Project Governance for Ottawa Internet Project Manager - Ottawa Internet Marketing
Project Governance :
How to set up a workable management structure for a project
A significant issue in Project Management is project governance and oversight at a high level (conceptually), beginning as early as the initiation phase. A Steering Committee, comprised of key stakeholders such as the funders and important influencers, meeting regularly, can ensure that the project is realistic to begin with, and proceeds according to the documented plan. When outside influences necessitate change, a Steering Committee can ensure that project goals are adhered to nevertheless.
Why a Project Governance Model?
It is critical to the success of every business project that stakeholders have available to them a framework explaining the responsibilities and reporting lines of all the key players. For example, we know that there is often a Steering Committee for large projects and that every project has a Project Manager, but what distinguishes their respective roles and how are the two linked? All questions of this type are answered within the Project Governance Model (PGM). You must set up a PGM specifically for each project. Here we discuss some of the foundation concepts and general principles.
One of the nicest introductions to this topic, delightfully entitled Rowing not Steering, was published by the Information Strategy Unit - until recently, a policy group within the Tasmanian State Government. That pamphlet contains a number of invaluable messages - the central theme being that project Steering Committees are not some kind of extension to the project team.
If your Steering Committee starts rowing ... then who is going to steer?
The foundations of the PGM
Lying at the heart of the Project Governance Model is the simple notion that every project involves the production of some defined outputs. A new business process or the relocation of an office are both examples of outputs. All outputs must have have a supplier and a customer. The supplier is the Project Manager and the customer is either a nominated individual or collective entity (such as a business unit). The customer is also the Owner of project outputs.
The two central elements of the PGM are the Project Manager and the Steering Committee (SC). The project Owner is always a member of the SC and, depending on the size of the exercise, will be joined by other key stakeholders such as the funders and important influencers. One of the most important issues that project stakeholders must resolve early in the life of a project concerns an appropriate size for the Steering Committee:
- If too big, it will be become a burden.
- If too small, it may not be able to add value.
Politics must be managed - not wished away
Project teams often complain about the "politics" surrounding their work. Project politics is not some sort of disease that needs to be cured before we can proceed. Politics is an important feature of the project environment that must be properly managed like all other key issues. Ensuring that key influencers are represented on the SC is one (proper) mechanism for dealing with project politics.
The role of the Steering Committee
The Steering Committee is there to ensure that the objectives - especially the target beneficial outcomes - will be achieved. The SC must develop as a supportive forum for the project - if it sees itself (and is seen by others) as a forum for charging, trying, convicting and sentencing the Project Manager for misdemeanours, it will fail. it will also fail if the members use SC meetings for bickering and point-scoring.
The SC is concerned with:
- Project progress.
- Meeting budgets and timeframes - or extending these as circumstances demand.
- Clearing organisational roadblocks for the Project Team - for example resolving contention for resources.
The SC (through the Owner) will eventually be held accountable by the organisation for generating target benefits - outcomes are not the responsibility of the Project Manager - however he/she is accountable for delivery of outputs that are fit-for-purpose.
Notionally, the SC is the banker for the project, while the project manager is responsible for procurement and expenditure. The SC pays the Project Manager (in advance) for project outputs.
SCs must meet monthly to monitor progress. The major monitoring mechanism takes the form of a "standardised" reporting package presented by the Project Manager based on:
- A status report based on the achievement of milestones.
- Summary of critical risks.
- Summary of key issues.
- Statement of position on the budget and timeframe.
A generic PGM - in schematic form
The above diagram shows the SC and Project Manager. The Project Manager has full control of all project team members and resources. For part-time team members this brings a matrix management issue into the discussion.
"Reference groups & advisers" are all those who provide ad hoc expertise and input, but who are not managed as a project resource. Both the SC and Project Manager may make use of such skills - depending on the peculiarities of the project.
Quality-related roles in the PGM
The Quality Adviser (QA) is a critical role. Often members of the SC are not technically qualified to specify or to make judgements about fitness-for-purpose of outputs. In that case a Quality Adviser may be appointed to confirm that outputs are fit-for-purpose and that their delivery can be signed-off. The Quality adviser may, in turn, engage others for specialist quality tasks.
The QA reports to the SC, not to the Project Manager, and is given considerable authority in exercising his/her role. The QA is not the same as the Quality Manager (QM). The QM is a member of the Project team and is accountable for the execution of the project's Quality Management Program. The QA, QM and owner jointly establish the project's quality framework.
A PGM is a mandatory element of every business project
A PGM should be established in the Preparation or Initiation Phase of each project. The size of the exercise will decide how detailed and extensive a model is required.
� John R. Smyrk
|
Ottawa Project Manager PMP
A project manager defines the job, plans the work to be done, and controls the work according to plan. A project manager takes responsibility for planning and managing to deliver success on a web project. A project plan is a document that includes the starting point, the process for achieving the goal, and anything else that will help the internet project be successful. There are several things that need to be managed by a project manager in a web project:
The scope of the project, the timeline for when it will be completed, including deciding when work will start, who comes at what times and what job is done each day or hour, managing costs, how to manage human resources, implementing a plan for communication, including who needs to know what information, and how to keep track of it all. An internet project manager must also come up with contingency plans in case something comes up unexpectedly, as well as project manage the procurement process, which entails figuring out what needs to be purchased, how to handle contracts and invoices.
 Applied Software Adds Architectural and Project Management Consultant Steve Foran to BIM Team
posted : 31 Jan 2012 at 9:00am ATLANTA, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Software , a leading and nationally recognized Autodesk value-added reseller, announced today that it has hired architectural consultant and project ... posted : 2 Feb 2012 at 8:00am TORONTO, ONTARIO-- - Potash Ridge Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Hampton, P. Eng as Vice President Project Management.Mr. Hampton is an extractive metallurgical engineer... posted : 10 Jan 2012 at 10:01am Research and Markets has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "PMP Project Management posted : 20 Jan 2012 at 4:45pm The Project Management role is the first role in the software development process that isn't on the main line. The project manager isn't a person doing "real work." The project management role is o... posted : 3 hours ago ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC-- - PERSHIMCO RESOURCES INC. is pleased to announce the nomination of Mr. Pierre J. Lafleur, P.Eng, as a director of the Corporation. Following a marked evolution of Pershimco... posted : 16 Jan 2012 at 9:00am Systech International®, the recognized global leader in serialization, today announced organizational enhancements including the company’s newly formed Executive Project Management program and the ... posted : 27 Jan 2012 at 12:07pm Users who rely on the desktop version of OmniPlan but wish to manage complicated projects and workflows on-the-go will soon be able to pinch and swipe their way to Gantt chart nirvana. According to... posted : 25 Jan 2012 at 6:57pm Greenspring Energy is pleased to announce the appointment of Sandi Formanek to the position of Direc... posted : 16 Jan 2012 at 8:47am New Social Software Significantly Improves Business ProductivityOrlando, FL (PRWEB) January 16, 2012 Trilog Group today announced the availability of three new social project management offerings d... posted : 26 Jan 2012 at 2:15pm The Bibb County Board of Commissioners held a meeting Wednesday to address concerns surrounding the process and procedures dealing with the management of SPLOST projects. Commissioner Lonzy Edwards... posted : 17 Jan 2012 at 3:11am Jon Swain, President of Ten Six Consulting, LLC, predicts that cloud computing, outsourcing, the economy, Agile leadership and change management will drive project management during 2012.Virginia B... posted : 11 Jan 2012 at 3:11am Anyone wishing to crack the code of “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK) will appreciate the new offering from the Project Management Professionals (PMPs) at Cheetah Learni... posted : 9 Jan 2012 at 12:09pm SAN FRANCISCO, CA-- - Innotas, a leading provider of Cloud Solutions for IT Management, announced today that Ferris State University has implemented Innotas' Project Portfolio Management solution t... posted : 10 Jan 2012 at 11:49am Research and Markets has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Project Manager Street posted : 16 Jan 2012 at 5:47pm Description: Immediate need for an Environmental Project Manager for Upstream Oil & Gas projects in Texas. A minimum of 10 years related experience working on large oil & gas projects involving ass...
|
