Every project needs a robust project management structure. The GenRays HRIS project is no exception. There is need to establish a strong project management team that will deliver on the expectations of all project stakeholders. This paper outlines the project management structure and proposes the best people from GenRays to take up the positions.
HRIS Project Team Organizational Chart
The HRIS project management team will have three team leaders working under the project manager. Each manager will have a technical team to deliver on specific aspects of the project. Apart from the active project management personnel, the project will also have a project sponsor whose role will be to oversee the work of the project managers and his team.
Figure 2: Project Management Structure
Roles and Organization of Positions
The project sponsor for the HRIS project will play three major roles. First, the project sponsor will be the link between the project management team, the project senior review board, and the stakeholders of the project. The sponsor will not participate in the day-to-day operations of the project in executive capacity. However, he will monitor the daily operations of the project. The sponsor will provide the project team with patronage.
Secondly, the project sponsor will be the custodian of the interests of the senior review board. This board exists to protect the interests of all GenRays stakeholders. Thirdly, the sponsor will serve as a goodwill ambassador for the project. This means that the sponsor will work to ensure that all stakeholders hold the project in favorable regard. This is very essential for the success of any project.
The project manager will lead the executive team of the project. The project manager will report directly to the senior review board. The main duties of the project manager will be as follows. First, the project manager will chair all meetings of the project management committee. The manager will ensure that the meetings achieve their purpose. Secondly, the manager will be in charge of managing the schedule of the project.
At any time, the manager will keep track of the progress of the project to ensure that it proceeds to completion within time and within budget. This is arguably the most important role the project manager will play in the project. The third role that the project manager will play is to direct the efforts of the three managers and other project staff.
The HRIS project is essentially about the installation of an IT system to manage HR issues. Therefore, IT skills will be the knowledgebase that will lead to the achievement of the deliverables of the project. This realization informs the inclusion of an IT team in the project. The main duties of the IT team will fall into two categories.
At the execution level, the IT team will spearhead the installation of IT infrastructure that will run the HRIS system. Most of the essential tasks required for the success of the system are IT tasks. On the other hand, the IT team will also play an advisory role to the other team members.
For instance, the HR team will need to know the possibilities available to HR from IT, and the limitation of IT systems in HR issues. This will enable the HR team to determine the management procedures they need to institute in order to derive the full benefits of the HRIS system.
The HR technical team will be part of the HRIS project because the system to be installed will help the HR department to run its activities. As the main beneficiary and the primary user of the system, it makes sense to have HR representation in the project management team. The HR team will play an advisory role during design and implementation phases.
This will necessitate discussions with the IT team in regards to the needs of HR. The second role the HR team will play in the project will be testing the new system to ensure it meets the organization’s HR needs. The depth of experience of the HR department will form a foundational resource during the design of tests needed to determine the efficacy of the new HRIS system.
The third team that the project will need is the finance team, headed by a finance manager. In order to deliver the project, the project management team will procure several IT systems. The specific systems the project will acquire include high-tech computers, general computers, security systems, operating system software, payroll software, and power equipment.
Apart from procurement, there will be need to account to the senior review board for all the money spent in the project. The project management team needs a finance manager to handle bookkeeping, procurement, and financial accounting. This will be necessary in order to ensure that the project ends on time and on budget.
Recommendation of Members for Each Position in the HRIS Project Team
The proposed people to fill the positions in the project team are tabulated in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Proposed Project Team Members
The natural project sponsor is the CEO of GenRays, Mr. Rory Genhardt. The CEO of an organization is the best-placed person to carry out the functions of a sponsor.
The CEO has interests in the achievements of the project, which motivates him to ensure that the project succeeds. The CEO is also in touch with all project stakeholders. Therefore, he can act as a goodwill ambassador for the project. The GenRays Board has already appointed a project manager. The position is not open for discussion.
The best-placed person to head the IT team is Kendall. He has nine years working experience with the company. Kendall is good at writing software code and the troubleshooting in IT systems. This skill will be invaluable to the project when the implementation process picks up.
The project team will not develop IT software from scratch. Rather, the team will acquire new hardware and software to run the HRIS system. It means that the IT skills that will be needed most are troubleshooting skills and the ability to write code to smooth out the issues in the new system. This makes Kendall indispensable.
Other members of the IT team will include Dakota who will take care of the power supply for the new system, and Ashton who will provide technical support to both Dakota and Kendall. Rylee will also be part of this team to help with the design of performance standards and acquisition of the security systems.
The HR team leader will be Alex from headquarters. Alex was part of the team that implemented the first financial system for the organization. This gives him firsthand experience in the implementation of IT projects, which is invaluable in this project. Apart from experience, Alex understands the HR needs of the organization very well because of his work in the headquarters.
The other members of the HR team include Jamie who has 19 years experience in the HR department. His familiarity with the HR practices in the company makes him an ideal resource during the entire life of the project. The second member of this team is Logan. Logan has 18 years working experience in the HR department. The third member is Kasey.
Kasey’s main role in the HR department is ensuring that the company acquires new talent in engineering and in the research division. The fourth member of the HR team is Tyler. Tyler will offer support to the HR team on the issues relating to performance standards and acquisition of security systems. Please note that Tyler and Rylee will carry out cross-functional work because of their broader experience as plant managers.
The finance manager for the project will be Drew. Drew led the team that designed the procurement bit of the first financial system. This gave her the skills she needs to operate as a team leader. More importantly, she understands the issues surrounding project procurement. Apart from Drew, Shea will also be part of the finance team. Shea specializes in supply chain management.
References
Meredeth, J. R., & Mantel, S. J. (2011). Project Management: A Managerial Approach (8 ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Phillips, J. (2010). IT Project Management. New York: McGraw Hill Professional.