Pre- assignment
Sometimes, project team members are pre-assigned which means
they are known in advance. This situation may occur if the project is the
result of specific people being promised as part of a competitive proposal, if
the project is dependent on the expertise of particular persons, or if some
staff assignments are defined within the project charter.
Negotiation
Negotiations may happen on many projects. To ensure that the
project receives appropriately competent staff in the required time frame and
that project team members will be able to work on the project until their
responsibilities are completed, the project management team needs to negotiate
with functional managers. The project management team may also need to
negotiate with other project management teams within the performing
organization to appropriately assign scarce or specialized resources.
While negotiating staff assignments, the project management
team’s ability to influence others plays an important role, as do the politics
of the organizations involved. For example, a functional manager will weigh the
benefits and visibility of completing projects when determining where to assign
exceptional performers that all project teams' desire.
Acquisition
Sometimes required services can be acquired from outside
sources if the performing organization lacks the in-house staff needed to
complete the project. This can involve hiring individual consultants or
subcontracting work to another organization.
Virtual Teams
While acquiring project team members, the use of virtual
teams, which can be defined as groups of people with a shared goal, creates new
possibilities. Virtual teams can also be defined as those who fulfill their
roles with little or no time-spent meeting face to face. The availability of
electronic communication, such as e-mail and video conferencing, has made such
teams feasible. The virtual team format makes it possible too.
