According to the PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, one of the project manager's responsibilities is to develop the project team, which includes enhancing their competencies and interactions. This can be done through various methods, such as training, coaching, mentoring, knowledge sharing, and feedback. In this scenario, the project manager notices that only one team member has a technical skill that is essential for the product quality and schedule. This creates a risk of dependency, delay, and error. To prevent the team from being unqualified, the project manager should take two actions:
Encourage working in pairs and knowledge sharing: This is a form of informal training that allows the team members to learn from each other and transfer the technical skill. It also fosters collaboration, communication, and trust among the team members.
Facilitate a training event with an external trainer: This is a form of formal training that provides the team members with a structured and standardized learning experience. It also ensures that the team members acquire the technical skill from a qualified and experienced source.
These two actions will help the project manager develop the project team's competencies and performance, as well as mitigate the risk of quality and schedule issues.