needs of process.
Example of non-value-added work. A PMO wants to track the type of work project team members are doing. They ask the project team to record the type of work they are doing in specific categories on their time sheets. The time taken to categorize and record their time can be viewed as non-value-added work.
In addition to being efficient, processes should be effective. This means they need to comply with quality requirements, regulations, standards, and organizational policies in addition to producing the desired outcome. Process evaluation can include process audits and quality assurance activities to ensure processes are being followed and are accomplishing the intended outcomes.
2.5.2 BALANCING COMPETING CONSTRAINTS
Successfully leading a project includes understanding the constraints associated with the work. Constraints can take the form of fixed delivery dates, compliance to regulatory codes, a predetermined budget, quality policies, considerations of the triple bottom line, and so forth. The constraints may shift and change throughout the project. A new stakeholder requirement may entail expanding the schedule and budget. A reduction in budget may entail relaxing a quality requirement or reducing scope.
Balancing these shifting constraints, while maintaining stakeholder satisfaction, is an ongoing project activity. At times, it may include meeting with the customer, sponsor, or product owner to present alternatives and implications. Other times, the decisions and potential variances may be within the project team’s authority to make trade-offs to deliver the end result. Either way, this balancing activity is ongoing throughout the project.
2.5.3 MAINTAINING PROJECT TEAM FOCUS
Project managers have a responsibility for assessing and balancing the project team focus and attention. This involves evaluating short- and long-term projections of progress toward delivery goals.
Leading the project team includes balancing the workload and assessing if project team members are satisfied with their work so they remain motivated. To maximize business and stakeholder value delivered throughout the project, project team attention needs to be kept in a healthy balance. Leading with a goal of maximizing overall delivered value involves focusing on production (delivering value) and protecting the project team’s production capability (project team health and satisfaction). The goal is to keep the project team focused on delivering value and maintain awareness of when potential issues, delays, and cost overruns enter the project.
2.5.4 PROJECT COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT
Much of the project work is associated with communication and engagement, especially work associated with maintaining project team member and other stakeholder engagement. As described in the Stakeholder Performance Domain, communication entails formal and informal communication, in addition to verbal and written communication. Information can be collected in meetings, conversations, and by pulling information from electronic repositories. Once collected, it is distributed as indicated in the project management communications plan.
On a day-to-day basis, there are ad hoc requests for information, presentations, reports, and other forms of communication. An abundance of ad hoc communication requests may indicate that the communication planning was not sufficient to meet stakeholder needs. In this situation, further stakeholder engagement may be necessary to ensure stakeholder information requirements are met.
2.5.5 MANAGING PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Some projects require materials and supplies from third parties. Planning, ordering, transporting, storing, tracking, and controlling these physical resources can take a large amount of time and effort.
Large amounts of physical resources require an integrated logistics system. This is usually documented in company policies that are then implemented in projects. A logistics plan describes how the company policy will be implemented on the project. Supporting documentation includes estimates for the type of material, basis of estimates, expected usage over time, specifications for grade, and the time and location for deliveries.
The objectives from a physical resource perspective are to:
▶ Reduce or eliminate the material handling and storage on site,
▶ Eliminate wait times for materials,
▶ Minimize scrap and waste, and
▶ Facilitate a safe work environment. All of this work is integrated with the master project schedule to provide clear expectations and communications for all parties involved.
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