Team Effectiveness: An Analysis of ECRM Project Management

This report provides a detailed analysis of team effectiveness within the context of an Electronic Customer Relationship Management (ECRM) project in an IT project developing company. The report begins with an introduction outlining the importance of team management and its impact on project success. It then defines project goals, plans, and objectives, followed by a discussion on team purpose, roles, and responsibilities of team members. The report emphasizes the development of performance plans, policies, and procedures, as well as strategies for motivating team members. It also identifies project management issues, such as poor communication and lack of accountability, and offers recommendations for improvement. The report explores methods to encourage team members, open communication processes with stakeholders, and communication strategies from management. The conclusion summarizes key findings, emphasizing the significance of team collaboration, training, and communication in achieving project goals. The report also includes a list of references, comprising books, journals, and online resources.

Ensure team effectiveness

TABLE OF CONTENTS
introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Project goals, plans and objectives..............................................................................................1
Team purpose, roles and responsibilities of team members........................................................1
Developing performance plans....................................................................................................2
Developing policies and procedures............................................................................................2
Motivation among team members...............................................................................................3
Project management issues and recommendations......................................................................3
Define methods which encourage team members.......................................................................3
Open communication processes with all stakeholders................................................................3
Communication from line manager/management to the team.....................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Team management is one of the major requirement for managing a project in an effective
manner. Every project manager needs to focus on team communication and coordination for
achieving team goals and objectives. The current research project is based on ensuring about the
team effectiveness for an ongoing project in an IT project developing company (Dey, Clegg and
Bennett, 2010). This study will develop a team performance plan and facilitate team cohesion.
Including this, it will also comprise appropriate allocation of roles and responsibilities in each
team member. Further, research will conduct stakeholder analysis in the following paragraphs of
the report.
Project goals, plans and objectives
Project goals:
To implement Electronic customer relationship management (ECRM) system in a retail
organization of UK.
Plans and objectives:
• To select appropriate ECRM system as per the needs and requirements of
organization.
• To develop appropriate project plan for implementation of ECRM.
• To make appropriate communication between team members for completing different
activities of project plan.
• To complete ECRM project on time and cost.
Team purpose, roles and responsibilities of team members
Implementation of ECRM system is the major objective of this project so, major purpose
of team is completing each and every activity of project on specific time and cost in effective
manner. For completing this project organization will require different human resources such as
project manager, technical expert, software engineer, relationship manager and administrative
staff members. Organization and project manager will allocate roles and responsibilities to every
team member as per their skills and knowledge. So, project manager will have a responsibility of
completing entire project in effective manner. Along with this, technical expert and software
engineer will be accountable for implementing ECRM system in appropriate way including all
technical fulfilment. Including this, these resources have a responsibility of managing all
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technical risks in effective manner (Schiff, 2012). Relationship manager will be accountable for
determining needs and requirements of customers towards the online CRM facilities. Along with
this operating this CRM system is also considered as major responsibility of relationship
manager of the organization. Further, administrative staff member is responsible for
documentation of each and every activity of the project plan. Therefore, project manager will
allocate roles and responsibility as per the skills and knowledge of every individual.
Developing performance plans
Performance plan for ECRM project will include the following stages:
1. Establishing a team for completing project in effective manner.
2. Developing project plan including major activities and schedule.
3. Determining the project performance indicators for each and every activity.
4. Establishing base line and targets for completing project.
5. Analysing project progress and working session.
6. Comparing the expected and actual outcomes of the project performance.
7. Assessing performance of every project individuals.
Expected outcomes of the project is strong relationship with customers and increment in
total sales revenue of the organization. ECRM project will also play important role in
determining needs and requirements of customers and resolving their problems in better way.
Output of this project will be implementation of online CRM system for the organization (Martin
and Guerin, 2006).
Key performance indicators of ECRM project will include budgeted and actual cost,
earned value project, return on investment and cost variance. Along with this performance plan
will also focus on goals for work team. As per this stage completing each and every task on time
will be considered as major goal of work team.
Developing policies and procedures
Project policies will focus on appropriate allocation of roles and responsibilities to each
team members in effective manner. Along with this, project management process will assure
about the completion of every take on specific time and specified cost. Project manager will also
ensure about accomplishment of own work of every team member along with appropriate
assistance to help other for completing their responsibilities in effective manner (Zwikael, 2009).
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Motivation among team members
Motivating is one of the major requirements for encouraging team members to give best
performance. Training and development, monetary rewards, clear goals and objectives and
performance analysis are important method for motivating team members. Training and
development will play important role in increasing their skills and knowledge which will help in
completing their roles and responsibilities. Monetary rewards will also encourage team members
to give their best performance. Including this, clear goals and objectives will also help in
increasing encouraging each and every team member (Kloppenborg, 2011).
Project management issues and recommendations
There are number of project management issues such as inappropriate skills for project,
lack of accountability, inappropriate risk management and poor communication are major project
management issues. These may have negative impact on overall performance of ECRM project.
For resolving these issues project manager needs to arrange appropriate training and
development programme for all team members. Including this, risk register needs to be used by
project manager for managing different project risks (Chiu-Chi and et.al, 2013).
Define methods which encourage team members
For improving communication between team members project manager will use different
communication channel such as internet, email, video conferencing, etc. It will help in improving
coordination among team members.
Open communication processes with all stakeholders
Customers, employees, government, shareholders are considered as important
stakeholder. Organization will focus on needs and requirements of every stakeholder in effective
manner. Project manager will communicate information about ECRM project to customer using
internet and other promotional activities. Along with this, email communication and video
conferencing is an appropriate method of communication with team members. Therefore, this
open communication will help in managing effective relations with stakeholders (Martin and
Guerin, 2006).
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Communication from line manager/management to the team
Meetings, conference, workshop, internet, mobiles, video calling are important way of
communication by which line manager can make communication with all team members of
ECRM project (Kloppenborg, 2011).
CONCLUSION
The current research project has concluded that working in a team plays very important
role in completing every activity of ECRM project. Training and development, monetary rewards
are important method for motivating team members. Along with this project manager can use
different digital methods for making communication with team members.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chiu-Chi, W. and et.al, 2013. Assignment of project members considering capability and
personality balance. Kybernetes. 42(7).Pp.1016 - 1028.
Dey, K. P., Clegg, T., and Bennett, J. D., 2010. Managing enterprise resource planning projects.
Business Process Management Journal. 16(2). pp.282 – 296.
Kloppenborg, T., 2011. Contemporary Project Management. 2nd ed. Cengage Learning
Martin, S. C., and Guerin, A. D., 2006. Using research to inform design solutions. Journal of
Facilities Management. 4(3). pp.167 – 180.
Zwikael, O., 2009. Critical planning processes in construction projects. Construction Innovation:
Information. Process, Management. 9(4). pp.372 – 387.
Online
Schiff, L. J., 2012. 12 Common Project Management Mistakes--and How to Avoid Them.
[Online]. Available through: < http://www.cio.com/article/2391872/project-
management/12-common-project-management-mistakes--and-how-to-avoid-them.html>.
[Accessed on 10th November 2016].
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