Should there be a division of labor?
In the end, that is the question one must ask.
Unfortunately, my answer to this question is vague: it depends. If an
organization is a start-up company, the answer may be that a person has
multiple roles, including some PM functions.
Does that make that person a PM? I believe that it makes him/her
responsible for the PM duties. The person may not see himself/herself as a PM,
but the role has been placed on him/her. Is that a perfect position? Not really
because the person is conducting activity that may not be his/her main
specialty. Now, in a smaller organization, especially if it is a start-up, the
mixture of tasks becomes necessary. The problem arises when someone is made the
PM by default. This has happened in IT
often and until recently, the reason why many IT projects failed.
Can the PM be effective in dual roles?
The answer to this question can be yes, especially if the
resource has done this before and is accustomed to performing dual roles and
tasks. The problem arises when a resource really sees him/herself as a BA or
SME more than a PM. When that happens, the PM’s tasks suffer because the
resource wants to spend his/her time on the tasks that he/she believes are more
important. Again, in smaller organizations like start-ups, this is not even a
question. Being effective in dual or even multiple roles is a necessity. However,
let’s assume that this organization is neither small nor a start-up. Giving a
resource PM duties along with the resources duties of a BA, SME, or even a
development manager is usually not a good idea. These roles are not the same
and even conflict at times. When that happens, chaos exists and that is not
good for anyone in the organization.
Are multiple roles common only in small organizations?
No, I have seen PMs playing multiple roles in both large and
small organizations. I have seen successful projects delivered where the PM’s
role is given to a resource that is responsible for other tasks. However, the
risk of project failure is higher if the PM’s role is given to a person who
does not want the role or who cannot function as a PM for any reason. It is my
opinion that if an organization can do so, they should assign a PM to a project
deliverable that only has PM responsibility.
Most times the role of a PM or comes down to cost and if
senior executives can defend a sole PM role. If not, the PM should be prepared
to work in a dual capacity.
I am open to discussion at any time on these blogs or anything else related to project management you would like to explore. If you would like to comment about this blog, please do so by posting on this blog or by responding in an email at Benny A. Recine. You may inspire a blog article. I look forward to your comments.
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