Project Organisation: Meaning, Features, Advantages, Disadvantages and Suitabili...

What is Project Organisation?

Project Organisation is like a roadmap for managing a project. It tells everyone who’s involved, what their job is, who they answer to, and how they should share information. One typically has a project leader who makes sure everything goes according to plan. Then there’s the project team – the people who do the work to reach the project’s goals. If the project is big, there might also be a group of senior people giving advice and making big decisions. To help everyone understand the project, a document explains what needs to be done, when, and how. The project is usually broken down into smaller tasks using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Method, and a communication plan outlines how everyone will stay in touch and update each other. The way a project is organised can change depending on the project itself, the size of the company, and the approach or style used to manage the project.

Features of Project Organisation

Project organisation comes with a set of helpful features that make running of a project smoother:

1. Everyone knows their Job: Each person has a specific role and knows exactly what they’re supposed to do. This keeps things organised and avoids mix-ups.

2. Leadership and Order: There’s usually one person, the project manager, in charge of the whole thing. This makes decision-making easier and more efficient.

3. Teamwork: Everyone on the project works together towards the same goal. This builds a strong team spirit.

4. Communication is Key: Good communication is a must in the project organisation. Everyone involved needs to be kept in the loop with regular updates.

5. Breaking down of Tasks: The project is split into smaller tasks. This makes the work easier to manage and track it.

6. Responsibility: With clear roles, it’s easy to see who’s accountable for what. The project manager oversees the whole project, ensuring everything stays on track.

7. Adaptable: The way a project is organised can change based on what the project needs. It can fit with different project management styles, like Agile or Waterfall.

8. Goal-focused: Since the team is formed for a specific project, all the energy and resources are dedicated to reach the project’s goal.

9. Customer-focused: A lot of the time, project organisation is all about meeting the customer’s needs and ensuring they’re happy with the result.

10. Clear Timeline: Each project has a set start and finish date. This helps everyone stay focused and work efficiently.

Advantages Of Project Organisation

Project organisation comes with a lot of perks that can make managing a project a smoother experience. Here are some of them:

1. Staying on Target: When a team is brought together for a specific project, they can focus better on what they’re supposed to achieve.

2. Working Smarter: When everyone knows their roles and tasks, the work gets done faster and better. There’s less chance of tasks getting missed or done twice.

3. Better Teamwork and Updates: A solid communication plan helps everyone work together and stay informed about how the project is going.

4. Everyone’s Responsible: When roles are clear, everyone knows what they’re accountable for. The project manager can keep a closer eye on how the project is going.

5. Being Adaptable: The project organisation can change based on what’s needed for the project. It can fit different styles of project management, like Agile or Waterfall.

6. Managing Problems: The project manager and the team can better spot and handle potential problems because of the structured approach.

7. Happy Customers: Projects are often all about meeting customer needs. So, this setup helps make sure the customers are happy with the results.

8. Thinking Outside the Box: When you’ve got a team with a mix of skills and ideas, it can lead to more creative and innovative solutions.

9. Learning New Things: Working on a project lets team members learn new skills and get more experience, which is great for their careers.

10. Clear Goals: Having a clear start and finish gives everyone a better idea of what the project is trying to achieve and when it should be done. This gives everyone a clear direction and timeline.

Disadvantages Of Project Organisation

Project organisation can be really helpful, but it also has some downsides that are worth keeping in mind:

1. Sharing Resources: Sometimes, projects need to share resources like people, equipment, or money, especially if there are lots of projects happening at the same time.

2. Conflicts: Sometimes, team members might have to answer to both their regular manager and the project manager, which can lead to disagreements.

3. Teamwork Challenges: If the team is new or if people are from different parts of the company, it can be tough to get everyone to work together smoothly.

4. Starting from Scratch: When a project ends, the team usually breaks up. This can mean that some of the knowledge and experience gained during the project gets lost.

5. Career Worries: In a project-based organisation, some people might feel unsure about how their careers will progress after the project is over.

6. Dependence on the Leader: A project’s success can depend a lot on the project manager. If they aren’t good at their job or if they leave in the middle of the project, it can cause big problems.

7. Too focused on the Project: Sometimes, a project can become so important that people forget about the bigger picture and the overall goals of the company.

8. Who’s in Charge?: In some project organisations, it’s not always clear who has the authority or responsibility for what. This can be confusing and make things less efficient.

9. Going Over Budget: Sometimes, projects end up costing more than planned because of unexpected problems or changes.

10. Deadline Stress: There’s often a lot of pressure to finish projects on time, which can lead to stress and burnout.

Suitability of Project Organisation

Project organisation is a great choice in several situations. Here are some examples where it might work well:

1. Big and Tricky Projects: If the project is large, complicated, or needs special knowledge, a project organisation can really help. It sets up a team that’s dedicated to manage all the tricky parts.
2. Mixing Different Areas: When a project needs experts from different fields or departments, project organisation lets these experts work together. This brings together a bunch of different skills and ideas.
3. Projects with a Timeline: If a project has a clear start and end date, project organisation can be really handy. It’s built to work well with clear timelines.
4. Fresh and New Projects: If the project is something new, different, or innovative, project organisation can help. It gives room for creativity, problem-solving, and flexibility.
5. Projects with Clear Goals: When a project knows exactly what it wants to achieve, project organisation can keep everyone focused on these goals.
6. Customer-focused Projects: If a project is all about meeting the needs of a customer, project organisation can help make sure the customer is happy with the result.
7. Quick Decision Projects: In situations where decisions need to be made quickly, project organisation can speed things up. Its clear structure makes decision-making faster and more efficient.

Keep in mind that while project organisation can be a great choice in these situations, it might not be the best fit for everything. It’s important to think about what the project needs, what resources are available, and the overall context before deciding on the best way to organise things.