Comments on: Debating the Organization Structure http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/ Blog space for Indus Net Community Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:14:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: yudhvir singh http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-181876 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:46:26 +0000 http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-181876 I need to design a project management structure for a BPO firm in india writing content for company websites. Please give me leads. Where do I start? I need to design a project management structure for a BPO firm in india writing content for company websites. Please give me leads. Where do I start?

]]> by: Mukul Gupta http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14928 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:58:28 +0000 http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14928 Hello Marieke, I think as small organization, division by projects make lot of sense. We evolved that way too but later on some 5 years back, we selected the functional organization structure in order to promote technical growth. We thought of implementing organization by projects, but for a size of a company with 200 employees where more than 50 simultaneous projects are running, it sounded like a difficult proposition. Moreover, it still does not helps us address the technical growth of the organization seperately from project management. For instance, how do we ensure that we are better at PHP technologies today then last day or we will be better tomorrow than today? Unless, someone is made accountable for it, chances of this happening is very less. The easiest and most logical think to do, is too form a seperate project management office as it calls for least amount of modification in the existing structure. Mukul Gupta Hello Marieke,

I think as small organization, division by projects make lot of sense. We evolved that way too but later on some 5 years back, we selected the functional organization structure in order to promote technical growth.

We thought of implementing organization by projects, but for a size of a company with 200 employees where more than 50 simultaneous projects are running, it sounded like a difficult proposition. Moreover, it still does not helps us address the technical growth of the organization seperately from project management. For instance, how do we ensure that we are better at PHP technologies today then last day or we will be better tomorrow than today? Unless, someone is made accountable for it, chances of this happening is very less.

The easiest and most logical think to do, is too form a seperate project management office as it calls for least amount of modification in the existing structure.

Mukul Gupta

]]> by: Mukul Gupta http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14921 Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:52:41 +0000 http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14921 Hello Frank, Thanks a lot for writing! In order to compete effectively, we want to ensure that as an organization we mature both in the technical as well as managerial discpline. Moreover, with the implementation of CMMI it is apparent that seperating the project management and engineering discpline makes more sense. We have seen that some of our best developers are simply not interested in trying to learn formal project management disclipline and some of our best managers dont want to learn about engineering process areas within the CMMI model. There is definetely room for both these types of people and we want offer them seperate career path. Thus, I think this seperation is a win/win model. This model will also help our current functional heads to look beyond project pressure to new areas of improvement which I think will add a lot of dynamism to the company. Mukul Gupta Hello Frank,

Thanks a lot for writing!

In order to compete effectively, we want to ensure that as an organization we mature both in the technical as well as managerial discpline.

Moreover, with the implementation of CMMI it is apparent that seperating the project management and engineering discpline makes more sense. We have seen that some of our best developers are simply not interested in trying to learn formal project management disclipline and some of our best managers dont want to learn about engineering process areas within the CMMI model.

There is definetely room for both these types of people and we want offer them seperate career path. Thus, I think this seperation is a win/win model.

This model will also help our current functional heads to look beyond project pressure to new areas of improvement which I think will add a lot of dynamism to the company.

Mukul Gupta

]]> by: Marieke Hensel http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14457 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:25:09 +0000 http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14457 Thanks for this overview! I have to get the structure down for our new company and this really helps me. As you already give a good overview of advantages and disadvantages. BTW, our company will go in the direction of organizing by project teams. Because it is flexible and brings the energy in a project because they choose for one project or another. Marieke Hensel www.henselhosting.com The Netherlands Thanks for this overview! I have to get the structure down for our new company and this really helps me. As you already give a good overview of advantages and disadvantages.

BTW, our company will go in the direction of organizing by project teams. Because it is flexible and brings the energy in a project because they choose for one project or another.

Marieke Hensel
www.henselhosting.com
The Netherlands

]]> by: Frank Kanu http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14410 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:26:55 +0000 http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14410 The most important question seems unanswered: Why do you want to restructure? Do the employees stand behind a restructure? How will the restructure influence the business? What do the customers think? The most important question seems unanswered:
Why do you want to restructure?

Do the employees stand behind a restructure? How will the restructure influence the business?

What do the customers think?

]]> by: David Meggitt http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14332 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:42:51 +0000 http://www.talash.net/blog/debating-the-organization-structure/108/#comment-14332 Good points and an ongoing area of difficulty. Matrix management never really worked...having two bosses is a problem. Consider instead the thinking behind value networks as applied to project management. Look under Articles of the site www.value-networks.com - Will The Real Project Please Stand Up. This is now published. Also have a looks at how projects help organisations become fit for purpose. http://tinyurl.com/2z3ok9 David Meggitt www.meggittbird.net UK Good points and an ongoing area of difficulty.

Matrix management never really worked…having two bosses is a problem.

Consider instead the thinking behind value networks as applied to project management. Look under Articles of the site www.value-networks.com - Will The Real Project Please Stand Up. This is now published.

Also have a looks at how projects help organisations become fit for purpose. http://tinyurl.com/2z3ok9

David Meggitt
www.meggittbird.net
UK

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