Project Governance

Why do we just train project managers when the Project Sponsor and control board, the people real project success depends upon, are often unsure of what is and how to perform their role?.

A successful project needs leadership and vision of the future to start it and maintain momentum, the technical and management skills to set-out the plan and the management decision making framework to answer questions outside of the project manager’s authority.

You Will Learn To
Fulfil your role on the project board or steering committee.
Know the right questions to ask, when to ask them and the answers that you should get.
Recognise the symptoms of poorly sponsored or poorly run projects.
Apply corrective actions.

Duration

•  Overview ½ day
• Application formats 1day and 2day available.

Course Benefits
Run vital projects to successful conclusion, rescue or kill-off projects that are struggling to deliver and consuming the organisations resources.

Who Should Attend
Any one tasked with sitting on a project steering committee or project board.
Audit staff responsible for voicing an opinion on project governance.

Content
Introduction, Overview & Logistics

Context & Concept

• What is project governance?, what are the results when done well, When done badly.
• Who does it, the role of the board, Role of the sponsor, Users, Supplier, Assurance and Audit.
• Why is it done, benefits management, rationing resources, return on investment.

Process

• How is it done, Project gates and lifecycles, Types of project, control structures, decisions at each gate, tolerances, risk appetite, management by exception, balancing control with commitment, cost, agility, and politics, Rolling wave planning and stage authorisation.
• Start-up and initiation, expected information, opportunity versus certainty, decision making, approvals and next steps, strategic risk, reserves and contingencies.
• Project execution, Quality review and progress assessment, Expected information, Continuing business case and risk review, The next commitment point.
• Exception Handling, Wouldn’t it be nice if…?, versus Oh Shit! what now?, contract types in-house and with sub-contractors.
• The board’s link to portfolio and programme management.

Tools & Techniques

• Reviewing an estimate, Conducting a gate review. Assessing change impact’s, Communications planning, Quality planning.

Workshops
The course uses a variety of exercises and workshop sessions depending on the format selected. In general: tools and techniques are introduced and practiced via multiple exercises. Concepts and application is clarified through application to a case-study.