Project Management Vs. Operational Management

Project management is a trying and taxing profession at the best of times. Projects are often an exercise in frustration management as it seems there is always someone who is unhappy with the project - and by extension - unhappy with you, the project manager. Lately I've noticed that a lot of the conflict stems from the intersection of two distinct groups: the project team and day-to-day operations. When these two worlds collide, the results are often spectacular and violent.

In order to turn the violent collisions into something more akin to a gentle nudge, you may want to consider the following before embarking on a major project within an organization that is not well-versed in the coexistence of projects and operations.

#1: Finite vs. Infinite

Part of the problem stems from the differing long-term goals of the two groups. Projects are designed to come to a timely conclusion. Period. Hopefully they conclude on time, within the established budget and according to the defined scope and quality benchmarks. But they always end. On the other hand, the day-to-day operations of an organization can theoretically go on forever. It's a case of finite versus infinite.

It's essential that the people involved in a project have a mindset that reflects the sense of urgency that must accompany a successful project.

#2: Organization Structure

If your organization is hierarchical in structure, with numerous layers of bureaucracy, you're in for a rough ride trying to implement your project. Projects tend to run smoother in a strong-matrix type of structure where the project manager has the ability to make quick and meaningful decisions without constantly running through an obstacle course of bureaucracy.

If it's not possible to move from a hierarchical to matrix type of organization - and probably it isn't - then you should strongly consider forming a steering committee with representation from the various operational units within your organization. Key to making this work is ensuring you have the right people representing the correct units. Determining who the right people are is a real challenge. Looking beyond titles, you need to identify who actually gets things done within a unit. Target those people for membership on the committee.

#3: Transitioning Resources or Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

If your project is going to make use of human resources borrowed from operational units, you need to discuss the following with the operational managers:

a) Is the operational unit sufficiently staffed to function on a reduced complement or is backfilling of resources required?
b) What are the acceptable timelines for secondment of the resources to the project?
c) What happens to the resource when an operational emergency occurs? Does the operational emergency take precedence over the project with respect to the resource's time or should the operational manager ensure an acceptable contingency plan exists that does not necessitate recalling the resource?
d) Who does the resource deal with for items such as reviews, promotions and pay increases while seconded to the project?
e) What's the plan for dealing with the resource once the project ends and the resource returns to the operational unit? Will the resource happily return to his/her previous job or will they be moving into a new role as a result of involvement in the project?

In trying to answer these questions, you'll uncover some interesting insights into how your organization works. Ensuring you have workable agreements with the operational managers before beginning projects guards against the age-old problem of having to "rob Peter to pay Paul."