Skip to main navigation
Skip to main content

 

Related links

 

Managing People and Teams in a Project Environment

People are the most important aspect of project and programme management (PPM). If managers pay attention to people issues their project or programme is more likely to succeed. If they are ignored it will almost certainly fail - on their own, project management tools are not enough. People issues impact upon three levels: individual, team and the organization. Issues at each of these levels will change as the project or programme moves through the different stages of its life cycle. As well as this guidance, pointers are provided to other information repositories, including publications, research papers and PPM tools located under four main sections:  
  • Individual issues
  • Team issues
  • Organizational issues
  • Project stage issues

(Note: This webpage does not cover Human Resources (HR) issues such as staff recruitment, development and training as these are subject to defined policies and procedures for public sector organisations).

Individual issues

Leadership Roles
Information on the roles, responsibilities and skills required for major leadership roles is provided below: Individual Skills and Competencies
Several tools exist to help with skills/competency analysis, identification of team member personalities and behaviours, all of which can help facilitate team selection and ensure compatibility of members.   In an ideal world it would be desirable to be able to select the 'perfect' project team every time. In reality it can often be a case of appointing the resource that is available.  Under these circumstances, it is suggested that a risk analysis using OGC's Risk Potential Assessment model be conducted to identify uncertainty relating to skills, and a skills analysis using OGC's Skills Framework Assessment Guide be conducted to identify any gaps. Support to fill any skills deficit could be provided by a consultant or in house expert. For example, someone could provide financial expertise and guidance from Finance Division.   Professional Skills for Government
Professional Skills for Government is a key part of the Government's Delivery and Reform agenda. It is a major, long-term change programme designed to ensure that civil servants, wherever they work, have the right mix of skills and expertise to enable their Departments or agencies to deliver effective services. PSG will also provide clarity about the skills individuals need to develop and progress in the civil service and access to more consistent opportunities to develop those skills. Tools have been developed for individuals to assess their own levels of skills and competencies:

(Further information on Skills and Competencies can be found on this website.

Certificated Project Manager Qualification
Certification is the recognition of competence and ability to effectively manage significant projects or programmes of change. Participation in the certification process enables individuals to improve their self-awareness, reflect upon, and learn from, their experience. 

Links to Qualifications and Training:

Team issues

Team roles
These role descriptions provide a general description of each project role, together with specific responsibilities and suggested skills/attributes. They are a good starting point in setting your own organisational standards and should be adapted as required. q Belbin Team Profiling allows the identification of 'team roles'. It shows that different people have different strengths in different types of activity and that, in a given environment, some combinations of roles worked better than others.


Belbin Team Profiling allows the identification of 'team roles'. It shows that different people have different strengths in different types of activity and that, in a given environment, some combinations of roles worked better than others. 

Team building
In a PPM environment people have to work closely together, often under a lot of pressure. Successful projects and programmes always take care when addressing team-building issues. They use team-building events to create a strong, motivated team with all key members including delivery partners.

Organisational issues

Organisational capability and capacity
To ensure that your organisation continues to have access to the right mix and quantity of skills to resource project teams, a formal procedure for the management of skills within your organisation should be established. This is to ensure your team possesses sufficient capability and capacity to complete its objectives.     OGC Maturity models
OGC Maturity Models can be used to help you assess PPM capability within your teams and organisations. The Portfolio, Programme & Project Maturity Model (P3M3) is a five level maturity framework that enables you to assess your capability, as well as providing guidance on where your PPM processes could be further developed: Organisational culture
Social and cultural aspects of an organisation are usually at the forefront when it comes to explaining the success or failure of major initiatives. The following links to an overview of theories of organisational-culture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_culture

 

Governance
Governance involves a set of relationships between a programme or project's management, its parent organisation, its client and its stakeholders. Project governance provides the structure through which the objectives of the project are set, and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance are determined. Governance drives the processes found within project/programme organisations. Consequently, it is important that the correct governance framework is in place in your organisation/project team. For more information on Governance including principles, policies and responsibilities, as well as a framework and checklist tools please use the link above.

COE Guidance
A Centre of Excellence brings together a set of essential functions to support the successful delivery of programmes and projects. It is much more than a programme office because its remit is to provide a continuous overview across an organisation's entire portfolio of programmes - not just co-ordinating and reporting on the programmes, but challenging what must be delivered and how it will be delivered.The OGC's CoE Guidance can be found here.
 

Project stage issues

The workbooks on this website describe key programme and project stages and the roles that need to be fulfilled to run them. Further guidance can be found in the publication People Issues & PRINCE2 that aims to help Project Managers identify the points in projects when people issues might arise and then how to best mitigate the effects.
Print this page


OGC Gateway management reviews identify risks to programmes and projects and ensure that you deliver them on time and on budget. Government Relocation and Asset Management - streamlining the civil service and improving management of the civil estate. Centres of Excellence in programme and project delivery through your departments, agencies and non departmental public bodies. Programme & Project Management (PPM) Specialism helping developing careers. Key OGC products in the programme and project delivery chain include ITIL, PRINCE2, M_o_R and MSP.

Procurement policy supporting the implementation of European Union directives. Commodities, construction and facilities management procurement. Sustainable procurement. Efficiency Programme, eProcurement and eAuctions, improving supplier relationss and developing Best Practice, OGC works with the public sector to achieve efficiency, value for money and successful delivery of government projects. Expert advice, knowledge sharing by providing specialists, either as consultants or interim managers for your programme and project management.