Project Management for GIS Technology
4 Implementation Strategies
4.1 Implementation Strategies
There were a lot of strategies we have established to reach the results we wanted. Many of them
were adopted along the process in order to correct directions. We elected three of them we consider
the most important:
- Concentrate effort in Project Managers
It is impossible to work alone. When we work with process definition it means that we have
to implement the process to be used for all the people. In this transition phase, it is necessary to
count on open-minded persons who can help us. A good option is to select or to contract persons
to be Project Managers. These professionals must be the first to be trained and are those who will use the new ideas first. If we select the Project Managers from inside the company, we have to be
careful with one important aspect: the present function of each of them. It could be extremely
difficult to take someone out of his activity. This person, then, accumulates two functions and
creates a bigger problem. We have to correct dysfunctions contracting and training substitutes.
- Tools are Essential
It is much easier to implement a process if it is automated by a software. In general, the
software reduces resistance. But take care! The selected software must be efficient and easy to
use. Otherwise it will become the main problem.
In our company we decided to use three tools: Project Management Application, Planning
Application and Projects Portal. The first one is the tool to control the project life cycle, including
all the information related to the project phases. The second one is the tool to elaborate the
chronogram and control activities, resources, schedule and cost. The third is a communication
tool to make the projects visible to all the organization, including project team, clients and
stakeholders.
- Project Office
Provides consultancy in all aspects of Project Management
4.2 The Project Office
From all the implementation strategies we point out one that is essential: the Project Office.
Project Office is a formal or informal area of the organization to help Project Managers to
execute their projects. Its objective is to make consultancy in all aspects related to Project
Management and the processes, including project assessments, continuous process improvement ,
professional training and tools configuration.
Project Office is important because it makes people feel more comfortable in Project
Management activities, specially during the implementation phase.
For the Project Office, we have developed the strategic plan which defines its direction and
actions, the support and training plan which defines the actions related to the Project Managers’s
support and training and the communication plan which establishes the Project Office
communication rules.
5 Final Thoughts
5.1 Focus (professionals dedication)
To develop a job like this, we have to have focus. It is important to establishes clear
objectives, select the teams and create conditions for the teams to concentrate on their activities.
5.2 O Dysfunction challenge
This is a big problem because the teams to develop this job are made up with people from
inside the organization. These selected people are always busy and have to learn how to spend
time in these activities without damaging their current function.
Since we have the processes implemented we have to train the selected Project Managers to
execute their new activities. This is not easy due to the old function inheritance. One solution to
solve this problem fast is to hire Project Managers from the market.
5.3 Technician x Planner
In the normal way, the people who are selected to be the Project Managers of a organization
are the best technicians. This is a dangerous mistake because, in general, these technicians don’t
have the necessary skills in order to execute the new function. They have a strong technical
background and have problems with management activities. Then, we loose an excellent
technician and gain a bad project manager.
5.4 Mental models
We have to keep in mind that there are people who are prepared to develop processes and
there are people who are prepared to use the developed processes. The last ones will never be
able to define and implement a process and if the people who develop the processes don’t realize
this difference in mental models, they tend to implement complex process models which they
consider simple but which are indeed extremely complicated for the final users.
5.5 Organizational structure and Culture
The success of this work is to be accepted by the company’s culture. When we implement a
new process, we are changing the culture and this is a big risk. But a bigger risk is: Although this
culture is always supported by the organizations structure, it is a common mistake try to change
the structure in order to implement a new process. In general, it doesn’t work because the culture
is the same. We have to consider that the structure is just the reflection of the culture. We have to
start changing the people’s mentality. When the people change the culture, then the structure
automatically changes to support it.
