This is probably the most common type of project organization, since it utilizes an existing functional organization to provide the human resources without disrupting the day-to-day operation of the department.
The personnel allocated to a particular project are responsible to a project manager for meeting the three basic project criteria: time, cost and quality. The departmental manager is,
however, still responsible for their ‘pay and rations’ and their compliance with the department’s standards and procedures, including technical competence and conformity to company’s quality standards. The members of this project team will still be working at their desks in their department, but will be booking their time to the project. Where the project does not warrant a full-time contribution, only those hours actually expended on the project will be allocated to it.
Matrix organizations can sometimes be categorized as strong or weak, depending on the degree of dominance or authority of the project manager or department manager, respectively. This can of course create friction as both sides will try to assert themselves.
However, all the earlier problems can be resolved if senior management ensures (and indeed insists) that there is a good working relationship between the project manager and the department heads. At times, both sides may have to compromise for sake of the interests of the project and the organization as a whole.