Balanced matrix

Balanced matrix organizations put equal emphasis on functional work and project work. That means power is shared between functional managers and project managers. Even though it may appear that the project manager has low to moderate authority, the chances are higher that they will have more power over project tasks and project work.

Some of the key aspects of balanced matrix organizations include the following:

• They emphasize equal focus on operational, functional work and project work
• The functional manager still is in control of the resources, so they may be the ones to assign resources to the project, but the project manager may be the one assigning those resources to project tasks and managing those tasks accordingly
• The resources could be loyal to the functional manager, which can cause some power struggles on the project
• Improved interdepartmental communication is an important aspect of a balanced matrix dynamic

In Figure 2.3, you can see a balanced matrix is becoming more workable for a project manager: