Researchers examining the development of project office function note that early efforts to support these constructs have failed. Despite this failure however, the recent streamlining of information technology in the organization has created a situation in which organizations are now looking to project office function as a central means for collecting and analyzing data in the organization (Vandersluis, 1998). With the realization that project office function has become so prominent in the organization, this brief investigation considers the development and implementation of a project office function to support a multi-release program within the project management office at Abbott Laboratories. Through a careful consideration of the current status of the project management in the organization and a consideration of the current methods being used for the development of project office function a comprehensive plan for project office function will be outlined.
Company Background
Abbott Laboratories is a global corporation that is dedicated to providing healthcare advancements and supplies to the international community. According to the organization's website, "Our products span the continuum of care, from nutritional products and laboratory diagnostics through medical devices and pharmaceutical therapies" (About Abbot, 2006). The organization currently has operations in 130 countries worldwide. In total the organization employs more than 65,000 employees. The specific areas of concentration for the organization include medial products, such as vascular care, diabetes care and nutrition; pharmaceutical products such as Depakote, Synthroid and Omnicef; and community social initatives
[...] In addition, the project management office will need to acquire data from each department with respect to the specifics of a proposed project. Similar initiatives undertaken by the department along with financial data on past and proposed projects will need to be collected and aggregated. Further, the organization will have to acquire external data on competitors and an overall review of current market conditions in a particular industry. All of this data will need to be aggregated such that the project office is able to effectively provide a comprehensive overview of a proposed project. [...]
[...] By keeping the lines of communication open during a time of change, project managers will be able to effectively reduce the negative impact of change on team members. While change is inevitable, the impact of change on the project management team can be positive overall. References About Abbot. (2006). Abbot Laboratories. Accessed August at: http://www.abbott.com/global/url/content/en_US/10:10/general_content/General _Content_00004.htm. Annual report. (2005). Abbot Laboratories. Accessed August at: http://www.abbott.com/static/content/microsite/annual_report/2005/home/conte nts.html. Jones, S.H. (2006). Better project management performance with Six Sigma. Six Sigma. Accessed August at: http://www.isixsigma.com/library/content/c060102a.asp. [...]
[...] Using this advice as a basis for self-diagnosis in decision making, it seems reasonable to argue that leaders and team members working on a specific project need to collect data, analyze it and base decision making on the analysis of the data. Decision making in the process of program management team can provide a notable point for project success or failure. For this reason, it is essential that project members utilize data in their decision-making process. Leaders could establish rules that make it necessary for all decisions made with respect to the project to be firmly based on data collected through the project development process. [...]
[...] Only by establishing a firm chain of communication from the project office will it be possible for the organization to effective manage information and information distribution in the company. With respect to communicating with customers, the organization will also need to develop a formal infrastructure to achieve this end as well. Communication to suppliers would be critical for ensuring that the organization's products are successfully marketed. Formal communications for product end users could come in the form of printed material sent directly to the consumer—i.e. [...]
[...] When benchmark data is collected for all employees working on a specific project, the resources of the project team can be fully extrapolated and exploited. The goal in this case is to monitor employee development such that this data can be used for improving project outcomes. Change Management The final issue that must be considered in the context of the program management team is the issue of change management. Hutchinson (2006) in his examination of change management in both organizations and in project teams notes that this process often remains an elusive goal. [...]
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