5) Problem Solving

 “Software problems are not natural disasters like earthquakes or tornadoes, in which human actions are more or less inconsequential. In fact software disasters are entirely man made and we have the ability to prevent them from occurring if we choose to do so.”(Holmes 2001)

For any project to be successful problems should be pre anticipated (as mentioned in the scalability section) Although no matter how much planning and how much risk analysis has been done, it is still inevitable that something may go wrong. This could include factors related to human nature, such as de-motivation, personality clashes, or ill health of an essential team member. It is the job once again of the project manager to come up with a solution to whatever issue may arise.

“Project Management success is 80% art (the people skills) and 20% science or technology based” (Flannes 2001)

It is important for the manager to have the correct people skills to arrange a mediation or workaround. However this can only go so far, if for instance a member of the group is acting inappropriately or in a non professional manner, disciplinary procedures must be taken into action and this could vary from a verbal warning, temporary suspension or even complete dismissal. Preferably disciplinary action should be of a “learn from your mistakes” approach, constructive and unbiased of personal opinions and not in the nature of discrimination or persecution. This of course depends on many factors, such as frequency and severity of the individual’s behaviour. (Avins 1972)

What should be considered if poor productivity or behavioural issues arise is if they are being over / under supervised or over worked, which can be a fault in the planning stages. All members of the team should have regular breaks, as it has been shown that regular breaks actually increases morale and productivity, also team building. (Goessi 2010) It can also promote a positive attitude, and a friendlier working environment. It is preferable to be friendly with your colleagues, and ways of “icebreaking” between new teams are common in the workplace. This includes things such as away days, teambuilding exercises and meetings. Although having a social foundation is highly advantageous, there needs to be a clear line drawn on socialising and working, or this can lead to lessened outputs of productive work, for instance if the staff spend more time discussing off topic issues than discussing how to tackle their allocated module of the project.

Other types of problems that may occur may be things such as being under or over budget, being behind the time scale allocated or sudden changes in the client’s requirements. What makes a good team is adaptability; this includes an agreement to flexible working hours and a dynamic approach to the project as a whole. If the team successfully looks ahead as one and manages each others resources well together, most obstacles can be overcome if announced from the manager.

It is the management’s responsibility to make changes to issues involving salary, budgeting and client to project communication. The most vital aspect of this is feedback from every member of the team; it is important that no problems are “covered up” or even remain unaware until the last minute.