THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Individual Learning and Organizational Learning

Excellence in project management is based on the ability of individuals to initiate, plan, execute, control, and terminate the project scope and product scope successfully. The ability of individuals to master product- and project-related processes is the foundation on which organizational learning is built. Individual learning can take many forms, including the learning of verbal knowledge, intellec- tual skills, cognitive strategies, and attitudes. The learning mechanism can also take many forms, including learning by imitation of other people or learning by repetition of a process.

The ability of groups to improve performances by learning is also very important. Katzenbach and Smith (1993) explain how important it is to combine individual learning with team building.

A project team must combine these two learning processes in order to succeed. As it is important for each individual to learn and master his part in the product scope and in the project scope, it is equally important for the group to learn how to work as a team. Team building and organizational learning are important in the project environment. Establishing clear processes in which the input to each process is well defined and the individuals responsible for the process master the tools and techniques required to do the process right and to produce the desired output enables excellence in project management to be achieved.

Workflow and Process Design as the Basis of Learning

Successful project management requires successful planning, execution, and control of project scope and the product scope. The one-time, nonrepetitive nature of projects makes uncertainty a major factor affecting a project’s success. In addition, the ability to learn by repetition is limited because most projects are unique. A key to project-management success is the exploitation of the repetitive parts of project scope. Identifying repetitive processes (repetitiveness within the project as well as repetitiveness between projects) and building an environment that supports learning and data collec- tion enhances competitiveness in project management.

A key tool in building a learning–supporting environment is the design and implementation of a workflow-management system–a system that defines, manages, supports, and executes information- processing and decision-making processes. Each of the processes discussed in this chapter should be studied, defined, and implemented within the workflow management system. The definition includes the trigger (which initiates the process) of the process, inputs to the process, the participants in the process, the activities performed and required data processing, models used, the order or sequence of processing, and finally, process termination conditions and the process results or deliverables. The workflow-management system employs a workflow-enactment system or workflow-process engines that can create, manage, and execute multiple process instances.

By identifying the repetitive processes shared by many projects performed by an organization, it is possible to implement a workflow system that supports and even automates the repetitive processes. Automation means that the routing of each process is defined along with the input information, processing, and output information. Thus, although the product scope may vary substantially from project to project, the execution of the project scope is supported by an automatic workflow system that reduces the level of uncertainty (processes are clearly defined and the flow of information required to support these processes is automatic) and enables learning. The well-structured process can be taught to new employees or learned by repetition. In projects performed by the organization, the same processes are repeated, the same formats are used to present information, and the same models support decision making.

Definition of processes and the support of these processes by a workflow-management system are key to the success of organizations dealing repeatedly with projects.

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