ARCHIVED - Project Management Guide - Introduction

This page has been archived.

An Enhanced Framework for the Management of Information Technology Projects

Project Management Guide - introduction-introductionduction

February 2002
Chief Information Officer Branch
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Purpose

The Project Management Guide was developed as part of the Enhanced Framework for the Management of Information Technology Projects initiative for departments and agencies of the federal government. The Guide provides a single-point of reference to key project management principles and practices and to the related policies and guidance of the federal government.

The guide is based on industry best practices, supplemented by lessons learned through government of Canada IM/IT projects. The document contents include the principles of the Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), are based on the International Standards Organization's Software Life Cycle Process (ISO/IEC 12207), and support the principles of the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and other relevant Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and external reference materials.

Structure of the Guide

The guide describes two main process categories: core project management process, and the supporting processes. The core project management processes are described in terms of its purpose, the activities, inputs, outputs, relevant GoC policy and standards, and lastly supporting tools and techniques. The guide can be navigated using the menu on the right hand side of the page or using the Navigation table to jump directly to a specific section. The supporting processes are described in terms of relevant tools and techniques.

General Roles and Responsibilities

The project organization structure supports the completion of project activities and provides an adequate level of oversight, review and contribution from necessary parties. Clearly defining the project organization structure up-front is a critical success factor for projects.

Your project may not require a separate individual to fulfill each of these roles, but it is important that the tasks and responsibilities associated with each role are clearly assigned to specific project team members. For example, in a smaller project, the Project Manager may also fulfill some of the project team member activities. On larger projects, it is critical that a dedicated Project Manager (with no other responsibilities) be identified and assigned to the team.

The roles and responsibilities outlined below provide a baseline from which your department can develop specific and tailored definitions. Your project management plan documents the roles and responsibilities specific to your project.

Role	Description/Responsibilities
Departmental Executive Committee (DEC)	Oversee all project activities from the Department point of view. The committee establishes priorities for project funding and resource allocation, it allocates available budget to defined projects.
Project Sponsor (PS)	Responsible for ensuring that the department understands the value and importance of the project and, ultimately, for realizing the benefits predicted for the project. The project sponsor is typically a senior official in the organization responsible for the business function that the project will support. The project sponsor should have a major say in the release of funds after a review.
End user (User)	Business clients represent the final end-user or benefactor of the project deliverables/objectives. They play an important role in defining project requirements and in ensuring that delivered features meet their business requirements.
Business Area Project Manager (BPM)	Where a project is sufficiently large, a Business Area Project Manager may be appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of the project activities within the Business Area.
Project Leader (PL)	Has overall responsibility for the project and is accountable for all external and internal aspects of it. The project leader is typically a senior departmental official.
Project Manager (PM)	Has specific accountability for achieving all of the defined project objectives within the time and resources allocated. The project manager performs the day-to-day management of the project. One or more assistant project managers with the same responsibilities over specific portions of the project may support the overall project manager, without diluting his or her responsibility. Project managers should have demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience commensurate with the size, complexity and risk of the project. Since different levels of competency are required for different levels of project management and project size, the project manager role is divided into three proficiency levels. Depending on the size, complexity and risk of the project, more than one level of project manager may share responsibility for managing the project.
Project Team Member (PTM)	Core team project team members include Architect, Software engineer, Tester or writer assigned to a project. Responsible for completing project tasks, providing input to plans, and providing status.
Quality Assurance (QA)	Responsible for quality assurance activities.
Configuration Management (CM)	Responsible for configuration management activities.
Independent Validation Test (IVT) Team	Plans and performs Independent Validation Testing, and approves the system or software product before Acceptance Testing can begin.
Contract Authority (CA)	Provides project-specific procurement services, supports the project in accordance with any existing legislation or general arrangements, ensures the legal soundness of any contract, and maintains the government standards of prudence, probity and equity when dealing with the private sector.

Adapting the Guide

Every project is different and as such requires tailored project management and supporting processes to best satisfy the project requirements while attaining the project objectives. For example, small low risk projects it is possible that some of the management plans described in this Guide can be combined into a single plan whereas for larger projects it is more likely that individual plans will be more suitable. When tailoring the Guide for specific projects it is important to take into consideration Departmental guidelines and to ensure that the following Enhanced Management Framework principles are respected:

1. Projects are aligned with and support the business directions
   
   Information technology projects are undertaken to achieve successful and economical support of a business function. The project sponsor, leader, and manager, together with the management and major users of the business function, must ensure that the system achieves these goals and delivers the expected benefits.
   
   
2. Clear accountabilities are established
   
   Information technology projects can be complex undertakings. The responsibilities of all parties must be clearly defined and their delegated authority specified. Problems must be resolved in a timely manner to prevent them from threatening the success of the project and the achievement of the benefits expected from it.
   
   
3. Project managers are developed in, and work within, a corporate discipline
   
   The project manager is the key for the successful completion of the project and the achievement of the expected benefits. The project manager, therefore, should have the appropriate training, skills and experience to manage the scope and risks of the stated project. There is a need for a corporate approach to the development or acquisition of project managers based on government-wide practices, common tools and methodologies.
   
   
4. Project management decisions are based on risk management
   
   Typically the government has emphasized meeting the target date of projects, with the result departments have pressed ahead to meet commitments, even where there are indications the project is in difficulty. Risk management, the determination and resolution of all threats to the successful achievement of project objectives, including the benefits identified in the business case, is a primary concern. Projects must be planned, organized and structured to ensure success from their initial organization and planning through design, development and implementation.