Project governance structure template

When defining accountability and responsibilities, the project manager needs to define not only who is accountable, but also who is responsible, consulted and informed for each of the project's deliverables. The first step is to identify all the stakeholders. This seems like a daunting and asinine task but it is actually key.

If one stakeholder is left out, this can derail the entire project and can have a detrimental impact. Stakeholders can span a broad spectrum. These include but are not limited to the project steering committee, PMO, sponsors, suppliers, government boards, the project team, business owners, and so on. Stakeholders are essentially anyone who can be impacted by the project deliverables.

The project manager needs to define who the stakeholders are, what their interests and expectations are and most important, how to communicate with the stakeholders. A well-formulated communication plan delivers concise, efficient and timely information to all pertinent stakeholders. Once the communication plan is identified, the project manager needs to ensure that there is a right balance of meetings and reporting.

In addition, communication needs to be crisp, precise and to the point. It is difficult to forecast what is going to occur, but a lack of preparation will put the project team further behind the eight ball. At the beginning of any project or program, there needs to be a consensus on how to identify, classify and prioritize the risks and issues.

A vital component of assurance is devising the metrics that would give visibility into the project performance. Some of the metrics include but are not limited to adherence to the business case; effectiveness of the change control and risk analysis process; the ability to monitor deviations in project scope, time, cost and schedule; and quality assessment and tracking accuracy of the project plan.

The monitoring and controlling process has purview of all tasks and metrics associated with the project and programs and measures performance against the baseline scope, budget, time, and resources. Two years ago, I was appointed as the program manager to deploy a cutting-edge cable TV product. This engagement entailed deploying a new-cutting edge technology for the first time in North America on behalf of one of the largest Internet Protocol Network providers.

The program was already in flight when I took control. However, at the onset of joining the program, I observed that there were numerous deficiencies pertaining to the basics of program governance.

My predecessor had been highly technical and had decades of experience in this area but the customer was still disgruntled with the way the program was progressing. Being a newcomer to a pre-existing project team, I knew I had a limited time to turn around the customer's perception.

These included the account team, customer, technical team, product developers, quality assurance team and project and technical managers. I formulated some basic questions that covered the eight key components of project and program governance:. These questions were supposed to be thought provoking and lead to longer detailed discussions.

Asking these questions enabled me to form the baseline governance framework. I was able to understand stakeholder engagement and communication, which was the foundation for the other governance components. After refining the governance framework, I was challenged to execute. I devised a meeting structure and a communication plan that depicted the flow of information up to the program sponsor and determined the frequency of information flow, content of reports and meetings structure that aligned with stakeholder expectations and engagement.

Within this communication plan, I was able to create forums for the project teams to address issues and changes based on their roles and responsibilities. The sole reason the previous program manager had been removed had hinged on the lack of governance and adherence to a governance framework.

The lack of assessment and understanding of the stakeholder expectations created a spiral effect. Despite the team's hard work, they endured limited guidance on how to address issues, which triggered delays in the program and created gaps in adhering to the project charter. This in turn threatened the longevity of the program. All projects and programs have different characteristics and mandates. They encapsulate many roles but there are four main roles that are required to establish, maintain and enforce project governance.

Each of theses roles views the project through a different lens. The four crucial roles that are needed to establish, direct, implement and validate project governance are the following:.

Exhibit 2 depicts the key roles and responsibilities and how each role influences the Governance Framework:. In a large corporation that sustains more than 65, employees spanning 92 countries, it has been a growing challenge to maintain project governance and with consistency.

Taking it a step further, the way the entire country implemented projects was not aligned with governance best practices. I embarked on a journey to create an online repository to provide guidance for project and program management teams within Canada. The purpose of this online tool was to develop a new governance approach, one that was clear, efficient and easily managed.

There were three primary ambitions for standardizing the governance framework: to provide immediate access to governance best practices, to foster a process for interlocking with the stakeholders and to provide one source of truth for our project management community. These all sprouted from the eight governance components. When developing this repository, which I called the Governance Information Repository GIR , I focused on the following areas: defining the RACI responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed , clear organizational structures, stakeholder analysis, and defining reporting lines.

Product details Project governance keeps projects running smoothly, on budget, with timely deliveries and client satisfaction. Related Products. Project Management Timeline. What do you think of this template? Agile Retrospective. UF Engineering PowerPoint. Hourglass Template. Proof of Concept IT Project. Annual Gantt Chart. Job Requirements Matrix. ITIL Framework. Product Backlog. Communication Matrix. X You dont have access! Please change your membership plan.

X Registered, Thank You! You've successfully signed up! Your account information has been sent to your email address. Simply, verify your account by clicking on the link in your email. You need to communicate with your teammates, whether they work alongside you or report to you. And you need to be able to communicate the results produced throughout the scope of a project from beginning to end.

Problem solving is at the heart of project management, and highly-effective communication is the only way to solve any kind of problem. Alan Zucker, Founding Principal, Project Management Essentials , has over 25 years of experience managing project organizations in Fortune companies. At one point, he managed an organization of over project managers and project professionals. He has improved organizational and sponsor satisfaction while simultaneously reducing the costs of project management support.

He is also experienced in both managing traditional Waterfall projects as well as leading an Agile transformation. Zucker explains:. They create heavy portfolio and project governance processes. They increase the amount of non-value-added paperwork, controls, and oversight. These efforts usually have the opposite of the intended effect: Rather than improving their organizations performance, it only gets worse.

Companies wanting to improve their project and portfolio performance should develop lightweight governance processes that empowers the project and portfolio managers. Empowerment does not mean chaos.

Empowerment means that the organization has the minimally sufficient level of oversight and governance needed to be successful. Empowerment means that project managers are both held accountable for their performance and given the resources and decision-making authority to be successful.

If you feel like your company or project is struggling with project governance, the first thing to do is to remember that it's really only about oversight. The concept of project governance is to make sure that the project is doing the right things in the right way. More formal governance processes include project audits, and these are really nothing to be worried about.

An audit should be constructive. The feedback is designed to help you be more successful and to help your project be more successful. No one is looking to criticize the team for not keeping adequate minutes of meetings. The whole purpose is to give your project the best possible chance of delivering the expected benefits. One size no longer fits all. Project governance is a tool for business success, not an end in itself.

So, I would start by establishing the business problem we want to solve and by scanning what is in place. Processes are needed, but you should craft them to serve your objectives, not in a vacuum. I would tell new project managers that their job is to lead and to help the team succeed. One way you do that is to set up team habits that ensure you all have a current view of the project's goals, challenges, and status. Tracking tools and reports can be helpful, but it is the process and habits that make them really pay off.

Another way you do that is to solicit input from your team and at times, from other stakeholders. And finally, you also do that by making decisions.

Ensure your project team spends time brainstorming, evaluating status and recognizing both accomplishments and the most important next steps to take.

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In This Article. What Is Project Governance? See how Smartsheet can help you be more effective. What Is the Governance Structure? Stakeholders may also look to the project sponsor as a source of information. The Project Board: Also known as a steering committee , you charge the board with developing the project charter and ensuring that it is in compliance with the business case.

The charter should provide direction for decisions that are elevated to them from the project manager, as well as approval of the overall project budget.

You should set up your project board at the beginning of your project life cycle and they should operate until the project closes. All of the board members should have some stake in the project. The Project Manager: This person is responsible for managing the project. The project manager performs all of the planning, initiation, execution, monitoring, and closing of a project within the confines of the business case.

The person in this role should be detail-oriented and able to control the risk and accomplish the project. Project managers make many decisions, until the decision necessary violates the agreed upon business case. At that point, the project manager must elevate the decision to the board. The Project Stakeholders: These are the entities, whether individuals or companies internal or external , who have an interest in or an influence on a specific project.

Their influence can be positive or negative to your project outcomes, so your project manager should identify them at the outset of the project. In project-based companies, the PMO supports the management much closer than in companies that have less frequent projects.

Some PMOs are developed for a specific project, while others exist for multiple projects and provide support in a variety of ways. What Is a Project Governance Framework? The following are components found in project governance and how they actually relate to the real world: Governance Models: Try to strike a balance when developing a governance model.

The project manager who develops this model should aim for enough rigor to engage the stakeholders, but not so much that it is restrictive. The project scope, timeline, risks, and complexity should help the project manager create this balance. Accountability and Responsibilities: The project manager defines the accountability and responsibilities of the people involved in the project. Without these defined, your plan is less effective.

Your meetings will be less valuable because the group will always be hashing it out, and your risk assessment and change control process will not work. Stakeholders can affect a project positively and negatively. If you leave out an important stakeholder, their influence can disrupt the project.

Once you determine the stakeholders, the project manager will develop a communication plan. Stakeholder Communication: After identifying stakeholders, develop a communications plan that focuses on getting the right information to the right people in a timely way. A communication plan details how and in what way you will share necessary messages to ensure stakeholders view your project as transparent and specific.

What Is Governance Framework? A company can demonstrate good governance in many other ways, including the following: Documenting and communicating the decisions made at approval gates Using a lifecycle governance plan Ensuring the roles and responsibilities within the company structure are delineated clearly Showing alignment between governance and the strategic plan Providing oversight and adherence Adhering to the business case and making transparent decisions upon deviation When two or more organizations are involved in a venture or project, good governance looks like formal agreements.

Other key topics in good governance include the following: P3 Management: These are the methods that manage projects, programs, and portfolios.