College Essay Example

Project Robin Hood

This project was run by City of Melville providing grants of $100,000 to projects carried out by the community from 2013(Community Development, 2015). Main objective of the Project Robin Hood was to enhance participation of the community; support creativity ideas for community owned projects and construct a better relationship between Melville City and the community. It was pre-initiated by exploring ‘participatory budgeting’ concept for projects driven by the community. In this case, on-line allocator tool was used to vote on the projects by the community to aid in distributing the $100,000 for twelve selected projects. This approach ensured that the community had authority to make decisions and take the responsibility. The community assumed that the applications for project met the required funding criteria and thereafter involve the public to vote on the projects they want to be implemented (Community Development, 2015).

The project was facilitated by Youth Advisory Council of the City and some of its initiating tasks included its provision of framework and funds and the outcome decided by community. Financial and social support from the City also aided in the project implementation. This saw the project being able to provide local businesses, individuals and community groups with up to $50,000 small grants (Community Development, 2015). Other major initiating tasks include changing Willagee resident’s local Park to be among the favorite places as it planned to install an adventure park which is community nature-based. They also installed community seating for Riseley Centre shopkeepers and added a shed at Murdoch Community Garden. All the projects were developed by the community, for their use community but with the funds obtained from Project Robin Hood (Community Development, 2015).

It is important for you as a manager to analyze how best you can reach out to your stakeholders for information as well as elicit the needed requirements to complete project work. It is critical to the success of the project to know and understand the stakeholders (Chickha, 2017). You need to identify if the stakeholder has an interest in the project or may be impacted by the project. Thereafter you analyze the project’s impact on the stakeholders (or their impact on the project) as well as the support (or resistance) they may give. From this you will be able to assess how likely they are able to respond to given circumstances/situations, in this high cost over runs. This analysis and mapping identifies vital stakeholders, highlight their issues and concerns and helps in assessing their commitment level in reviving the project (Chickha, 2017). This implies the use of effective communication plan and create continuous dialog with all stakeholders after which you as a manager will obtain feedback. Finally you will carry out continuous assessment and follow through activities to validate and evaluate communication processes.

As a manager, you have to note that stakeholder theory is understood in different perspectives (convergent stakeholder theory, instrumental stakeholder theory, descriptive stakeholder theory (Scott et al., 2006). The three theories however works through a common denominator stating the entity stake stakeholders perceive to have within the project. Descriptive stakeholder theory informs you as a manager that stakeholders have various expectations and take part in certain behavior types that can at times be destructive or constructive; it is your duty to prevent the destructive ones (Scott et al., 2006). Drawing your basis their perceived stakes towards the project, the behavior of stakeholders will aid in accomplishing the objectives of the Perth Arena project and avoid delays. This will congruent with the mission of your project as a manager. As a manager you will have to be able to highlight every project stakeholder’s objectives so that you can manage your desires effectively. To attain success and avoid criticism from the public, as a project manager, you must be completely versed in ensuring that you manage the interests of stakeholders in multiple especially when it comes to urgency or legitimacy as stated in instrumental theory. Proper Project Stakeholder Management framework will ensure that you maximize on the positive impact and minimize on detrimental impacts stakeholders may pose on the project outcome. This will eliminate the delays and cost over runs.

Perth Freight Link (PFL) — City of Fremantle is a $multibillion project in Western Australia aimed at improving road freight link between Fremantle Harbour and kewdale (Perth Freight Link, 2017). The project has a website on the internet and has a lot of information. The site has News and Media section where all the latest news on the project is posted. For example they post working hours during holidays e.g. WA Day public holiday. Upcoming Infrastructure works are also posted. Media release information for example Fremantle Town Hall unveiling are available (Perth Freight Link, 2017).

The site also has Careers section where information on career opportunities is available. It lists current available opportunities including volunteering programs, work experience programs, apprenticeships and traineeships, indigenous employment and internal jobs. In addition, there is the council section in the website. It has information on the projects’ agenda and minutes, executive leadership team, feedback, complaints and suggestions, tenders and quotations, online mapping and Council strategies (Perth Freight Link, 2017).

The website has information on planning and building listed on a section labeled ‘Development’. It gives information on excavation work, constructions, demolitions or erection of any structure done. It has information on planning and development policy and regulations. The website has business section giving information on trading and investment. In this section, there are arts Centre, festivals and events. Lastly it has residents section that gives information on payments, wastes and recycling, rates, resident parking and community engagement (Perth Freight Link, 2017).

This website is a good communication tool because it avails entirely all information about the projects plans, achievement, and opportunities. A larger population of the community is able to access the project progress from where they are without visiting its offices.

Problems with reviews, as part of the approval and oversight mechanisms for separate projects may not function as stated in the project management (PM) directive and framework. Review from the advisory committee may not occur as highlighted on the project framework making some project sections fail to receive the expected oversight (Audit of Project Management Governance, 2015). Audit of the documentation of project framework primary components e.g. PM directive and also templates, guides and tools provided by the committee of experts can lack information consistency and completeness. This often causes incorrect assessments of project, misunderstanding of the processes that will make some key documents not to be issued.

The project may not follow the desired framework in case an incomplete oversight is identified in some sections within the project (Audit of Project Management Governance, 2015). Moreover, lack of information gaps and clarity in the project framework surrounding different project committees with related responsibilities, inconsistent tracking of action items and their interactions leads to misunderstanding with stakeholders. This leads to loss in productivity, project delays, productivity losses, lowers cost-effectiveness and the possibility of the project not following the stated framework increases. Scope problems also occur when updates to PF documentation is communicated for example through wiki. Stakeholders however may not get the notification as updated. Such stakeholders therefore find it challenging to identify what has been updated or when any communication has been made to staff in the time of updates. Stakeholders eventually may use outdated information on PMF that will interfere with the progress (Audit of Project Management Governance, 2015).

Managing a project refers to the use of techniques, skills and knowledge in executing project work efficiently and effectively. One has to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control and close the project. Leading a project however is giving team members strategic direction, setting their goals and guiding them in fulfilling project requirements (Simoes, 2014).

Managing a project is important. This is because it is the project manager who initiates and plans the project from scratch. The manager is always innovative and is a good leader who encourages and inspires the employees with his/her skills. The employees will therefore practice new ideas that eventually enhance productivity. Leading a project is just for guidance and support within the project.

One problem in managing virtual groups is the increased communication breakdowns as a result of organizational and cultural differences brought about by the geographical distribution. The workers feel that such breakdowns are enhanced by misunderstandings and lack of “shared meaning” among the participants (Rudy and Liesl, 2010). Trust issues due to the absence of vital non-verbal and social cues among the virtual teams poses a lot in their management. Trust is important among working groups because members will feel working in a team without any suspicion and enjoy their job. Lack of cohesiveness, which refers to the feeling of connection between one member and another, prevents group work. Some managers also resist working with virtual teams because they see such groups as a threat to their identities. They feel that their authority, responsibilities and role are not clear within such work settings. Problems with lack of non-verbal cues and physical interaction make virtual employees feel unimportant like “being out mind, out of sight (Rudy and Liesl, 2010).

Running a virtual project team would involve using effective Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) technology together with a groupware plus other vital software innovations and make people to work as a group programs. One would the track the contributions and work then permit communication between the entire group and specific individuals. This will ensure you are able to maintain well established and collaboratively core project. You have to include consultants functioning as team members but are coming from not within the parent organization (Rudy and Liesl, 2010). Once you have included them in the team, they deliver the skills, information they posse and expertise to the team as such information may not be found within the project. Involve the workers in various teams at the same time so as they simultaneously work on different projects. Empowering teams by giving them the authority they require in fulfilling their responsibilities would be vital in ensuring the virtual team project success. Finally performing coordinated team activities instead of giving the team directions would be fur much effective.

References

Audit of Project Management Governance. (2015). Audit Report, Office of Audit and Evaluation, March 2015. Shared Services Canada.

Chickha, Y. (2017). Managing Stakeholders. International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). Charlotte, NC March 14, 2017

Community Development. (2015). A Guide for Local Government Elected Members. Government of Western Australia- Department of Local Government and Communities, August 2015

Perth Freight Link (PFL). (2017).City of Fremantle www.fremantle.wa.gov.au-PFL

Rudy, V. N. and Liesl, A. N. (2010). Challenges In Managing Virtual Teams, Journal of Business & Economics Research, March, 2010 Volume 8.

Scott, J.S., Shawnta, S. and Shivers-blackwell, S.L. (2006). A Case Study of Project and Stakeholder Management Failures: Lessons Learned. Project Management Journal, December, 2006.

Simoes, P.R. (2014). Difference between Leading and Managing a Project, August 19, 2014.