Dennis Lock: The Structure of Project Teams

• Team members work on one project at one time so are directed to a single purpose.
• The project team can be autonomous and work with its own dedicated resources. This can avoid a clash of priorities and/or competition for resources within the organization.
• Team members are motivated to reach a common goal. This fosters commitment and team spirit.
• The project team is under the direct authority of the project manager. This line of command is unambiguous, and instructions are rarely conflicting.
• The project manager can communicate more easily within the project team and the organization. This means that decisions can be made and implemented more quickly.
• Work and information is easily contained within the group. This is beneficial where there are issues of confidentiality and security.

Disadvantages

• Unless the project team is particularly large, the absence of any one person can be keenly felt. This is especially problematic where specialists are involved as it can be very difficult to replace them with someone holding the same skillsset, especially at short notice.
• Any resources purchased for the project are often only used by the team. This can be an inefficient use of resources for the organization as a whole.
• Specialists brought into the team may be deprived of the advantages of working with others in their own discipline. For example, being able to discuss technical problems and keeping up to date with developments in their field is often essential to their work.
• It may be difficult for the project team to work in the same location due to a lack of space. This can lead to communication problems.
• Once the project is complete, the team is often disbanded. Continuity of service can suffer and special arrangements may have to be made for post-project advice and support. For example, a team may no longer exist to rectify any problems that occur for a client/customer.

Functional Matrix

Advantages

• Specialist functional groups are established that can exist beyond the duration of the project. This continuity allows for post-project support. It also promotes the accumulation of knowledge, experience and expertise for both individuals and the group as a whole.
• Team members maintain their regular role, which offers some stability within their jobs. The environment therefore creates long-term trust and loyalty.
• There is greater flexibility in allocating resources to projects as specialist skills can be pooled. Concentrating these skills enhances the organization’s collective technical ability and quality of performance.
• Individuals can work on more than one project at the same time. This allows for variation within their work and a greater collection of experience. It is also less restrictive for the organization, as a variety of projects can run simultaneously.
• Line managers carry out performance assessments. This is a more equitable approach, as each individual is assessed by a person who is likely to know them better within their specialization.
• There is more effective use of people with rare or specialist knowledge across the organization as individuals can work on more than one project. In addition, if one person is absent, another person with similar skills can be brought in from the same functional matrix.
• Practices are more efficient, as resources may be available for use throughout the organization.

Disadvantages

• Individuals will work under both their line manager and the project manager. This can cause ambiguity, conflicting instructions and split responsibilities/loyalties.
• The project manager relies on the cooperation of numerous line managers.
• Project teams generally do not feel the same sense of team spirit and motivation towards a single purpose.
• Communication may be more difficult if the team is dispersed throughout different parts of the organization, and team members don’t know each other and have conflicting priorities.

Lock’s Hybrid Structure

Lock recognizes that both types of team structure outlined above can be highly effective depending on the type of project and the organization. He states that as a general rule, large projects of long duration will benefit from a purpose-built project team. Matrix structures are generally best if the organization deals with a number of small projects occurring simultaneously.

However, he offers an alternative to these – the hybrid structure. This is where organizations operate a matrix structure as a general rule, but allow teams to be set up for certain projects when necessary. The organization would have specialist groups operating under the management of persons with particular expertise. When a project arises, a project manager would be appointed and would draw upon the resources of the specialist groups. The project manager may be appointed from within a specialist group if the project arises within that group.

Key Points

The appropriate structuring of project teams should allow an organization to function in a way that is most effective for the successful completion of projects and the continuation of normal operations, while making the most of its people and other resources.