Sustaining “Project Management” in Organizations By C. Lynne Poffenroth, PMP

The organizational change lifecycle includes three components:

1. Strategic planning looks at what and why the organization needs to change;
2. Projects and project management ensure the change is implemented as planned;
3. Sustainment ensures continuity of the change so the organization realizes the benefits of the change.

Organizational Change identifies the organization’s goal and how the organization must change to achieve the goal. Organizational Change and Strategic Planning are both concerned with the organization as a whole. Project Management provides the structured planning processes needed to implement the organizational change initiatives required to realize and achieve the strategic plan. The link between projects and strategic planning as identified by PMI (2008),

“Projects, within programs or portfolios, are a means of achieving organizational goal and objectives, often in the context of a strategic plan…Organizations manage portfolios based on their strategic plan, which may dictate a hierarch to the portfolio”¹

Consistent and rigorous project management processes, are recognized as the key factor in the successful and timely delivery of critical and strategic initiatives.

Project Management has evolved over time from specialized public and private sector businesses to an internationally recognized profession. Over a period of 40 years, an international community of professional project managers has developed. As noted by the Project Management Institute (2011), “ PMI® is the world’s leading not-for-profit membership association for the project management profession, with more than half a million members and credential holders in more than 185 countries.” ²

Organizations are experiencing both internal and external pressures to increase their effectiveness, efficiency and accountability. There are significant organizational changes to service delivery. As a result, organizations are formalizing and standardizing their project management practises.

As confirmed by Dr. Harold Kerzner (2009),
“More and more companies are now regarding project management as being mandatory for the survival of the firm.”³

A Project Management project provides the necessary link between the strategic planning/visioning and the organizational change needed to achieve the strategic planning results to implement project management within an organization.

A careful review is undertaken of current and future state project management requirements. Using project management rather than organizational change processes, the team addresses the same questions raised by Bryson (1977):

“A related set of questions deals with the types of processes which need to be changed in order for the change to be effective. These processes or variables that need to be examined include: changes of attitudes required, changes of practices required, changes of policies required, changes of structures required, and changes to rewards required.”⁴

A matrix organizational structure is the most common organizational structure for managing projects. A matrix organization is defined by PMI (2008) as, “Any organizational structure in which the project manager shares responsibility with the functional managers for assigning priorities and for directing the work of persons assigned to the project.” ⁵

As identified by Kerzner (2009), “Project management is designed to make better use of existing resources by getting work to flow horizontally as well as vertically within the company.” ⁶

The matrix project environment is both flexible and complex as confirmed by Davis (1977): “Matrix seems to have spread in spite of itself. It is complex and difficult; it requires human flexibility in order to provide organizational flexibility.” ⁷ Development of a matrix team enables the project to secure the appropriate and expert resources as they are needed. Most importantly, problem solving and decision making are addressed in a timely manner.

Sustainment of Organizational Change is necessary. Organizational change initiatives undertaken as one-time projects require ongoing support and sustainment to ensure these changes are maintained, once the project is completed. This need for sustainment is clearly identified by Beckhard (1977):

“When a major change has been accomplished, it is important for the executive management of whatever system that has been changed to maintain an active interest and provide leadership behaviour for ensuring that the new state does not become ossified. A variety of mechanisms can be used for consciously taking the temperature of the organization, setting priorities for short-term improvements and review, and rewarding people for doing this so it is seen as real work rather than as activity in addition to work. All of these procedures can increase the likelihood that the efforts and investments involved in creating the change will pay off for the organization.” ⁸

The responsibility for maintenance/sustainment of the end results must be transitioned to a responsible party or business unit. This is true whether the end result/project deliverable is a policy, a new park, a new bridge or a standard project management infrastructure. Each and every one of these deliverables requires continuing oversight by the organization. One of the key outcomes of the project management closure phase is to ensure the transfer and acceptance of this responsibility within the organization.
Establishment of a Project Management Office (PMO) ensures resources are available to address the sustainment requirements of a project management organizational change initiative. “The purpose of a Project Management Office is to ensure a clear assignment of ownership, accountability and responsibility, for project management standards, by permanent staff, once the project is completed.” ⁹

As defined by PMI (2008) “A project management office, (PMO) is an organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related to the centralized and coordinated management of those projects under its domain. The responsibilities of a PMO can range from providing project management support functions to actually being responsible for the direct management of a project.”¹⁰

In conclusion, strategic planning, organizational change, project management and sustainment definitions share common terminology and priorities such as the need for planning, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency within a structured environment. The three components of organizational change: strategic planning, project management and sustainment, focus on discipline and are supported by repeatable processes and procedures to ensure predictable outcomes. There are direct dependencies between these three components of organizational change. The success of the outcome is dependent on the weakest link and failure of any one of the links negatively impacts this success.

Projects to implement Project Management are a significant and strategic organizational change initiative. These projects are undertaken to ensure successful project delivery by establishing a standard corporate project management infrastructure. Linkages to the organization’s strategic plan and executive leadership throughout implementation enhance the success of establishing a standard project management infrastructure.
As identified by Bryson (1977):

“Some of the conditions necessary for maintenance of change are as follows. First, management must pay conscious attention to the ‘continuous transition.’ Second, explicit processes or procedures for setting priorities for improvement should be instituted. Third, there should be systematic and continual processes of feedback. Fourth, the reward system should reward people for time and energy spent on these processes.”¹¹

Project Management projects are developed over an extended time period. During this time period forms, templates, processes and training are customized and standardized to the requirements of all project team members, ie. sponsor, project manager, team lead and team members. In addition, with the input of business unit representatives, the needs of all business units can be addressed within a project management standard infrastructure compliant with the defacto international standard of the Project Management Institute (PMI). It must be noted that short-term has different meanings for different corporations. Due to the extreme organizational changes associated with the establishment of corporate project management standards, these changes are often considered to have occurred in a very short timeframe.

Despite implementation successes, sustainment often proves to be the weakest link in the project management organizational change lifecycle. A definition of organizational resistance provided by Agocs (1997): “the pattern of organizational behaviour that decision makers in organizations employ to actively deny, reject, refuse to implement, repress or even dismantle change proposals and initiatives” ¹² A lack of organizational change sustainment is an example of Agocs (1997) fourth form of resistance “repression: action to dismantle change that has been initiated.”¹³

Executive leadership is needed to initiate and lead this type of project. Executive leadership that thwarts sustainment of this organizational change initiative is often perceived by many of the project management teams, trainees and advocates as a lack of organizational leadership and support for project management and themselves. In the absence of a central Project Management Office, each business unit needs to allocate resources to ensure all project teams have the skills, tools and training required to manage projects.

PMI frequently updates the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). Proactive action is required to retain PMBOK® compliance by updating an organization’s standard project management infrastructure and training materials. If there is no mechanism to sustain the standard project management infrastructure then it can be anticipated that the progress gained during the project will be in jeopardy.

A key factor to consider when undertaking the organizational change required to implement project management is to ensure accountability and as recommended by the Business Improvement Architects report (June 2005), “Stay the course! Understand that changing the culture is a slow process and recognize that this is a journey – it’s never finished. Recognize that the Project Management Office is the change agent and must champion a cultural change in how projects will be managed.” ¹⁴

The sustainment requirements of a corporate project management standard must be identified and transitioned to during the closure phase of the Project Management project. The establishment of a Project Management Office, to provide on-going sustainment of the project management organizational changes, is critical.

© 2011 allPM.com

C. Lynne Poffenroth (PMP) has a unique background of adult education delivery, and project and program management experience. During her career, she successfully managed private and public sector projects as well as large-scale change initiatives. Lynne is a regular adviser and presenter for the Project Management Institute (PMI®) conferences. She also founded the Public Sector Project Management Forum in June 2002.





Artykuł opublikowany dzięki uprzejmości International Institute for Learning, Inc.