Roles

Understanding your – specific – role in the implementation of any project processes is critical to your ability to deliver on the strategic goals of the organization. Learn more about how Cadence can help you – in your specific role – delivering or supporting business results with projects quickly.

The Project Manager leads the team in the project planning and execution process, defining the work to be done, assigning tasks and responsibilities, controlling progress, reporting results, manage change, communicate with sponsors and stakeholders and managing Cost, Schedule and Performance constraints. The project manager’s role is versatile and challenging; he manages people who do not report to him. Project Management is a profession, which one can learn or develop.

From an organizational point of view the Project Manager is the playmaker of the project and the executor of project processes of a company. Cadence supports project managers effectively by training courses in Classic, Scrum or Hybrid Project Management methodologies, and specific topic courses like Risk Management, Earned Value Management, Program Management, Portfolio Management, and by coaching and consulting.

Team Members participate in projects because of their specific technical or other expertise, experience or involvement. In many cases it’s a part-time assignment, on top of their regular jobs within the organization. Participating in projects is challenging in terms of time management and priorities, but rewarding in terms of career paths. They too need good insight in the organization’s project processes and principals.

From an organizational project management point of view the team members play a key role in the project processes of a company. Cadence supports team members effectively by dedicated training courses like PM Framework for team Members, Scrum Project Management methodology and more. For those who have the ambition of becoming a Project Manager the Project Management methodology training is available.

The functional manager’s role in projects is to supply resources and provide supervision to the project managers and team members. Based on their skill level and experience this will range from extensive supervision to little or none. Functional managers will also act as project sponsors. So they need to be able to distinguish this specific role from their normal duties.

From an organizational project management point of view the functional manager plays an important role in supervising the project processes of a company. Cadence supports functional managers effectively by training courses such as Managing Project Managers, Executive Briefings and Project Sponsorship, coaching and consulting.

The Scrum Master is a facilitator who ensures that the Scrum Team is provided with an environment conducive to completing the product development successfully. The Scrum Master guides, facilitates, and teaches Scrum practices to everyone involved in the project; clears impediments for the team; and ensures that Scrum processes are being followed. The Scrum Master works at the same hierarchical level as anyone else in the Scrum Team.

The Scrum Team is a team of people responsible for understanding the business requirements specified by the Product Owner, estimating User Stories, and the final creation of the project deliverables.

To work effectively it is important for a Scrum Team that everyone within the team follows a common goal, adheres the same norms and rules, shows respect to each other. When setting up a new Scrum Team one always has to keep in mind that no new team will deliver with the highest possible performance right from the beginning. After setting up the team it has to go through certain team development phases.

The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing business value for the project. He is responsible for articulating customer requirements and maintaining business justification for the project. The Product Owner represents the voice of the – internal or external – customer.
The Product Owner can and will delegate certain activities – like maintaining the Product Backlog – but in the end he remains responsible.

The project sponsor (and/or steering committee) is the internal recipient of project results. He will have the final say in decisions which affect cost, schedule and performance constraints. A good project sponsor increases the level of confidence felt by the project manager and his team. The project sponsor helps the project manager stay positive and solve problems with the project team. Along the duration of the project, the sponsor communicates to senior management and to other stakeholders.

From an organizational project management point of view the project sponsor plays a key role in achieving project success. Cadence supports sponsors by Executive Briefings, Workshops in Project Sponsorship or Portfolio Management training courses, coaching and consulting.

A program manager is authorized by the performing organization to lead the team or teams responsible for achieving program objectives. The program manager maintains responsibility for the leadership, conduct, and performance of a program, and for building a program team that is capable of achieving program objectives and delivering anticipated program benefits.

From an organizational project management view the Program Manager is a manager in the first place, with a time horizon of several years. Cadence supports program managers effectively by training courses in Program Management or Portfolio Management, or coaching and consulting.

The portfolio manager is typically a senior manager, responsible for establishing, monitoring and managing assigned portfolios. He has well developed leadership and management skills and interacts with executives, management and other stakeholders.

From an organizational project management view the Portfolio Manager operates a a strategic level, executing strategic initiatives with a long time horizon. Cadence effectively supports portfolio managers by training courses in Portfolio Management and Executive Briefings.

Executives usually are involved in projects just at a certain distance. Their specific role in governing the results of (strategic) projects, programs and portfolios is yet critical in enabling project successes. They talk to senior management, ensuring a well structured project organization, show active interest, ask the right questions about the status and problems within the project organization, prioritize and take high level decisions which affect projects.

From an organizational project management point of view executives plays a key role in achieving overall project successes. Cadence supports executives effectively by Executive Briefings on (Hybrid-Agile-Classic) Project Management, Program- and Portfolio Management, Project Sponsorship, coaching and consulting.

Six Sigma Green Belts are the engine of Six Sigma projects. Black Belts support the efforts of the broader business teams to identify and implement change. The Green Belts are responsible for scoping the projects, leading the project team, calling for help when needed, managing interfaces with business leaders, and ensuring sustainable results. The goal of Green Belts is to translate the value of Six Sigma to the specific work environment and problems.

Green Belts have authority in their respective processes and can get the work done effectively. This is a very critical aspect for the organization as it builds its process improvement structure within each process.

Six Sigma Black Belts are full-time professionals whose main responsibility is to be a team leader for Six Sigma projects. Black Belts can complete four to six projects a year. Black Belts are dialed into the details, they have training in the core Six Sigma principles, an understanding of project models DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify), and a knowledge of lean enterprise. They know the ins and outs of statistical experimental design, and so can identify with confidence reasons for process failures that would otherwise remain hidden.