Overview

Project managers can benefit from improved team performance by obtaining baseline assessments and periodic re-assessments to measure the effects of development efforts on behavior. The project manager controls distribution of assessment scores and conclusions.

The Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership offers the following assessments:

Project/Team Effectiveness

Measures effectiveness of a team’s behavioral norms

Project team effectiveness counts because inefficient project teams are a root cause of project under-performance or failure. Efficient project teams, on the other hand, ensure that people have what they need to perform and maintain a sustainable quality of work life.

Project teams benefit from attention to four dimensions: Directing, Visioning, Relating, and Valuing. Inefficient project teams and stuck situations suffer from insufficient attention to one or more of these dimensions.

This service enables project teams to quickly and anonymously obtain an assessment about the efficiency of the team's cultures, as observed by members of the project, as well as the efficiency of interfaces between organizations, as observed by members of related organizations. Development is guided by application of concepts to achieve effectiveness in all four dimensions.

Individual Effectiveness

Measures effectiveness of an individual’s behavioral norms

Individual effectiveness counts because ineffective individuals are often a root cause of project under-performance or failure. Effective individuals give other people what they need to perform and to enjoy a sustainable quality of work life. Individuals also benefit from attention to all four dimensions: Directing, Visioning, Relating, and Valuing. Ineffective individuals and stuck situations suffer from insufficient attention to one or more of these dimensions.

This service allows projects to quickly and anonymously obtain an assessment about the effectiveness of individuals, as observed by associates. Development is guided by application of these concepts to achieve effectiveness in all four dimensions.

Project/Team Process Utilization

Measures the extent of a team’s utilization of key processes

Effective utilization of key processes is a necessary foundation for project and mission success, while lack of utilization of key processes is a root cause of project under-performance or failure. Project managers should ask themselves, "Is my project utilizing key processes?"

APPEL offers a process utilization assessment that employs the same 'backbone' as the team and individual assessments described above. Reports are produced in similar formats. The assessment focuses on the following key processes:

• Cost Management
• Integrated Requirements Management
• Risk Management
• Systems Engineering
• Acquisition Management
• Safety and Mission Assurance
• Gate Products

Project/Team Knowledge

Covers topics NASA project personnel should know in order to perform in their jobs

APPEL offers an e-knowledge application containing sets of supplied questions and answers that cover topics NASA project personnel should know to perform well in their jobs. The tool is available for individual or team use. If you opt to self-register and complete the Knowledge Tool as an individual, you will receive an e-mail documenting that you have completed use of the Tool. Should your team’s leadership subsequently request that you complete the same Knowledge Tool as part of a team activity, the prior notification may satisfy your team requirement.

To activate the Knowledge Tool for your team, contact your APPEL Center Program Manager.

+ Knowledge Tool — Individual self-registration