Hexagon of Excellence Review the “Hexagon of Excellence” in Chapter 7 in your text and write a 2 to 4 page (not including title and reference pages), APA style article review paper. • Select and describe at least three characteristics that make the perf

Hexagon of Excellence

Review the “Hexagon of Excellence” in Chapter 7 in your text and write a 2 to 4 page (not including title and reference pages), APA style article review paper. 

• Select and describe at least three characteristics that make the performance of a company excellent in terms of how they approach project management. 
• Provide details on how a current or previous employer used any of these areas for success in the marketplace
• Analyzes how an employer aligns projects to organizational strategy.

These six characteristics formulate the “hexagon of excellence,” as shown in Figure 7–2. These six areas differentiate those companies excellent in project management from those with average skills in project management. Each of the six areas is discussed below.

Level 3 is the level in which the organization recognizes that synergism and process control can best be achieved through the development of a singular methodology rather than by using multiple methodologies for the same group or domain of projects. There may exist a separate methodology for new product development and another methodology for information systems. The goal, however, should be to determine the minimum number of domains or groups and have one methodology for each. In this level, the organization is totally committed to the concept of project management. The characteristics of Level 3, as shown in Figure 7–1, are as follows: Integrated processes: This is where the organization recognizes that multiple processes can be streamlined into one, integrated process encompassing all other processes. (However, not all companies have the luxury of using a single methodology.) Cultural support: Integrated processes create a singular methodology. It is through this singular methodology that exceptional benefits are achieved. The execution of the methodology is through the corporate culture, which now wholeheartedly supports the project management approach. The culture becomes a cooperative culture. Management support: In this level, project management support permeates the organization throughout all layers of management. The support is visible. Each layer or level of management understands its role and the support needed to make the singular methodology work. Informal project management: With management support and a cooperative culture, the singular methodology is based upon guidelines and checklists, rather than based on the expensive development of rigid policies and procedures. Paperwork is minimized. Training and education: With strong cultural support, the organization realizes financial benefits from project management training. The benefits can be described quantitatively and qualitatively.

CULTURE Project management methodologies must not simply be pieces of paper. The pieces of paper must be converted into a world-class methodology by the way in which the corporate culture executes the methodology. Companies excellent in project management have cooperative cultures where the entire organization supports the singular methodology. Organizational resistance is at a minimum, and everyone pitches in during times of trouble. Cultural transformation is never easy. From a project management perspective, common purposes for a cultural transformation include the corporate vision, corporate goals, and the creation of a singular methodology for project management. Although there are a multitude of cultural issues, the four most common fears affecting project management are: The embedded fear of change The fear of having to create a new social group The fear of a change in work habits or comfort zone The uncertain impact on the wage and salary program The hierarchy of fears can change from company to company, yet strategies must be put in place to overcome these fears or else Level 3 completion could be prolonged. Typical ways to overcome these fears are shown in

MANAGEMENT SUPPORT Cooperative cultures require effective management support at all levels. During the execution of the project management methodology, the interface between proj-ect management and line management is critical. Effective relationships with line management are based upon these factors: Project managers and line managers share accountability for the successful completion of a project. Line managers must keep their promises to the project managers. Project managers negotiate with line managers for the accomplishment of deliverables rather than for specific talent. Project managers can request specific talent, but the final decision for staffing belongs to the line manager. Line managers trust their employees enough to empower those employees to make decisions related to their specific functional area without continuously having to run back to their line manager. If a line manager is unable to keep a promise he or she made to a project, then the project manager must do everything possible to help the line manager develop alternative plans. The relationship between project management and senior management is equally important. A good relationship with executive management, specifically the executive sponsor, includes these factors: The project manager is empowered to make project-related decisions. This is done through decentralization of authority and decision-making. The sponsor is briefed periodically while maintaining a hands-off, but available, position. The project manager (and other project personnel) are encouraged to present recommendations and alternatives rather than just problems. Exactly what needs to be included in a meaningful executive status report has been formulated. A policy is in place calling for periodic, but not excessively frequent, briefings.

INFORMAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT With informal project management, the organization recognizes the high cost of paperwork. Informal project management does not eliminate paperwork. Instead, paperwork requirements are reduced to the minimum acceptable levels. For this to work effectively, the organization must experience effective communications, cooperation, trust, and teamwork. These four elements are critical components of a cooperative culture. As trust develops, project sponsorship may be pushed down from the executive levels to middle management. The project managers no longer wears multiple hats (i.e., being a project manager and line manager at the same time), but functions as a dedicated project manager. The development of project management methodologies at Level 2 are based upon rigid policies and procedures. But in Level 3, with a singular methodology based more upon informal project management, methodologies are written in the format of general guidelines and checklists. This drastically lowers methodology execution cost and execution time. The advent of colored printers has allowed companies to provide additional information without words. As an example, one company uses a “traffic light” beside each work breakdown structure (WBS) work package in the status report. The traffic light is either red, yellow, or green, based upon the following definitions: Red: A problem exists that may affect time, cost, scope, or quality. Sponsor involvement is necessary. Yellow: This is a caution. A potential problem may exist. The sponsor is informed, but no action by the sponsor is necessary right now. Green: Work is progressing as planned. Sponsor involvement is not necessary.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION In Level 3, there is a recognition that there exists a return on investment for training dollars. The benefits, or return on investment, can be measured quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative results include: Shorter product development time Faster, higher quality decisions Lower costs Higher profit margins Fewer people needed Reduction in paperwork Improved quality and reliability Lower turnover of personnel Quicker “best practices” implementation

Qualitative results include: Better visibility and focus on results Better coordination Higher morale Accelerated development of managers Better control Better customer relations Better support from the functional areas Fewer conflicts requiring senior management involvement Project management training and education is an investment and, as such, senior management wishes to know when the added profits will materialize. This can best be explained from Figure 7–7. Initially, there may be a substantial cost incurred during Level 2 and the beginning of Level 3. But as the culture develops and informal project management matures, the cost of project management diminishes to a pegged level while the additional profits grow. The “question mark” in Figure 7–7 generally occurs during Level 3, which is usually about two to five years after the organization has made a firm commitment to project management.

By Level 3, executives have realized that the speed by which the benefits can be achieved can be accelerated through proper training and education. Therefore the training and education in Level 3 does not consist merely of a few random courses. Instead, as discussed in the advancement criteria for completing Level 2 and moving up to Level 3, the company develops a project management curriculum. This will encompass a “core competency model” for the basic and advanced skills that a project manager should possess. Training is conducted to support the core competency skills. BEHAVIORAL EXCELLENCE Behavioral excellence occurs when the organization recognizes the differences between project management and line management, and the fact that a completely different set of training courses is required to support sustained project management growth. Emphasis is placed on: Motivation in project management Creation of outstanding project leaders Characteristics of productive teams Characteristics of productive organizations Sound and effective project management People are often under the misapprehension that achieving Level 3 in the PMMM will deliver 100 percent successful projects. This is not true. Successful implementation of project management does not guarantee that your projects will be successful. Instead, it does guarantee that your projects will be managed effectively, thus improving your chances of success. From Figure 7–8 we see that, during Level 3 of the PMMM, the number of project successes increases. However, even though the number of successes increases, and comes to dramatically exceed the number of failures, failure still exists. Project management does not circumvent the problem of unrealistic objectives or targets, unforeseen acts of God, and economic upheaval. Any company that has a 100 percent project success rate is not working on enough projects. No risk is being taken. Also, any executive sponsor or project manager who always makes the right decision is not making enough decisions.

Kerzner, Harold R. (2011-11-29). Using the Project Management Maturity Model: Strategic Planning for Project Management (Kindle Locations 2918-2937). Wiley. Kindle Edition.