Intro

Question 1

Organisation

Answer 1

• Organisation is the management structure applicable to the project, programme or portfolio and the organisational environment in which it operates.
• An organisation’s structure impacts the way in which projects are conducted.
• Effects how much authority the project manager holds.
• A structure that suits business-as-usual does not essentially suit projects.

Question 2

Organisational Continuum

Answer 2

• On depending upon the nature of the project and the organisation’s principal business, there are important implications for how projects are structured, staffed and managed.
• There are three basic types of organisation structure within which projects are delivered:

‘Functional’, ‘Matrix’ and ‘Project’.

Question 3

Functional Organisation Type

Answer 3

• Traditional departments headed by functional managers.
• All departmental staff report to that manager.
• Any projects that are required are co-ordinated at a senior level.
• Project management approach is immature and confidence in running projects is limited.
• All experience is associated with routine operations and optimisation of process and output.
• External customers see no single project manager.

Question 4

Matrix Organisation Type

Answer 4

• Provides a balance of authority between the department head(s) and the project manager(s).
• Projects are resourced by drawing full or part time staff from departments.
• Teams may be co-located.
• Good for organisations that undertake many projects and routine operations.
• Project managers have authority for the project.
• Department managers have authority for the welfare of staff and the efficiency of the department.
• Project managers may be located within departments or in a Project Office.

Question 5

Project Organisation Type

Answer 5

• Staff members work in dedicated full time project teams which are commensurate to the size of the project.
• The project manager has full authority.
• This type of organisation is common for very large projects or organisations whose primary business is project-related.

Question 6

Functional Organisation - Strengths

Answer 6

• Develops strong specialist skills,
• Facilitates efficient resource usage,
• Departmental lines of communication are clear,
• Good if project is contained within one function,
• Compromise solution for organisations that do not undertake many projects.

Question 7

Functional Organisation - Weaknesses

Answer 7

• Tends to concentrate on specialist goals,
• Inadequate integration,
• Inhibits development of general management skills,
• Slow response / rate of change,
• Little customer focus.

Question 8

Project Organisation - Strengths

Answer 8

• Strong commitment to the project - single purpose and a high degree of autonomy,
• Integration of multiple disciplines,
• Develops general management skills,
• Clear management definition - team members know where they stand,
• Can operate with informal communications,
• Precise budget including transparent PM costs.

Question 9

Project Organisation - Weaknesses

Answer 9

• Highly visible - may upset established organisation,
• Duplication and inefficient resource usage therefore increased cost,
• Reduced job security and unclear career paths,
• May be prone to symptoms of ‘groupthink’,
• Sharing of lessons-learned can be problematic,
• Team can become distracted near end of project.

Question 10

Matrix Organisation - Strengths

Answer 10

• Balance between projects and business as usual,
• Integration of projects within functional departments,
• Specialist knowledge is developed and not lost,
• Global priorities are visible,
• Flexible and efficient use of resources.

Question 11

Matrix Organisation - Weaknesses

Answer 11

• Individuals have two or more bosses,
• Project managers feel they have inadequate authority,
• Organisation structure is more complex,
• Functional and project resource problems,
• Conflict and stress are likely, constant change.

Question 12

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

Answer 12

• A RAM chart is used to help defining who is responsible for every project’s deliverables or work packages.
• The matrix is developed with two primary axes:
  1 - key deliverables or work packages
  2 - resources
• The matrix is basically a consolidation of the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) and OBS (Organisation Breakdown Structure).
• The RAM is usually high-level as it can become difficult to develop and maintain if the level of detail becomes too great.
• Once the deliverables and stakeholders have been listed, the team then decides who is:

R – Responsible
A – Accountable (or Approves)
C – Consulted
I – Informed

• The chart offers a useful indicator of potential bottlenecks in which a single stakeholder may be overloaded or where potential gaps in responsibility exist.
• Typically, the project manager will try to assign single-point accountability and responsibility to ensure that confusion regarding who-does-what is minimised.

Question 13

Project Steering Group

Answer 13

• A project steering group can exist for larger projects and should include representation from the business (usually the sponsor), the customer or users of the deliverables (for example functional managers) and those who are producing the actual deliverables (which can include external suppliers).
• The steering group (also known as a project board) offers strategic guidance of the project and is accountable for assuring that the project is being managed correctly (although this may be delegated to the project office or a separate project assurance group).
• It is typical for the steering group to be heavily involved in the resolution of project issues and also stage-gate sign-off.

Question 14

Project Sponsor

Answer 14

• There is significant overlap between the role of the sponsor and that of the steering group.
• Where a steering group exists, this will be chaired by the sponsor.
• Where one does not exist, the sponsor will be accountable for all of the responsibilities listed above, including the liaison with and arbitration between project stakeholders.
• The prime responsibility of the sponsor is the ownership of the business case and its continuing viability, culminating in the measurement of the realised benefits at some point in the ‘Operations’ phase.

Question 15

Project Manager

Answer 15

• The project manager is accountable for delivering a product capable of achieving the project’s agreed benefits. This must be done in accordance with the success criteria defined in the project management plan (typical targets include time, cost and quality and in certain environments - safety)
• The project manager may or may not possess subject-area or technical specific skills.
• They must however be able to define and plan the project and be competent in a range of project management tools and techniques.
• The project manager must also ensure the motivation of the team member which will mandate the use of interpersonal and influencing skills; effective communication being arguably the single most important skill for any project manager.

Question 16

Team Members

Answer 16

• Team members (including external suppliers) are responsible for creating the project deliverables.
• They must respect the authority of the project manager and provide support in the management of risks, issues and change.
• Team members and subject matter experts will be heavily involved in the identification of risks and estimation and sequencing of project activities.
• Regular status updates from the team are crucial if corrective action is to be taken in an informed and timely manner.

Question 17

Users (Customer)

Answer 17

• The ‘users’ should define the need for the project and provide the necessary input o the specified requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Users may also be involved in defining the project constraints including the relative priority of time, cost and quality - although they must respect the authority of the sponsor in ultimately making this decision.

Question 18

Product Owner

Answer 18

• Product owner is a role for a person who represents the business or user community and can assist in working with the project team to determine what features will be in the product release, their acceptance criteria, and also their testing.
• The product owner may be responsible for ensuring that the delivered output is available for use in Business as Usual post project closure.

Question 19

Other Roles - Configuration Manager/ Librarian

Answer 19

• Responsible for the configuration management system, a role that continues into the operations phase.

Question 20

Other Roles - Project Office

Answer 20

• Personnel who provide specialist services for the project.

Question 21

Other Roles - Project Support/ Administrator

Answer 21

• Responsible for maintenance of project documentation, plans, reports, logs etc.

Question 22

Other Roles - Resource Manager

Answer 22

• Person responsible for provision of resource for the project.

Question 23

Other Roles - Procurement Manager

Answer 23

• Acquires goods or services from outside the project area.

Question 24

Other Roles - Quality Manager

Answer 24

• Ensure the project satisfies the needs for which it was undertaken.

Question 25

Project Office

Answer 25

• The project office is likely to be heavily involved in the governance of the project including the mandating of project control and reporting mechanisms.
• If required to do so, the project office might audit selected projects to ensure compliance with agreed processes and provide an objective view of a project’s health.
• The project office should however adopt a predominantly supportive role, providing guidance on the use of project management tools and techniques.
• This may even include the provision of specialist skills e.g. project planners.
• The project office can also provide mentoring and development for project staff.

Question 26

Role of the Project Office

Answer 26

• The specific duties of the project office will vary across different organisations but typical responsibilities include:

> Administrative support and assistance to project managers. This may take the form of assistance in areas such as planning, risk management, change control and support the sharing of project lessons across the organisation.

> Providing administrative and logistical support in areas such as taking the minutes in meetings, travel arrangements, filing and other support services.

> Technical support includes the collection, analysis, reporting and presentation of project information. The project office may collate the status of projects across the programme or portfolio and provide consolidated information to senior management. This includes managing the inter dependencies and handling communications with stakeholders.

> Assurance of governance structures and standard project management practices through undertaking audits, health checks and phase end reviews.

Question 27

Governance

Answer 27

Governance refers to the set of policies, regulations, functions, processes, procedures and responsibilities that define the establishment, management and control of projects, programmes and portfolios.

Question 28

Governance of Project Management Principles

Answer 28

1 - The board has overall responsibility for the governance of project management.

2 - The organisation differentiates between projects and non-project based activities.

3 - Roles and responsibilities for the governance of project management are defined clearly.

4 - Disciplined governance arrangements, supported by appropriate cultures, methods, resources and controls are applied throughout the project life cycle. Every project has a sponsor.

5 - There is a demonstrably coherent and supporting relationship between the project portfolio and the business strategy and policies, e.g. ethics and sustainability.

6 - All projects have an approved plan containing authorisation points at which the business case, inclusive cost, benefits, and risk is reviewed. Decisions made at authorisation points are recorded and communicated.

7 - Members of delegated authorisation bodies have sufficient representation, competence, authority and resources to enable them to make appropriate decisions.

8 - Project business cases are supported by relevant and realistic information that provided a reliable basis for making authorisation decisions.

9 - The board or its delegated agents decide when independent scrutiny of projects or project management systems is required and implement such assurance accordingly.

10 - There are clearly defined criteria for reporting project status and for the escalation of risks and issues to the levels required by the organisation.

11 - The organisation fosters a culture of improvement and of frank internal disclosure of project management information.

12 - Project stakeholders are engaged at a level that is commensurate with their importance to the organisation and in a manner that fosters trust.

13 - Projects are closed when they are no longer justified as part of the organisation’s portfolio.

Question 29

Governance Components - Portfolio Direction

Answer 29

• This component seeks to ensure that all projects are identified within the one, sustainable portfolio.
• This portfolio should be elevated and directed mindful of the organisation’s aims, constraints, resources, and capacity for change.

Question 30

Governance Components - Project Sponsorship

Answer 30

• This component seeks to ensure that project sponsorship is the effective link between the organisation’s senior executive body and the management of each project.
• The sponsoring role has decision making, directing and representation accountabilities.

Question 31

Governance Components - Project Management Capability

Answer 31

• This component seeks to ensure that the teams responsible for the projects are capable of achieving the objectives that are defined at project approval points and use that capability to improve governance and outcomes.

Question 32

Governance Components - Disclosure and Reporting

Answer 32

• This component seeks to ensure that the content of project reports will provide timely, relevant, and reliable information that supports the organisation’s decision making process, without fostering a culture of micro-management.