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Project management can benefit from the implementation of virtual teams by cutting costly and time consuming activities. However, virtual projects can hide some serious risks that come from the vary nature of the virtual world. To address these issues, virtual project management best practices will be introduced through the VPModel.
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Project Communications Virtual and Global
!Dimitrios Litsikakis, PMP©
Project Manager at Edenred !
8th April 2014 Greek PMI Chapter Events
!
DefinitionA group of workers who are geographically dispersed
but not necessarily distributed across expansive
geographic locations. !
They are working together toward a common purpose
and goal and using electronic communication as
their primary medium
The main difference
between virtual and traditional
teams is separation by
time and distance
!
Diverse backgrounds!!
Temporary!!
Adaptable !
Characteristics
Why use Virtual Teams?• Reduced operating expenses
• Utilize global talent pool
• Staffing flexibility
• Improved productivity
• Workforce diversity
• Reduced travel expenses
• Better work life balance
vPModelLinking the main issues in Virtual Project Management
!!
Physical Variables (Time & Space)
Organization Trust
Communication
Geographical distance
Record and monitor activities in a much more convenient way than in traditional projects.
Pros Cons
Easier assessment Expensive
Free-riding becomes more difficult
Creates stress and raises ethical questions
Increases performance in highly skilled teams
Different Time zones
Use Asynchronous Communication
Time consuming
Less Effective
Decrease commitment
1 hr Overlap
Use this one hour for synchronization and information flow between teams.
Same sources of conflict as traditional teams
More time to think Keep emotions down
Recorded communication makes it easier to identify conflict initiation and cause, therefore resolve faster
More likely to chose avoidance negative performance effect
Cooperation
Recommendations• Virtual project teams do not seem to be suitable
for extensive control and monitoring or a very directive approach of management
• PMs should try do adopt a more guiding approach and act as a coach
• They should focus on controlling the outcome, not the work itself, and establish trust
Trust
Pre-project Post-Project
Increases social motivation and therefore enforces team
member commitment
Generate multi-level feedback which in turn
influences individual actionsTrai
ning
PMs cannot enforce trust
Different individuals, with different cultural backgrounds,
have different levels of resistance
Cultural Differences
Misunderstandings
PM as Cultural Interpreter
Interfere when an individual is emotionally tensed and fails to cooperate with other team members
PM
Language
Essential for the PM to consciously understand the issues behind language variation
3 keys to success
Shared Understanding
!
Coaching
!
Learning Climate
Learning in Virtual Teams
Organisational StructureVirtual teams may not only consist of people from places of long distance, but also from organisations of different nature.
• Information is the most valuable asset
• PMs must create and maintain of a secure environment for sharing information
• Security can also help build trust
• Cost, policy conflicts & complex procedures should be weighted by the PM
Progression of Virtual Teams
Conclusions• Without clearly established communication
channels, conflicts and misunderstandings become more frequent
• The language barrier and lack of trust worsens things even more.
• Reliable communication channels with consideration to provide the necessary level of security without sacrificing the advantages of efficiency and cost-effectiveness
What PMI suggests?The Virtual Project Manager: Seven Best Practices for Effective Communication - by Hassan Osman, PMP
1. Establish a Clear Communication Plan
2. Account for Informal Discussions
3. Be a Master of Technology
4. Conduct Structured Meetings
5. Leverage Video When Needed
6. Determine a Range for Time-Zone Differences
7. Use Email Effectively
Strategies for Effective Virtual Meetings
How to Make Virtual Teams Work Successfully - by Kunal Sen, PMP
1. A detailed agenda
2. Clear expectations from each person
3. Who joined?
4. Participation
5. A pregnant pause
6. Team bonding
7. Multitasking
3 Critical Success Factorsby Peter Leung, PMP
!
1. PMs manage People and Projects
2. One project team
3. Willingness to take Ownership
Suggestions from the fieldby Mario Bourgault, PMP
1. Encourage Shared Leadership
2. Pay attention to the decision-making process
!Lenghty consensus building
Debate and confrontation
Informal 1on1 discussions before a formal group meeting
Choose a direction quickly, make adjustments later
Communication is Key
!!
Physical Variables (Time & Space)
Organization Trust
Communication