Exercise 11.1 - The following activities are based on a recently completed group
ID: 445965 • Letter: E
Question
Exercise 11.1 - The following activities are based on a recently completed group project that you have been involved in. This project may have been a student project, a work project, or an extracurricular project.
a. Analyze the development of the team in terms of the five-phase model and the punctuated equilibrium model. Which model does the best job of describing how the team evolved?
b. Analyze the group in terms of the nine situational factors that influence team development. What factors positively contributed to group performance? What factors negatively contributed to group performance? How did the group try to overcome the negative factors? What could you have done differently to overcome these negative factors?
c. Analyze how effectively the group managed meetings. What did the group do well? What didn’t the group do well? If the group were formed again, what specific recommendations would you make about how the group should manage meetings?
Exercise 13.1 - 1. In month 9 the following project information is available: actual cost is $ 2,000, earned value is $ 2,100, and planned cost is $ 2,400. Compute the SV and CV for the project.
Exercise 13.2 - 2. On day 51 a project has an earned value of $ 600, an actual cost of $ 650, and a planned cost of $ 560. Compute the SV, CV, and CPI for the project. What is your assessment of the project on day 51?
Exercise 13.3 - 3. Given the project network and baseline information below, complete the form to develop a status report for the project at the end of period 4 and the end of period 8. From the data you have collected and computed for periods 4 and 8, what information are you prepared to tell the customer about the status of the project at the end of period 8?
Explanation / Answer
a.
The five-phased team development model involves five stages of team development. Different phases of the model include forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning stage. This model is useful to understand the behavior and requirements of the employees of a project at various stages; however the sequence depicted in the model cannot be followed in the similar pattern.
Punctuated equilibrium model would best describe the evolvement of a team. This model helps to find the time when groups form and they actually becomes consistent. As per this model, the team work according to the set guidelines and behavior till half completion of the project. After that it start forming new set of behavior and tasks.
b.
The nine situational factors influencing the team development are given below:
Presence of 10 or lesser number of team members.
Members volunteer to serve the project teams
Members serve in the project from starting to end of the project
Members needs to be assigned on full time basis
Members are the part of an organizational culture that fosters cooperation and trust.
Members report only to the project manager.
All relevant functional areas are represented in the team
The project involves a compelling objective
Members are located within conversational distance from each other.
From the above nine situational factors, specified project had the following factors:
Compelling objective
Members volunteer to serve the project teams
Members serve in the project from starting to end of the project
Members are the part of an organizational culture that fosters cooperation and trust.
Members report only to the project manager.
All the factors present in the existing project are positive as they put a positive impact on the project. However, single reporting to the project manager is considered to be negative. It restricts some of the employees from sharing their problems and feedback with the manager as they don’t have good terms with him. Dual reporting system to both the project manager and supervisor/general manager might be helpful in this case.
c.
The group managed meetings of the members of the project were somewhat effective. It followed the following two crucial steps:
The project manager used to provide overview of the process to the team members including the objective, scope, and vision.
Finally the planning is done regarding the fact that how the team would proceed to achieve the goal.
Sufficient information regarding the project and effective planning helped the members to understand their role and responsibilities in the project. It would help to improve their performance and productivity.
However, the team meeting used to miss an important step i.e. capturing the interpersonal concerns of the members. Capturing these concerns is crucial as helps to address several questions for the members like information regarding their team members and his suitability in the team. If the group would be formed again, the members should be introduced to each other and their doubts and concerns needs to be cleared. It would help to resolve the role ambiguity and conflicts in the team.
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