Project Governance Structures

Project Governance StructuresProject Governance StructuresDo you know what project governance is and what it looks like? Or what to do if you are working in an environment where it doesnt exist? Lets start with a definition. Project Governance a Definition Governance in project management terms refers to the policies, processes, standards, procedures, and guidelines that determine how projects are led, run and controlled by your organization. Governance can be extensive and heavy with lots of bureaucracy, or sketchy and light (in which case it is probably inefficient). Managers should aim for the right level of governance for their environment and culture. Making aya your governance policies are fit for purpose is a key factor in ensuring that they are effective. Governance starts at the top. The company board should be committed to the idea of good governance and the fact that projects should be managed properly, within specified guidelines. This attitude and the standards that are expected will filter down to Project Boards and project leaders (and program teams, where these exist). Why Project Governance Matters Your project sponsor and other key stakeholders want to know that you are spending the project budget in the right way. They want to see that you are tracking your projects progress effectively and stepping in to manage project risk as necessary. But the rationale for good governance on projects goes further than that. Governance is demanded by clients, especially those in the public sector. Governments and regulators ask (and in some cases, enforce) certain standards for certain projects. Governance isnt just an internal issue many companies operating in regulated markets will have to follow guidance from external legislation, like Sarbanes-Oxley. Project governance makes up a small part of being able to prove that your company operates effectively and within the specified guidelines and regulations for your industry. Project governance also helps you Improve your return on investment and track those investments effectivelyGain buy-in for projectsAvoid the common reasons why projects failCommunicate more effectivelyIntroduce standardization across projects, making it easier to compare the performanceMinimize riskDevelop and motivate staff in a structured environment What Project Governance Looks Like So now we know what project governance is, what does it look like on a project? Here are the kinds of activities that demonstrate governance in a project environment There is a disciplined project management life cycle which includes defined points for approval. These are points where the viability of the project is discussed and a decision is made as to whether to continue with the work or not.Projects have a clear business case, and business cases have enough information to enable management teams to make the right decisions.Those decisions are adequately documented and communicated.People working on projects have de fined roles and responsibilities.There is a culture of continuous learning that allows project teams to continuously improve and to discuss lessons learned in a blame-free environment. There are processes and procedures that enable project teams to review their project and to ask for independent support if required.Stakeholders are engaged and they trust the process.Project teams are made up of individuals who are experienced and qualified in the relevant roles. Governance of projects is linked to the governance structures in the organization overall. If you think that the main aim of project governance is to ensure that projects are carried out in the right way, you can see how it links to financial governance at a corporate level, corporate risk management and more. Project governance should fit seamlessly into your current organizational processes. In other words, dont create a brand new financial management process when you already have one that works in other areas Use what cur rently exists and tweak corporate processes to make them suitable to use in a project environment. 5 Areas of Focus for Project Governance When you start looking into it, youll realize that project governance is pervasive through all the elements of project management. However, there are some key focus areas where governance is particularly relevant. Methodologies and Processes These help you deliver work reliably and sustainably.Knowledge Management This is crucial for lessons learned and ensuring that the organization learns from project experience. Knowledge management is essential if you want to stop making the same mistakes multiple times.Project Management Maturity As your organizational project management maturity increases, so will your ability to deliver successfully.Senior-Level Buy-in The commitment to project governance starts at the top. If you have management support, this will cascade down through all levels of the business and the approach to governance will be m ore sustainable. Supportive Culture A culture of support, not blame, will ensure project managers have the right environment in which to thrive. A supportive culture, led by the Project Management Office or Project Director, will help project managers reach their goals and those of the project. What to Do If There Is No Corporate Standard Many project managers in smaller organizations find themselves running projects in an environment that is supportive, and where there is buy-in for the concept of project management, but without the formal organizational structures in place from which to feed off. In that situation - and it isnt exclusive to small organizations - youll be designing your project governance model from scratch. If there isnt a project governance approach that you can take off the shelf and fit your project, youll have to build your own. Thats not as difficult as it might seem Start with setting up the basics Create a roles and responsibilities documentMake sure you have a project sponsorMake sure you have a Project Board or steering group and arrange regular meetings for which you take and distribute minutesSet up a risk management processSet up a change management processBuild points into your project schedule where you check the viability of the project against the original goals of the business case (the end of each stage of phase is the natural point to put these checks). Ultimately it is the project sponsors responsibility to ensure that there is adequate governance, but project managers can also take an active role in this. Governance might be one of the drier subjects in project management but its one of the most important. Its the way that senior management teams know that you are doing a good job and it reassures them that the project is unfolding as it should. It also provides the checks and balances necessary for managers to know that money is being spent in ways that are appropriate and aligned to the business case.