Project Governance:Avoiding “Administrivia”

Lisa KosanovichProject Manager

Center for Instructional DesignBrigham Young University

lisa_k@byu.edu

Copyright Information

Copyright Lisa Kosanovich 2005.

This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Brain Development

“Administrivia”-

• “Who is the Boss?” • Design problems are being resolved in a

vacuum• Complete project status and issues do not reside

with one person or in a collective whole• Project Plans need “revamping” on a regular

basis to clarify when the project will finish and what ‘really’ remains to be done, few know when their work should be done

reactive approach to problems that arise

Project Governance- proactive approach to projects

• TEAM: Define Team Roles and their functions

• SCOPE: Change Management and a Scope Steward

• COMMUNICATION: Communication Framework

• SCHEDULE: Scheduling Tools and Principles

Managing by project governance

Manage = Monitor, Investigate, Take Action, & Report

Monitor the Project Scope

Monitor the Schedule

Investigate the Project Team

Investigate the Schedule

Take Action on the

Communications

Investigate the Project Scope

Take Action on the Schedule

Take Action on the

Project Team

Take Action on the

Project Scope

Report on the Project Scope

Report on the Project Team

Report on the Schedule

Report on theCommunications

Monitor the Project Team

Monitor the Communications

Investigate the Communications

Establish Governance Monitor Investigate Take Action Report

Establish the Project Scope Governance

Establish the Project Team Governance

Establish the Project Schedule Governance

Establish the Communication Governance

Scope

Team

Schedule

Communication

Team

• No one is the “boss”• Everyone has a key role to contribute throughout

the life of the project• Example:

– Designer: steward of the scope for the project, technical design and resolution

– Sponsor: Define what is needed, make decisions on behalf of the user

– Production Staff: Provide technical solutions, build product

– Project Manager: steward over project information

Scope

Size* Small Medium Large

What type (e.g. Spelling corrections, unseen changes)

(e.g. features of graphics

(e.g. Any change that increases the schedule of budget by 10%)

Who is involved Individual Team member

Sponsor and Entire Team

Team, Sponsor, Director of Organization

Change** Matrix

*Consultation with the ‘steward of the scope’ will clarify what size a requested change is.

**Changes should be based on a constraint matrix

Scope

Constraint/Flexibility Matrix

Least Moderate Most

Scope √

Schedule √

Resources √

Directs change decisions that are made, in an attempt to protect that which is most constrained

Communication• Team listserv, alias, or group email

• Weekly Team Email

• Meetings:– Brainstorming– Consensus gathering– Changes that need negotiation– Issues that will require more than one

conversation within the team– Almost NEVER for status

Schedule

• Define tasks at the level where issues occur and status is most meaningful

• Do not plan past your next point of knowledge

• Use the best tool for the job– Waterfall vs. iterative– Task driven vs. date driven– Checklist vs. Schedule

Schedule

• Date Driven:– Biweekly meetings during

design phase of a project– Schedule is most

constrained therefore dates will be drawn out by which to achieve certain features

– Decisions need to be made even though research or work may not yet be complete

• Task Driven:– Scope is most constrained

therefore work will continue until all features are achieved

– Many resources or outside vendors are involved, requiring coordination of deliverables

– Many dependencies exist within the project requiring coordination for timely completion

Schedule

Checklist

Brain Development Today

Managing by project governance

Manage = Monitor, Investigate, Take Action, & Report

Monitor the Project Scope

Monitor the Schedule

Investigate the Project Team

Investigate the Schedule

Take Action on the

Communications

Investigate the Project Scope

Take Action on the Schedule

Take Action on the

Project Team

Take Action on the

Project Scope

Report on the Project Scope

Report on the Project Team

Report on the Schedule

Report on theCommunications

Monitor the Project Team

Monitor the Communications

Investigate the Communications

Establish Governance Monitor Investigate Take Action Report

Establish the Project Scope Governance

Establish the Project Team Governance

Establish the Project Schedule Governance

Establish the Communication Governance

Scope

Team

Schedule

Communication

Project Management

1.0Establish the Project

Context

1.1Review Project

Information

1.1.

1R

evie

w th

e P

roje

ct D

ocum

enta

tion

1.2Establish the

Planning Structure

1.2.

1C

reat

e th

e P

lann

ing

Tea

m

1.2.

2E

stab

lish

the

Pro

ject

Gov

erna

nce

Fra

mew

ork

Obtain confirmation and Support to Proceed

Confirm Project Context

1.1.2

2.0Plan the Project

2.1 Define the Project Scope

2.1.

1C

reat

e th

e D

efin

ition

Doc

umen

t

2.2 Create the Preliminary Resourced Schedule

2.3 Complete the Plan

2.1.

2 D

eter

min

e th

e P

lann

ing

and

Man

agem

ent A

ppro

ach

2.1.

4C

reat

e th

e W

ork

Bre

akdo

wn

Str

uctu

re

(Sco

pe)

2.2.1 Create the Preliminary

Project Schedule

2.2.2 Identify

Associated Resources

2.2.

3 In

tegr

ate

Sch

edul

es

2.3.1 Reconcile the Plan

and Project Objectives

2.3.3Create the Risk

Management Plan

2.3.42.3.2

Obtain Confirmation and Support to Proceed

2.3.

5F

inal

ize

the

Pla

n

Validate Scope and Approach

Obtain Confirmation and

Support of Proposed Changes

Obtain Confirmation and Support of the Plan

2.3.6

3.0Execute the Project

3.1 Manage the Project

3.1.

1 B

asel

ine

the

Pro

ject

3.1.2 Monitor, Investigate, Take Action, &

Report (MITAR) on Project Performance

3.1.3 Manage the Project Scope

3.1.4 Manage the Project Team

3.1.5 Manage the Resourced Schedule

3.1.6 Manage Communications

3.1.7

3.2 Close-Out the Project

3.2.

1 T

rans

fer

Ste

war

dshi

p

3.2.

2 C

lose

the

Pro

ject

Validate Project

Completion

Confirm Project

Close-Out

3.2.3

2.1.3

Faculty discusses need with Instructional Designer

Management Meeting Initial Team Meeting

Manage the Project

Transfer Product Stewardship Project Close Meeting

Project Management Process

· Discuss needed design documentation for final approval

· Estimate Time· Define

resources available for content support

· Define Faculty Availablity

· Approve project· Assign team

members· Assign hour

allotment· Prioritize

workload

· Establish Project Governance:

- Roles- Communication - Scope of Project- Schedule tracking

· Monitor Milestonees

· Send weekly progress reports

· Schedule additional meetings

· Review and deliver final product

· Discuss implementation strategy

· Discuss product support and maintenance

· Discuss evaluation strategy

· Discuss successes, challenges and lessons learned

· Celebrate project completion

© Brigham Young University 2004

Questions?

Lisa KosanovichBrigham Young University

lisa_k@byu.edu