Define the organizational structure

When working in projects with more than 7-10 persons it is necessary to define the organizational structure. Who is part of the project organization, who refers to who and how is the project divided into teams.

The traditional organizational chart is much more efficient than a lot of text to give a quick overview of how a project is organized.

The definition of the organizational structure has multiple purposes:

• The organizational structure defines who is inside and outside the project organization
• Project participants know how they belong to the project
• Defining the organizational structure offers an option to organize resources  in a way that supports project objectives
• The definition of the organizational structure is a way to define overall role and responsibilities
• The organizational structure is an important communication tool also to people outside the project

Activities

• Select format for organizational structure
• Draw the organizational structure and create comments
• Validate the structure
• Communicate the organizational structure
• Evaluate and update the organizational structure

Additional comments

Especially in bigger projects it may be time consuming to create the visual representation of the org chart. Be prepared to create multiple versions with various levels of information. The organizational chart is a communication tool so make sure it looks good.

Defining the right team structure is a key task when defining the organization structure. 

Ensuring that required coordination and communications between teams is taking place without taking up to much time will save much time during the project.

Consider how to make cross function teams work efficient. It may be a challenge for cross function teams (like QA, communications and training) to utilize resources in core teams.