This project management session focuses on the initiation phase of a project, with a deep dive into roles, responsibilities, and governance structures.

Project Management Roles and Responsibility

• Project Manager’s Role: A project manager is responsible for planning, delegating, and monitoring. Beyond simply exerting control when projects are off-track, their role includes looking for opportunities to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and speed up the project.
• Organizational Structure: The speaker identifies three main types of organizational structures that influence the authority of a project manager:
  • Functional: Projects are small and operationally focused with siloed departments; project managers have less power as line managers often exert control.
  • Matrix: A combination of functional and projectized structures where responsibilities are shared between the project manager and functional managers.
  • Projectized: The project manager holds sole autonomy to direct the project and make decisions.
• Defining Roles: Establishing clear roles and responsibilities is essential to provide clarity to stakeholders throughout the project life cycle. It is a critical factor for project success and initiation.

Project Governance and Structure

• Steering Group/Project Board: A complete project board must include the project sponsor (business owner), a representative for the users (senior user), and a representative for the suppliers (senior supplier).
• The Project Sponsor: The sponsor owns the business case, provides funding, and is the ultimate decision-maker for stage-gate approvals. They act as a champion for the project across functional boundaries.
• RACI Matrix: To ensure clarity, project managers should utilize a RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) for project activities.
  • Responsible: Those performing the task.
  • Accountable: The person who signs off and takes responsibility for the result.
  • Consulted: Subject matter experts who provide input.
  • Informed: Stakeholders who need to be kept up to date.

Core Principles

• Project Governance: This is an overarching framework of policies, structures, and decision-making processes that guide the project. It ensures that the right people are making financial decisions and that risk management is transparent.
• Three Key Elements of Governance:
  1. Structure: Establishing a foundation for oversight and control.
  2. Processes: Defining how meetings, escalation, risk management, and decision-making are conducted.
  3. Policy: Adhering to compliance, legal, and quality standards relevant to the industry.
• Tailoring: Project managers must tailor these theories to their specific organizational environment rather than following them word-for-word, balancing structure with agile fluidity to avoid chaos.