Describe the organizational structure.
Describe the type of the organizational structure that you believe would best suit the company for your course project and why.
Create a communications management plan.
You can review a Sample Communications Management Plan documentOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader Download Sample Communications Management Plan documentOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader. The goal of a communications management plan is to ensure that communication, which is important for all projects, is established. The lines of communication need to be defined so that project managers, project team members, the client and customer, and all relevant stakeholders understand how to properly ensure communication is directed and recorded so there is no confusion. Remember, your responsibility as a project manager is to control the flow of communication. Not having an effective communications management plan can reduce the influence a project manager has. Also, keep in mind communication and types of communication are different for every organization. Your focus for your communication plan will focus specifically on items and events. Therefore, create a communication management plan using the template provided. You can use Excel or Word. The columns will be the following. Review the video for more details about each columns.
Item/event
Purpose
Audience
Date/frequency
Who is responsible?
Authority to release?
Organizational Structures, Communications Management Plan, and RAM/RACI
Recommended Organizational Structure for the Project
To ensure the success of the course project—which requires focused attention, clear decision-making, and dedicated resources—the project should be structured using a Projectized Organizational Structure.
Rationale for Projectized Structure:
Clear Authority: In a Projectized structure, the Project Manager has full authority over resources, budget, and schedule. This eliminates confusion and the need to negotiate priorities constantly with functional managers, streamlining decision-making.
Dedicated Resources: The team members are assigned full-time to the project and report directly to the Project Manager for the duration of the project. This fosters a strong sense of team identity and loyalty to the project's goals.
Sample Answer
Description of the Client's Current Organizational Structure
For the purpose of this project, we will assume the client organization (the entity commissioning the work) operates under a Weak Matrix Organizational Structure. This is a common structure in medium-to-large enterprises where employees are divided by function but occasionally engage in project work.
Characteristics of the Weak Matrix Structure:
Functional Hierarchy: The primary structure is based on departments (e.g., Marketing, IT, Finance, Operations). Employees report directly to their functional managers.
Project Manager Role: The Project Manager (PM) role is often part-time or acts as a Project Coordinator or Project Expediter. The PM has limited authority, budget control, and decision-making power.
Resource Allocation: Project team members are drawn from the functional departments and continue to report to their functional managers, who retain full authority over their time and performance reviews. The project is often seen as "extra" work.
Communication Flow: Communication is primarily vertical within functional silos, leading to potential delays and confusion when coordinating across departments for project tasks.
Implications for the Course Project:
In this environment, the project is likely to be challenging due to competing functional priorities and the PM’s lack of influence over resources and team member commitments.