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About this lesson
Most large projects are managed by a cross-functional core team. Core team members have a dual responsibility; they are responsible for the project achieving its goals and they are responsible to ensure that the project complies with their function’s standards and best practices.
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Quick reference
Core Team
Most large projects are managed by a cross-functional core team. Core team members have a dual responsibility; they are responsible for the project achieving its goals and they are responsible to ensure that the project complies with their function’s standards and best practices.
When to use
Projects that require many individuals from different departments or organizations should use the Core Team approach. The Core Team should be established as soon as the project is approved. The Core team stays in place until project completion.
Instructions
- Based upon the high level project plan, an assessment is made of which functions or organizations will play a significant role in doing the work of the project.
- Each of the functions or organizations assigns an individual to be the Core Team member for the project.
- The Core Team member works with functional managers and SMEs to create a plan for the function’s participation in the project.
- Core Team members meet together and create an integrated project plan.
- As the project progresses, Core Team members manage day-to-day project activities.
- Core Team members ensure their respective functional or organizational leaders are informed about project decisions or risk issues prior to stage gate or management review meetings.
- Core Team members work together to resolve issues and problems on the project.
Hints & tips
- Core Team members must lead in two directions. They must lead into their function or organization to manage the project tasks conducted by individuals in their function. They need to ensure the work is done in a way that meets the project goals and needs. They must also lead into the project Core Team to represent their function’s perspective. They must identify and resolve risks within the project that relates to their functional areas. They need to ensure that all project work is done in a manner consistent with their functional standards.
- Core Team members must be good negotiators and good at resolving conflict. Many Core Team meetings are spent resolving issues between functions.
- Core Team members should stay with the project through project closeout. Their performance appraisal should include both project performance and functional performance attributes.
- Core Teams are not needed when there are only 2 or 3 team members or all the work is in one department.
- Project Management Team Definition: “The members of the project team who are directly involved in project management activities.” PMBOK® Guide
This definition is taken from the Glossary of the Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2017. PMBOK is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
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PMI, PMP, CAPM and PMBOK are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.