Project management governance

Project management governance is the framework and processes used to ensure that a project is properly planned, executed and controlled. It involves creating and communicating project objectives, ensuring that project plans are followed and that risks are managed, and providing visibility and accountability for project performance. It also includes managing stakeholders, ensuring that project deliverables meet quality standards, and aligning deliverables to business objectives.

Best practices of project management governance

1. Establish a governance structure: Establish a governance structure by defining roles and responsibilities, selecting team members and developing policies and procedures. This helps to ensure that the project is managed efficiently and effectively and that all stakeholders are involved in decision making.
2. Develop a project charter: A project charter is a document that outlines the objectives, scope, timeline, risks, budget and deliverables of the project. It also includes the roles and responsibilities of each team member.
3. Set up a communication plan: Develop a communication plan to ensure that everyone involved in the project is informed about the progress and any changes that may be made.
4. Monitor progress: Monitor progress to ensure that the project is on track and that any risks are identified and managed.
5. Conduct reviews: Conduct regular reviews to assess the progress of the project and to make any necessary changes.
6. Implement quality assurance: Quality assurance is essential for ensuring that the project deliverables meet the required standards.
7. Document decisions: Document decisions made throughout the project to ensure that everyone involved is aware of them.
8. Evaluate results: After the project has been completed, it is important to evaluate the results to ensure that the objectives have been met and any lessons learned are applied to future projects.

When to use project management governance

Project management governance should be used wherever a project is undertaken with the goal of achieving a set of predetermined objectives. This may include projects with timelines, budgets, deliverables, and expectations that must be met. It is important for project governance to be established early on in the project as it provides the framework for the project to be planned, managed, and monitored for success. Examples of when project management governance should be used include:

• When implementing major organizational changes such as new processes, systems, or services.
• When developing new products or services.
• When launching a new business venture.
• When executing a large-scale project with many stakeholders.
• When executing a project with significant risks or costs.
• When a project team is geographically dispersed or working in multiple locations.
• When a project requires significant resources or budget.
• When a project involves multiple vendors or third-party providers.
• When a project requires complex coordination among multiple teams.
• When a project requires specialized skills or knowledge.
• When a project requires approval or sign-off from a governing body or executive.

Types of project management governance

Project management governance is the framework and processes used to ensure that a project is properly planned, executed and controlled. It involves creating and communicating project objectives, ensuring that project plans are followed and that risks are managed, and providing visibility and accountability for project performance. The following are the key types of project management governance:

• Strategic Project Management Governance - this type of governance focuses on aligning project objectives to the organization’s strategy and ensuring that the project meets the organization’s goals. It includes activities such as developing the project’s scope, setting up a governance structure, and setting up a reporting system.
• Operational Project Management Governance - this type of governance focuses on day-to-day management of the project. It includes activities such as managing resources, monitoring project performance, and ensuring that project deliverables meet quality standards.
• Financial Project Management Governance - this type of governance focuses on controlling the project’s budget and ensuring that resources are allocated in an efficient manner. It includes activities such as setting up a budget, tracking costs, and ensuring that project deliverables are completed on time and within budget.
• Risk Management Governance - this type of governance focuses on identifying and managing project risks. It includes activities such as identifying potential risks, assessing the risk of each risk, and developing a risk mitigation plan.
• Change Management Governance - this type of governance focuses on managing project changes. It includes activities such as identifying potential changes, assessing the impact of each change, and developing a change management plan.

Steps of project management governance

Project management governance is the framework and processes used to ensure that a project is properly planned, executed and controlled. It includes the following steps:

• Establishing a Project Management Office (PMO): A PMO should be established to provide oversight of the project and ensure that all project activities are properly managed.
• Developing a Project Management Plan: A project management plan should be created to document project objectives, timelines, resources, and deliverables.
• Defining Project Roles and Responsibilities: All project team members should have clear roles and responsibilities to ensure that all tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.
• Monitoring and Controlling Project Progress: The project should be monitored and controlled to ensure that it is progressing according to plan and that all risks are addressed.
• Managing Stakeholder Relationships: Stakeholder relationships should be managed to ensure that all stakeholders are informed of project progress and objectives.
• Delivering Quality Outputs: Quality outputs should be delivered according to the project plan, ensuring that all deliverables are of the highest standards.
• Evaluating and Improving Project Performance: Project performance should be regularly evaluated and improvements made to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

Advantages of project management governance

Project management governance provides many advantages to organizations that adopt it. It enables better planning and execution of projects, resulting in better performance outcomes. It also helps ensure that project objectives are met, that risks are managed appropriately, and that stakeholders are kept informed. Additionally, project management governance provides visibility and accountability for project performance, ensures that deliverables meet quality standards, and aligns deliverables to business objectives. In sum, project management governance enables organizations to increase the success rate of their projects and achieve better results. * It improves the overall planning and execution of projects, resulting in better performance outcomes.

• It helps ensure that project objectives are met and that risks are managed appropriately.
• It provides visibility and accountability for project performance.
• It ensures that deliverables meet quality standards and aligns deliverables to business objectives.
• It helps to keep stakeholders informed and ensures that their concerns are addressed.
• It improves the success rate of projects and provides sustainability for an organization.

Limitations of project management governance

Project management governance can be limited by:

• Poor project planning, which can lead to missed deadlines, budget overruns, and other project issues.
• Inadequate communication and stakeholder management, which can lead to misunderstandings and misaligned expectations.
• Lack of transparency and accountability, which can lead to a lack of trust and poor decision making.
• Poor risk management, which can lead to costly mistakes and delays.
• Inadequate quality control, which can lead to sub-par results and dissatisfied stakeholders.
• Limited resources or expertise, which can lead to inadequate or inefficient processes.

Project management governance — recommended articles

Governance of project management — Traditional project management — Role of the pmo — Applications of project management — Project implementation phase — Program implementation — Organizational project management — Integrated project management — Program management office

References

• Too, E. G., & Weaver, P. (2014). The management of project management: A conceptual framework for project governance. International journal of project management, 32(8), 1382-1394.
• Pinto, J. K. (2014). Project management, governance, and the normalization of deviance. International journal of project management, 32(3), 376-387.
• Joslin, R., & Müller, R. (2015). Relationships between a project management methodology and project success in different project governance contexts. International journal of project management, 33(6), 1377-1392.