What are the key differences between a local project and a global project?

There are many similarities and differences between domestic and global project management. A project manager must realize that what might work in their country may not work in a foreign environment. Project managers might find themselves using practices that have worked for them in the past, without even thinking of the new environment, and issues may arise. Project managers need to understand the differences in a different country's environment to avoid and reduce any obstacles that there may be. Some considerations global project managers must consider are the legal, political, security, geographical, economic infrastructure, and culture implications of working with different countries (Gray, 2006). Some legal and political issues project managers should consider are staying within the laws and regulations of the country they are looking to work in. The foreign environment usually has protection of local workers, and may strongly influence how the different types of projects can be implemented. In addition, security is a high risk factor and must be considered when going to a foreign country. The geography of a country is also a consideration that one should make. It is necessary in this case to assess what the weather is like such as; does it rain often or is it extremely hot. These considerations must be made and planned into the overall projects, as some of these challenges could cause the project to be delayed if you are working on a construction project. In addition, one must consider the economic infrastructure. It is important to find out how the foreign country conducts business, and how it could influence the project's success or failure. The infrastructure is important, as the project manager would need to know if services required for the projects are available, such as communication. It is important to assess if the project manager needs to be fluent in the foreign language. In addition, it may be necessary to know if there will be resources available to assist in the communication process. (Gray, 2006) Most developed nations use the same project management techniques including; CPM, risk analysis, trade-off analysis (Gray, 2006). Customs, values and philosophies of the foreign country must be respected by the group working in their area. Many projects have gone awry when the project team members have not recognized or respected the values of the foreign country involved in the project. Project managers working in a global environment must recognize the various ethnic and sociopolitical challenges involved.

Even if your current organization does business in only one country, you should be prepared for a shift to more global projects.

Global project management is a skillset that is becoming increasingly relevant for those of us who, up to now, have relied on single-culture communication skills and traditional PM methodology. And it’s not something you can master overnight.

Understanding how to effectively manage virtual teams is about a third of your battle. As I’ve said in the past, the best virtual PMs assemble teams comprised of people with the three As – assertiveness, accountability, and the ability to work independently.

They are crystal clear about expectations, defining roles, responsibilities, team rules, and protocols upfront. These project managers ensure that a clear line of two-way communication is maintained at all times, especially as it pertains to issues that are time-sensitive or require escalation. They make use of the best collaboration technology to remove assumptions and guesswork and allow real-time conversations and feedback.

In addition to virtual PM management prowess, however, today’s PM leaders must comprehend cultural challenges associated with global teamwork. When team members don’t speak your language fluently, or it’s not native to them, it’s easy to misunderstand emails, instant messages, or texts. Yet you don’t have an in-person relationship to fall back on when a communication snafu does occur.

Team members may also work differently depending on their culture of origin. For instance, in some Asian cultures, employees won’t openly question authority. In Germany, punctuality is prized, but in Brazil, not so much. Australia and New Zealand are known as low context cultures, meaning that less explanation is required before team members embark on a task. It’s important to ask around and learn about these differences, and to have patience with any initial disconnects that may result.

Global projects also come with operational, logistical, and legal concerns. In the financial realm specifically, your reporting, compliance, and tax requirements will vary by country, and you should account for these in your implementation plans.

What better place to solicit guidance for building your global PM skills than a project management site that advises on co-located projects? Supplementing what we’ve already discussed, Neil Stolovitsky at the Project Perfectsite in Australia offered the following considerations and tips:

Distance

Developing a strategy where face-to-face meetings are scheduled periodically will ensure better team cohesion and more quickly address bottlenecks and other performance issues. The fact is, nothing can replace real human interaction that will keep leaders, stakeholders and team members grounded in reality, so setting aside time for these meetings is critical.

Language and Culture

Finding a standard language of communication is critical, and where this is not possible, appointing a lead resource to address translation will improve communication. Especially with global teams, leadership and work styles will vary. These styles must be recognized and addressed so that the entire global team can maximize performance and leaders and stakeholders can establish similar expectations when encountering issues.

Time Zones

Working with international teams will result in activities and issues emerging around the clock. Project leaders need to design a strategy where regular strategic meetings include a group of selected key members to relay the overall goals and objectives to their respective regions. In addition, these regional representatives can act as the conduit of information from their regions to the global leadership.

Access to Information

More than any other project environment, a global team’s access to information can be the most challenging. A formal strategy documenting project details and providing the means to readily access information 24/7 is critical in effectively moving a project on a successful path.

What is the difference between a traditional project and an international project?

What is the difference between project management and global project management?

What is a global project?

Why international projects are different and complex as compared to any domestic project?