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This is the module 1 discussion. You may participate in this discussion once you have begun module 1.
Project governance--how decisions are made and authority is distributed on a project--is an extremely important topic. How does your team organize project governance? In this module's discussion, share your team's governance structure. Who does the project manager report to? What kinds of decisions is the project manager allowed to make?
Find at least one post that you are curious to learn more about. Reply to that post by asking a clarifying question.
Example post: On our projects, the project manager reports to the director of the organization. The project manager can change schedules and tasks, but they need to get the permission of the director to change any budgets, deadlines, or requirements.
Example reply: How often does the project manager give updates to the director? Is the donor also involved in project governance?
At my organization, the project manager reports directly to the CEO, who independently makes up the entirety of the project governance body, since it’s a small organization. While this hierarchical structure has been put in place, no clear cut job descriptions and limits are there such as which of the three constraints the project manager is allowed to modify, if any, or how often updates are needed.
Any one here who works in a small non-profit such as mine, please share how you have found it best to work around these situations.
@EleletaSurafel ,thanks for clearly expressing your organization's project governance structure.
In my organization, both the donors and the board participate in decision making especially those that does not have a direct impact on the beneficiaries of the project.
Position: project officer , responsible for all project activities and coordination of goal and objectives between stakeholders.
Project officer , reports to project manager
@Papet ,thanks for sharing this info with us.
At our company the Human resource, Procurement officer, IT officer all reports to the Chief operational officer who then reports the Managing Director.
The finance officer reports directly to the Managing director.
Project Governance is integral part of delivering successful project. The roles and responsibilities need to be clearly defined, especially on the powers of the project manager. Without a clear project governance is nearly impossible to plan and implement a project.
@GasparKanijo ,you've clearly explained your organization's project governance structure.
@Kisa90 ,your statement is brilliant.
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a visual, hierarchical outline to guide your project. By first breaking down the deliverables, you can then create tasks, which can again be broken down into subtasks as many times as needed to address the goals of the project.
This process takes large, complex projects and breaks them into more manageable chunks to make it easier to plan, schedule and deliver. The WBS helps with scope, cost and schedule baselines and ensures that your project plan takes all these important factors into account.
By visualizing your project in this manner, you and your resources can collaborate on defining mission critical tasks, their subtasks and the inter-dependencies between them.
@bobbybatatina, that was an awesome contribution to the ensuing discussion. Thanks for your contribution.
in my organisation the project manager writes project reports and presents them to the organisation's CEO. She also develops project budgets and Gantt Charts of which she has no powers to approve them. She also runs the project throughout its start to the end.
Before the project start, it is very important to have a charter between project manager, governing body and stakeholders. I think it is very good to divide the authority. In our governing structure, the project manager needs to report to Executive director. Project Manger has authority over fieldwork managing and also accountable for budgeting.
I want to know about managing in rigid environment.
@ressian, thanks for updating us on how projects are handled in your organization. I think there is a lot you can learn from the Project Manager, to enhance your capabilities.
@Ezrajohn, you are right in your submission; project charter is surely the way to go in spelling out duties/responsibilities, and authority in an organization.
Thanks for sharing your organization’s governance structure with us.
Management in a rigid environment, however, differs in terms of authority and responsibilities from other flexible environment @Ezrajohn.
In the sense that, a rigid environment may have to adopt peculiar measures to get the project executed. That is, an authority may perform several roles from project governance to implementation.
In so far as work gets done to a logical conclusion, the governance structure in a rigid environment does not matter.
Project governance is important and critical
@SheziNomazulu, you are so right; project governance is so important and critical, hence its acceptance in organizations.
On the projects carried out in my organization, we have project officers for different projects. The project officers then reports directly to the Director who monitors and evaluates the activities carried out.
@DoubleNana, thanks for updating us on how things are run in your organization. Can you please share with us also how a change in project is carried out, from inception to approval through to execution, in your organization?
Our non-profit, organizational governance structure consists of the Executive Associate Director, Director of Finance, and the CEO. My current position is Program Manager, in which I have the ability to present ideas, but the decision-making ultimately goes to the governance listed above.
Is the CEO able to present changes to leadership, before implementation. If so, how often? How are the changes communicated? Thank you in advance!
In all of our projects, the designated project manager reports to the director. All aspects that can be handled by the project manager are spelled out at the beginning of the project, including emergerncy or urgent matters that are crucial to the project.
Giving the project manager freedom to handle certain sensitive issues off the project has it advantage and disadvantage: on one hand, work progresses often faster, but on the other hand, resources may be misallocated.
@KendraMoore ,thanks for sharing your organization's project governance structure.
@Wirba ,thanks for sharing your organization's project governance structure.
At my organization, the board which is made up of a few members participates solely in decision making since it's a small organization.
@Fedrine_effande, thanks for updating us on how things go in your organization.
In my organization, the project manager reports to the director of our organization. The project manager may be allowed to change budgets and schedules, but he has to first of all get permission from the director before changing any task.
Such a well stipulated responsibilities your Project Manager has. Thank you for updating us on how projects are handled in your organization @Tabotndip.
@Carinesiakam ,you've clearly explained your organization's project governance structure.Thanks for sharing this info with us.
In my organization, both the donors and the board participate in decision making especially those that does not have a direct impact on the beneficiaries of the project.
Project governance is critical and must be followed duely to avoid being blamed and repercussions
On our projects, the project manager reports to the executive director of the organization. The executive director reports to the donor. The project manager can change schedules and tasks, but they need to get the permission of the director and the donor to change any budgets, deadlines, or requirements.
I will say after reading the various approaches that, parametric approach is the best. The reason being that, it is simple, highly verifiable and effective. However, in situations where projects are implemented across different societies/communities/countries, this approach may be flawed due to the differences in determinants of prices of goods or services. I will recommend a blend of the three.
@UcheChukwupatrick, thanks for sharing in the discussion. It is of great importance having donors, and any other stakeholder engage in decision making regardless how big or small that may be. I am impressed with your organization.
@Oluwabukola_ope, thanks for summarizing the essence of project governance in an organization for us.
@Fidelia, that was a well delivered explanation: at least we can all see clearly the authority of the various bodies in the organization. Thanks for sharing with us.
Well said @FRANKAGBESE. A blend of the approaches isn’t a bad decision at all. We are at least, at liberty to choose which approach suites our project operation irrespective of the location and beneficiaries. What matters most is project continuity to fulfill the organization’s mission accordingly.
Project Governance is a part of delivering successful project. The role of project governance,the project manager and other important stakeholders was well explained and understandable. More wisdom.
@princeadebowale79 ,your opinion about the importance of project governance is spot on.
@ALUG. Thanks for your contribution
@ALUG. Thanks for your contribution
Within my Organization, the Project Manager Reports directly to the Head of Programs who then reports to the Executive Director.
@FRANKAGBESE ,thanks for sharing your organization's project governance structure with us.
in my organization the project manager report to the governing council comprising 9 members
@ehoolongc, thanks for the update. Can you please share with us who the nine members are, and also how a change in project is treated in your organization? We wish to understand the governance system in your organization.
In our organisation, the project governance is set up on a parallel structure between the home office and the field staff. The project manager facilitates and coordinates the processes. On our projects, the project manager reports to the project director, who takes the decisions in coordination with the team leader in the field. They can change schedules and tasks and work with the donors (and depending on the cases with the broader stakeholder audience) to change budgets, deadlines, or requirements. The donor provides the ultimate approval.
Interesting!!! Such a well spelt-out governance structure you have in your organization as given in your submission @ellebi19. Thanks for joining the ensuing discussion.
HELLO, Thanks so much for this clarification.please i would like to learn more from you,Sir
In my organization ,the project manager account to the admnistrative council
How is the project team set up? and what skills Roles do we need?. Do we have the Required Skilled People
Does it mean every single decision has to be approved br donors even if its not necessarily about budget?
@MissionaryAkoroMawina-esso ,thanks for sharing your organization's project governance structure.
@MatAgb, please note that it is not necessarily the case that all decisions ought to be approved by donors. However, their input in decision making must be welcomed so they know how their funding is put to use.
@ebinumolise001, to set up a project team one needs to consider the various capacities of staff available, and how best they can help accomplish the project. Once the staff with the capacities are identified, a team can be formed.
Nonetheless, a team must not necessarily be made up of perfect staff, since each person has a unique way of doing things. A great team can be formed when staff see themselves as complementing one another to execute the task at hand.
In my project, the project manager reports to the committee members who are government officials from the respective line ministries.
@Zin ,thanks for sharing your organization's governance structure with us.
In my Organization;
In our case Project Manager report to Project Director, and They jointly meet to stockholders and sponsor if any problem or changes resolution.
@samarmariam, thanks for updating us on the governance structure in your organization.
In my organization, the project manager reports to the Director. She sends annual reports to the director and then the director reports to the donors
In my organization, project manager report to Executive Director and he will overview and give necessary comment for all project.
@Dorinna, thanks for updating us on your organization’s governance structure. Can you please share with us a little about how a change in project is handled in your organization?
Thanks for joining the discussion @Thet-5, and also for the update on your organization's governance structure.
Thank you for sharing.
I suggest that the project manager should update the project governance fluently as possible because this will help the project manager to know if the project budget, task, schedule, etc is still in line with project and if any need of changes. Therefore to reach the intended goal
Your response clearly leads to the realization of a project's intended goal. Well said @Black93_.
We do not have a project manager as work is distributed to all of us however the appointing authority makes all the decisions regarding the project, the finances and even the personnel to undertake the job.
The biggest hurdle is that at times,there is a communication breakdown between what the top executives propose to undertake and what exactly the client is interested in which leads to either the client terminating or at times the project taking more time than what we had planned for.
@Maish2012 ,you've clearly highlighted your organization's project governance structure.
+Do you believe that hiring a project manager for your organization will eliminate the problem of communication breakdown?
In my organization,we lack a project management office since we started off as a start up but the organization has continued to grow and lack of such an important division will always lead to projects being handled not in a professional way.
In my organization,we lack a project management office since we started off as a start up but the organization has continued to grow and lack of such an important division will always lead to projects being handled not in a proffesional way.
In my small organization the projects are managed by Project Coordinator who reports directly to the Project Director. Mostly the projects we are involved in are part of Consortium where the Project manager is from either of the other Partners. Until recently we got a project without a consortium which is being managed from our organization.
@Maish2012, is there a way you can suggest this to management, or get them to take up this and other courses from the PhilanthropyU platform. If the former seem difficult at least try and get some key members of management to take-up the latter (courses). I see a head-way from there.
Thanks for updating us on the governance structure of your organization @kiunyakas.
You can in addition use some of the soft skills you attained from the course to communicate the usefulness of the the above mentioned. I guess it will be a test of your soft skills from the course @Maish2012.
My project is the establishment of a community library. The Initiative's Project Manager is also part of the team and he always reaches out to me as the coordinator of the team before taking decisions that are critical for the project
Thank you for updating us on your organization's project @Younglan.
Governance depends on the structure of the organisation. In our case, the Principal Tutor heads the Technical team of tutors while the finance and administration officer coordinates all activities and reports to the Executive Officer who is responsible to the Board of Directors who in turn are also responsible to the Board of Trustees
In my organization the Project manager acts on the decisions made by the company's stakeholders(Board of Directors and Partners)
Thanks for joining the discussion @531 .
@anadimarystella, thanks for the update, but can you briefly share with us some few instances that the Project Manager doesn't act on the directives of the aforementioned stakeholders?
In my organization, the governance structure is a bit different depending on the project. But for this example, lets say it is a high level project for Behavioral Health programming. My boss and I would be the project managers and we would report to the Director of Operations. We would decide the work that each person needs to do, when it needs to be done, and how it should be done. Our director would decide budget.
Such an interesting work flow activities you have @cocaav. Thank you for sharing with us.
In our organization the core issue of governance is dialogue between all stakeholders. Befor making any decision i consult my collegues about its strength and weeknesses .
@DjibyGourmoThiam, you have nailed it right on the head: dialogue is indeed key in all things. Thanks for your response.
In My previous job as a Case manager, I reported to a Program Manager who then reported to the Director of the program. The mandate of implementing the project was primarily with the Director while the Program Manager acted as project manager ensuring the program tasks were managed and ground level work is completed as per program guidelines in each of the service areas.
It is nice to read all of your inputs from your work experiences.
Thank you for the beautiful update @VidhyaK.
Hey, guys I am from India and currently staying in Turkey. Joining your team to learn and experience knowledge. Thank-you
@rafayy ,a warm welcome to you and Happy Learning!!!
Thank you for sharing
Insightful
I am new at Project management, learning from the many comments here.
@Opeyemi53, you are most welcome on board. We hope you will enjoy your study with us.
@Opeyemi53, that is a well chosen word to describe the various contributions on the discussion board. We hope you will also present us with rich contributions too.
We are glad you also made this course a choice of study @Opeyemi53 .
The project governance should be attributed to keys stakeholders
Great tool