Team Development for High Tech Project Managers

Chris McMillan is a software engineer at the Sprint Corporation and has 15 years of experience in the telecommunications industry as both a participant in and leader of project teams, including colocated and virtual teams. He holds an M.S. in Project Management from Western Carolina University and a B.S. in mathematical sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Chapter 1-Project Management Principles in a High Technology Environment. Definition of a Project. Definition of Project Management. Definition of a Team. Role of the Project Manager. The Project Life Cycle. Project Management Processes. Chapter 2-Project Requirements Development. Project Selection. Project Initiation. Requirements Definition Cycle. Pitfalls of Requirements Definition. Chapter 3-Types of Teams. Functional Teams. Self-Directed Teams. Cross-Functional Teams. Hybrids. Chapter 4-Stages of Team Development in the Technology Arena. Birth. Exploration. Discovery. Performance. Completion. Chapter 5-Hugh Tech Project Structures and Associated Project Management Styles. Overview of Project Structures. Overview of Project Management Frameworks. Matching Management Models with Project Structures. Chapter 6-Communication Systems for Teams in a Technical Environment. Formal Systems. Informal Systems. Internal Team Communication. Communication with the Outside World. Chapter 7-Motivation Systems for Technical Teams. Monetary Compensation. Awards and Recognition. Cretive Motivational Methods. Quality of Life. Inspiring Innovation. Chapter 8-Quality for High Tech Project Teams. A brief History of the Quality Movement. Planning for Project Quality. The Cost of Quality. Tools to Measure Quality. Chapter 9-Managing Virtual Technology Teams. Virtual Teams Defined. Specific Challenges of the Virtual Team. Chapter 10-Future Directions for Project Management. Appendixes