Human Resource Planning: Inputs

• Release criteria. Determining the method and timing of releasing team members benefits both the project and team members. When team members are released from a project at the optimum time, payments made for people who are finished with their responsibilities can be eliminated and the costs reduced. Morale is improved when smooth transitions to upcoming projects are already planned. • Training needs. If the team members to be assigned are not expected to have the required competencies, a training plan can be developed as part of the project. The plan can also include ways to help team members obtain certifications that would benefit the project. • Recognition and rewards. Clear criteria for rewards and a planned system for their use will promote and reinforce desired behaviors. To be effective, recognition and rewards should be based on activities and performance under a person’s control. For example, a team member who is to be rewarded for meeting cost objectives should have an appropriate level of control over decisions that affect expenses. Creating a plan with established times for rewards ensures that recognition takes place and is not forgotten. Recognition and rewards are awarded as part of the Develop Project Team process Section 9.3. 9 • Compliance. The staffing management plan can include strategies for complying with applicable government regulations, union contracts, and other established human resource policies. • Safety. Policies and procedures that protect team members from safety hazards can be included in the staffing management plan as well as the risk register.

9.2 Acquire Project

Team Acquire Project Team is the process of obtaining the human resources needed to complete the project. The project management team may or may not have control over team members selected for the project. Figure 9-7. Acquire Project Team: Inputs, Tools Techniques, and Outputs A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK ® Guide Third Edition 2004 Project Management Institute, Four Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA 209

9.2.1 Acquire Project Team: Inputs

.1 Enterprise Environmental Factors Project team members are drawn from all available sources, both internal and external. When the project management team is able to influence or direct staff assignments, characteristics to consider include: • Availability. Who is available and when are they available? • Ability. What competencies do people possess? • Experience. Have the people done similar or related work? Have they done it well? • Interests. Are the people interested in working on this project? • Cost. How much will each team member be paid, particularly if they are contracted from outside the organization? .2 Organizational Process Assets One or more of the organizations involved in the project may have policies, guidelines, or procedures governing staff assignments Section 4.1.1.4. The human resource departments also can assist with recruitment, hiring and orientation of project team members. .3 Roles and Responsibilities Roles and responsibilities define the positions, skills, and competencies that the project demands Section 9.1.3.1. .4 Project Organization Charts Project organization charts provide an overview regarding the number of people needed for the project Section 9.1.3.2. .5 Staffing Management Plan The staffing management plan, along with the project schedule, identifies the time periods each project team member will be needed and other information important to acquiring the project team Section 9.1.3.3.

9.2.2 Acquire Project Team: Tools and Techniques

.1 Pre-Assignment In some cases, project team members are known in advance; that is, they are pre- assigned. This situation can occur if the project is the result of specific people being promised as part of a competitive proposal, if the project is dependent on the expertise of particular persons, or if some staff assignments are defined within the project charter. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK ® Guide Third Edition 210 2004 Project Management Institute, Four Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA .2 Negotiation Staff assignments are negotiated on many projects. For example, the project management team may need to negotiate with: • Functional managers to ensure that the project receives appropriately competent staff in the required time frame, and that project team members will be able to work on the project until their responsibilities are completed • Other project management teams within the performing organization to appropriately assign scarce or specialized resources. The project management team’s ability to influence others plays an important role in negotiating staff assignments, as do the politics of the organizations involved Section 2.3.3. For example, a functional manager will weigh the benefits and visibility of competing projects when determining where to assign exceptional performers that all project teams desire. .3 Acquisition When the performing organization lacks the in-house staff needed to complete the project, the required services can be acquired from outside sources Section 12.4.3.1. This can involve hiring individual consultants or subcontracting work to another organization. 9 .4 Virtual Teams The use of virtual teams creates new possibilities when acquiring project team members. Virtual teams can be defined as groups of people with a shared goal, who fulfill their roles with little or no time spent meeting face to face. The availability of electronic communication, such as e-mail and video conferencing, has made such teams feasible. The virtual team format makes it possible to: • Form teams of people from the same company who live in widespread geographic areas • Add special expertise to a project team, even though the expert is not in the same geographic area • Incorporate employees who work from home offices • Form teams of people who work different shifts or hours • Include people with mobility handicaps • Move forward with projects that would have been ignored due to travel expenses. Communications Planning Section 10.1 becomes increasingly important in a virtual team environment. Additional time may be needed to set clear expectations, develop protocols for confronting conflict, include people in decision-making, and share credit in successes. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK ® Guide Third Edition 2004 Project Management Institute, Four Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA 211