Organizing and Leading Heavyweight Development Teams

Transcription

1 Organizing and Leading Heavyweight Development Teams R R B R R Outline Introduction Types of development project teams Heavy weight team structure The challenges of heavyweight team Managing the challenges of heavyweight team The necessity of fundamental change 2

2 Introduction Integration of specialized capabilities is important for product & process development. In mature firms with strong functional groups, organizing and leading an effective development effort is a major under taking. Four types of project team structures Function team structure Lightweight team structure Heavyweight team structure Autonomous team structure 3 Function Team Structure ENG MFG MKG Function manager ( ) Working level 4

3 Lightweight Team Structure Liaison (L) ENG MFG MKG Function manager ( ) Area of strong PM influence Project manager (PM) Working level L L 5 Heavyweight Team Structure Market ENG MFG MKG PM Core (C) C C Concept 6

4 Autonomous Team Structure ENG MFG MKG Market Concept 7 PM Core (C) C C Heavy Weight Team Structure Example: Bandit Pager 18 months, half time of a normal project of such magnitude Five sigma at the end of 18 months Product reliability is higher than standard Some lessons are transferred to other parts 8

5 The Challenges of Heavyweight Team Conflict with the functional organization Turn into autonomous team Insufficient direction or vague bound Support activities are vulnerable. Clear priorities, team members do more actual work in the support areas. Balance between project and organization Lack of depth More testing, reviewed by expert 9 Managing Challenges of Heavyweight Team Problems with depth in technical solutions and allocations of support resources suggest the tension that exists between heavyweight teams and the functional groups. Mechanisms and problems are grouped into six categories of management action The project charter The contract Staffing Leadership Team responsibility The executive sponsor 10

6 Managing Challenges of Heavyweight Team The project charter A heavyweight project team needs a clear mission. A way to capture that concisely is in an explicit, measurable project charter that sets broad performance objectives and usually is articulated even before the core team is selected. 11 Managing Challenges of Heavyweight Team The contract book A charter lays out the mission in broad terms, in detail, the basic plan to achieve the stated goal. Such documents range from 25 to 100 pages, depending on the complexity of the project and level of detail desired by the team and senior management before proceeding. 12

7 Contract Book Major Sections Executive summary Business plan and purposes Development plan Schedule Materials Resources Product design plan Quality plan Manufacturing plan Project deliverables Performance measurement and incentives 13 Managing Challenges of Heavyweight Team Staffing A group of cross-functional members Core team members from primary function The difference between them is that the core team members manage the total projects. Project leadership five major roles Direct market interpreter Multilingual translator Direct engineering manager Program manager in motion Concept infuser 14

8 Managing Challenges of Heavyweight Team Responsibilities of core team members Functional hat accountabilities Ensuring functional expertise on the project Representing the functional perspective on the project Team hat accountabilities Sharing responsibility for team results Sharing responsibility for ensuring effective team processes The executive sponsor Typically the vice president of department Senior management communicate with project team through them. They are also coach or mentor for the heavyweight project leader. 15 The Necessity of Fundamental Change Required changes of heavy team Fundamental behavior of engineers, designers, manufacturers, and marketers in their day-to-day work. Example: Two teams to develop a small computer system with an identical custom-designed microprocessor chip Heaviness is not just a matter of structure and mechanism, but of attitudes and behavior. Those intent on using teams for platform projects and willing to make the basic changes can enjoy substantial advantages of focus, integration, and effectiveness. 16