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Hello everyone! From my perspective, the effectiveness of project governance hinges on its proportionality. It should be carefully tailored to match the programme's budget, project complexity, and stakeholder interests, among other criteria. This approach ensures that the governance structure remains just right – neither too heavy nor too light – optimising decision-making and resource allocation. What's your take on this? How do you strike the balance when customising project governance to different scenarios? Looking forward to your thoughts.

In my organization, the project manager reports to the head of missions. There is a limit to the number and manner of decisions he makes without the approval of the governance board.

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.

how much is the project tolerance ?

On our project, the manager (dean) reports to the board of directors to get permission on serious issues such as determining the budget and number of trainees to be selected from various underprivileged areas of our country. he can decide on all others issues with in the institution such as managing the staff regular operations and tracking the progress.

Apparently, Project Governance is an integral part of any Project Management as decisions by right personnels are highly required. However, they don't work alone as other partners are project managers, Staff likewise Donors as well.
It's paramount to state that each have designated responsibilities during Project Implementation processes which is detailed in a Project Charter.

This a clear description of how importance project governance is to the project. Thanks for sharing this.

Project governance refers to the framework, processes, and structures that an organization puts in place to ensure that projects are planned, executed, monitored, and controlled effectively and in alignment with its strategic objectives.

It involves defining roles and responsibilities, establishing decision-making processes, and setting up mechanisms for accountability and transparency throughout the project's lifecycle. Effective project governance helps in achieving project success, managing risks, and ensuring that resources are utilized efficiently.

It typically includes elements such as project charters, steering committees, project managers, and regular reporting and review processes.

For my project, I will be responsible for the project's governance. I have to decide the timeline, budget, changes, and activities.

In our Csr projects, the project manager reports directly to the country manager of the organization. The project manager is allowed to modify schedule and task. although the budget is most times always fixed with little room for modification, however the project manager can modify if need be, and report to the country manager.

Project governance is how important decisions are made and authority is distributed on a project.

Dans mon organisation, le chef de projet rend compte à l'équipe de projet de l'avancement des activités, des difficultés rencontrés et formule des pistes de solutions en fonction de son expérience et de son savoir-faire.

In small nonprofits, a flexible approach can be beneficial. Regular communication between the CEO and project manager is key to aligning expectations and ensuring projects stay on track. Define roles, constraints, and communication frequency collaboratively to optimize project management and achieve mission-driven goals effectively.

Yes... This hierarchical structure ensures efficient decision-making and accountability. The COO oversees key operational functions, while the Finance Officer's direct link to the MD maintains financial oversight. This setup promotes a balanced and well-structured organization.

The organisation director has the responsibility to approve changes in budget and deadlines and if the project manager can unilaterally change project schedule and tasks, which are not reported to the Program Director, how will the changes not affect deadlines that the organisation has agreed upon?

In my oragnisation, there is a weekly Monday Morning Meeting for all members of staff. All outstanding issues from work from the previous week are highlighted by all departments. It includes progress reports, detailing successes, challenges and impediments. The meeting is also used as a planning meeting for assignments in the new week. All blockers are analysed and solutions provided to support staff in getting to deliver on tasks assigned. The report of the meeting is shared to all departments and must reach the Programme Director before the close of work on Monday, if he is not available to attend the meeting. His response will be made available by early Tuesday morning.

Our project manager reports to the program operations manage.The changes of budgets,scope and timeliness are decided by a group of heads from different departments but with project manager being present.

it is of paramount importance that the project manager reports to the director ,it gives the director a chance to know what is happening currently in the organisation , also to make decisions where needed in relation to changes of the project implemented

Same structure with my organization!

On my team ,the project manager reports to the board of directors/ stakeholders.
The project manager asks for permission before the project scope ,schedule or budget is changed.

is that necessary for the project manager?

In my organization, the project manager reports to the Executive Director of our organization. With permission from the Executive Director the Project Manager make changes budgets and schedules.

Project governance is a body that allows major decisions to be made on the project. it makes it possible to give directions and provide solutions where the Project Manager is limited.

In our company, the general manager is responsible for shareholders. Indeed, all team leaders are responsible to GM.

at my organization we have one person who is charge and very type A and then we have a few people below them who make some decisions that have the approved by the main person and then below that we have a few people who just carry out tasks.

The lessons were so informative

There is currently no such system in my NGO as it is just starting

that is great discussion

thanks for sharing

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.

In our organization, the PMO and PMG have recently merged, raising questions about the impact on project governance. It's crucial to ensure that this merger doesn't compromise objectivity and transparency. How do you think we can maintain effective project governance in this new structure? Share your insights and experiences.

In my project ,we have project Officers, project coordinator and senior project manager.the project Officers report to the project coordinators about their work schedules and other work plans.the project coordinator reports to the senior project manager about how the project is being implemented and budget approvals updates.the senior project manager reports to stakeholders and donors and can't make any budget approvals minus consulting donors and stakeholders,the senior project manager also writes Reports based on our scope of work and the targets being met

When do you plan on establishing such a system and how best are you going to ensure it will be an excellent one to help with the implementation of your project.

At my organization, the Project Manager reports to the Head of Programmes who then reports to the Director. The Project Manager has the authority to change Implementation Plans only but does not have power to change project budgets. If in need of altering the budget, they have to first request for approval from the Head of Programmes upon consultation with the Director and donor.

@EleletaSurafel said in Module 1 Discussion: 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.

how do you operate without clear cut jib descriptions?

In our organization the project manager reports to the programs coordinator, who then reports to the director of research and he makes the final decision, with the information presented to him by the programs coordinator after monitoring and evaluating the situations.
for a scope or a budget to be changed the director has to approve it first.

In my organization, the structure is a bit complex because it's one organization with the major service being the clinic then a number of projects. Therefore, the structure starts with the board of directors who over see the organization, the volunteers who indirectly monitor the work of the organization, executive director who governs the organization, followed by department heads i.e. director of finance, director of programmes, and human resources manager. the next level is the project managers then the officers. At our organization, the project manager reports to the director of programmes who reports to the executive director. The project manager is usually the project lead who in most cases directly communicates to the donor on issues of activities and limited resources. Therefore, he is allowed to make decisions on behalf of the organization on budgets, activities and schedules.

@sakalaviolet37 said in Module 1 Discussion: Project Governance:

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.

However small the organization, i believe the CEO or business owner needs people who will criticize his work for better performance. the organization may fail if only opinions relied on are for one person.

who are the administrators? what influence do they have on the project?

in my organization the project manager is the chief in making a way to achieve the succesfull project, and about the project governance only participating for give the information to create an imagination for the project manager, but in decisions making created by the project governance such as CEO, Investor, Director and etc. So i think the function of project manager in my organization is responsible for making the way.

nice work

The important aspect troughtout the project, project governance should always contribution in making decision, it helps the project manager.

The important aspect troughtout the project, project governance should always contribution in making decision, it helps the project manager.

The project governance structure is the system by which a project is controlled and monitored. It outlines the obligations of the stakeholders, the project team, and the project manager. in our organization, it also establishes methods and procedures for making decisions (CEO) , project deliverable (project manager) , communicating, and monitoring progress (M&E).

The project governance structure is the system by which a project is controlled and monitored. It outlines the obligations of the stakeholders, the project team, and the project manager. in our organization, it also establishes methods and procedures for making decisions (CEO) , project deliverable (project manager) , communicating, and monitoring progress (M&E).

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 and the donor to change any budgets, deadlines, or requirements.

Does the donor have no say in the process? Am interested to hear how the donor(s) fits in the picture?

Thank you for this course

In my company, we don't have a project manager but we clearly have a project governance, where the managing director holds the authority and authorizes or not any change. Every member in the management team can hold responsibility of managing a project.

Our organization has what we call Project Management Committee (PMC) which comprises of senior leadership, programs team, finance, procurement and Communications team. This team provides an oversight of the project right from the designing to close-out. The programs team, which is tasked with project implementation regularly responds to PMC and any challenges or success are shared on time.

Project Governance differs according to the organizations, some have big structures whereas some are small.
These are individuals or groups who make decisions and support the project team towards the completion.
There are three pillars of project Governance:
Governance structure refers to the framework of project management, especially regarding rules, procedures, roles and the division of responsibilities within the whole decision-making process. It keeps the project in check, allowing it to run flawlessly and in accordance with the plan.
There are three essential components of all project governance: processes, data, and people. Processes are how you do things, data is the information you use, and people are the ones doing and using both of those. The key to a good project governance framework is to standardize, integrate and systemize these areas.
A Project Management Office (PMO) is a management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.
Project governance deals with the strategic management and governance of a portfolio of projects to deliver business value. Project management, on the other hand, manages projects on a day-to-day basis, making any decisions that have to be made based on the scope they have been given by the project board.
good project governance.
Stages of Good Governance
Stage 1: Initiate governance process. ...
Stage 2: Plan governance process. ...
Stage 3: Execute governance process. ...
Stage 4: Monitoring and controlling. ...
Stage 5: Closure. ...
Understanding the Project Management Office (PMO) ...
Project governance and the role of stakeholders.

On our projects, the project manager reports to the Chief of Party of the organization. The project manager cannot change schedules and tasks, they also need to get the permission of the director to change any budgets, deadlines, or requirements. Our Project Manager do not have much power.
How often does the project manager give updates to the director? Is the donor also involved in project governance? The donor is not involved in project the governance, the donor is only involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the project. The project manager does not have much power because even scheduling the meetings with the teams, she must get a go ahead from the COP. The project manager gives the COP a report weekly, however the others below also give the report t the Chief directly so there is not much that she is reporting.

Hi
So is there no single person responsible for day to day management of the teams and their activities, how does it work , who reports to whom and what do they report, so i can understand more

hi
Yours is similar to mine, however mine there is a Project Manager on paper but in reality her seniors do the day to day management

The progects manager of my organization told that all the progects of my organization goes scientific manner and fair, Before the projects implementation they do to understand the problem through research and and then eva;uation and then implementation. This course and the he told me is simillar. Thanks to my Philanthropy University.

first thanks all of you in order to proved this opportunity, secondly i understood more information about this course like WBDS so i am going to continuous

In our project, there is no project manager. There is a project director who coordinates with funders, a project coordinator who handles paperwork and high level stakeholder meeting along with the project director, and finally there is a project assistant who runs the project like a project manager. the project assistant is allowed to make decisions on schedules with consensus from the team. In terms of dealines and requirements, it is still set by the project director. The project assistant gives updates weekly or as needed. The donor involved in project governance by approving project scope, timeline, and budget proposals which are developed by the project director with help from the project coordinator and assistant.

On our projects, the project manager reports to the Chief of Party of the organization. The project manager cannot change schedules and tasks, they also need to get the permission of the director to change any budgets, deadlines, or requirements. Our Project Manager do not have much power.
How often does the project manager give updates to the director? Is the donor also involved in project governance? The donor is not involved in project the governance, the donor is only involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the project. The project manager does not have much power because even scheduling the meetings with the teams, she must get a go ahead from the COP. The project manager gives the COP a report weekly, however the others below also give the report t the Chief directly so there is not much that she is reporting.

On our projects, the project manager reports to the Chief of Party of the organization. The project manager cannot change schedules and tasks, they also need to get the permission of the director to change any budgets, deadlines, or requirements. Our Project Manager do not have much power.
How often does the project manager give updates to the director? Is the donor also involved in project governance? The donor is not involved in project the governance, the donor is only involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the project. The project manager does not have much power because even scheduling the meetings with the teams, she must get a go ahead from the COP. The project manager gives the COP a report weekly, however the others below also give the report t the Chief directly so there is not much that she is reporting.

In my organisation, the Executive Director directs all activities because it is a small local NGO

1. What are the skills and knowledge needed by a project manager in other to become an experts in a particular project or fields, examples, in a health or educational activity?
2. How can a project manager set up a particular plan to manage resources for a project to be effective and be completed on time.
   what mechanism a project manager should put in place to address the following when its occurs
   i. Lack of communication
   ii. Conflict.
3. In a governance structure of a project management, there must be a project Coordinator and other team members that work with the project in order to succeed in implementing the project, how does the project manager and the project the Coordinator collaborate to achieve to their goals?

PROJECT GOVERNANCE- ASSIGNMENT
the project governance structure is the system by which a project is controlled and monitored. It outlines the obligations of the stakeholders, the project team, and the project manager. Moreover, it also establishes methods and procedures for making decisions, communicating, and monittoring progress.
What makes for a good governance model:
Step 1: Get the right people on board
The first step to develop a strong governance model is to get the right people on board. Without the right skills and attributes present among its directors, any board will struggle to deliver good corporate governance.
Step 2: Define and agree the boards role
Once the right people are on board, there needs to be agreement about exactly what the board’s roles and responsibilities are and what should be delegated to management. Once agreed, the roles, responsibilities and delegations should be written as policies, perhaps as part of a more comprehensive board charter.
Step 3: Employ and support a chief executive
Once the board is in place and there is agreement about its function, a chief executive will need to be employed to carry out the operational work of the organisation. Recruitment should be carefully carried out to ensure the right fit. Once in place, the chief executive needs to know what his or her authorities are and what the board expects should be achieved. Clearly defined delegation policies provide the chief executive with the confidence that he or she can apply their decision making skills and authority without having to ask permission from the board to do the job they are employed to do. The chief executive should receive regular performance feedback based on objective criteria.
Step 4: Provide strategic leadership
The chief executive is employed to achieve governance outcomes rather than to merely be busy doing ‘things’. A statement of strategic direction or strategic plan makes clear what is to be achieved. Good governance plans should be written in outcomes language as the basis for effective monitoring and evaluation, and as the basis for measuring organisational and chief executive effectiveness.
Step 5: Make board meetings count and involve the right people
The board meeting is the place where a board does most of its work. Board meetings should matter. They should be well run and should focus on the board’s job, not the CEO’s. Meetings should be predominantly forward looking and offer satisfaction to directors, who can leave the meeting knowing they have added value as the result of applying their experience, expertise and wisdom.
Step 6: Be clear on accountability and stay on top of the governance process
Even the most experienced boards and directors can find themselves drifting away from governing responsibilities and becoming involved in management matters. It is imperative the board stays on top of its role. Determining governance structure, monitoring and assessment of organizational effectiveness is the bread and butter of board meetings. However, these functions should not dominate the meetings. Time should be spent at every board meeting looking ahead; a portion of every board meeting should be the equivalent of a mini strategic retreat.
Step 7: Develop the work plan.
This ensures directors view their role as continuous rather than episodic and involves making timely provision for all the tasks and functions that the board must address over the course of the governing year. Boards in all sectors are now developing board annual work plans.
Step 8: Review the boards performance on a regular basis.
Increasingly boards in all sectors are undertaking regular performance assessment. Often guided by an independent specialist, this process also includes individual director assessments based on peer and self-performance feedback.
Step 9: Provide purposeful director induction.
Step 9 closes the loop. Recognizing that most boards have a regular infusion of new members bringing new skills and experience to their considerations, it is imperative that all newly appointed directors are provided with an effective induction into the affairs of the board and the organization.

Managing projects well involves making important decisions and organizing who has the power to decide what. This is called project governance, and it's crucial for success. In our team, the person in charge, called the project manager, reports to someone higher up, like the project sponsor. The project manager can decide on everyday things within certain limits, like where to use resources and how to manage tasks. We keep things flexible but always in line with the project's goals. I'm interested in learning more about teams that focus on letting everyone have a say in decisions. If there's a post about a team like that, I'd like to know how they make sure everyone works well together and gets things done.

Dans mon organisation les décision sont prises par le coordinateur du projet en fonctions des orientations données par l'employeur et le partenaire. Ainsi, les animateurs reçoivent des ordres d'exécution sous la supervision du directeur du projet ou coordinateur.
Nous avons donc dans mon organisation dans l'ordre décroissant : le pasteur - les cpc - le coordinateur - les animateurs et les volontaires.
Toutes les décisions prises doivent recevoir le consentement du cpc et du facilitateur de partenariat avant exécution

On our projects, the project manager reports to the Managing Director of the organization. The project manager can change schedules, tasks,Project deliverables ,timelines and Project Scope but they need to get the permission from both the Manging Director and the project Beneficiaries .The Managing Director is allowed to change project budgets, deadlines, or requirements.

Project Updates are given on a weekly ,Monthly Basis depending on the criticality of the project.For High Risk projects daily updates are provided for both the project sponsor,client and key project stakeholders so they are well aware of what is happening in the project ,Including Project Scope Creep.

In our organisation, the Project Manager reports to the Project Director. He/she steers the operations process but reports to the Director before any changes are implemented.
The Project Manager reports to the Project Director on a daily basis, given that immediate action must be taken following their exchanges.

in a project we faild to realise required targets because of lack of trust between priject manager and CEO due to mis communication

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Would your company then hold monthly meetings? How do you ensure, clear, accurate and fast communication between the different parties?

In our team's project governance structure, the project manager reports directly to the senior project lead, who oversees multiple projects within the department. The project manager is entrusted with the authority to make decisions regarding daily task management, resource allocation, and scheduling adjustments. However, any significant changes impacting budgets, project deadlines, or requirements must be presented to the project steering committee comprising department heads and key stakeholders for approval.

I'm interested in learning more about the composition of your project steering committee. Are there specific criteria or thresholds that determine when a decision must be escalated to this committee for consideration, or is it more ad hoc based on the project manager's judgment?

In my Organization;

Sponsor
stakeholder
Project Director,
Project Manager
Site Manager,
Construction Manager,
In our case Project Manager reports to the Project Director, and They jointly meet with stockholders and sponsor if any problems or changes in resolution.

In our company the project manager does planning and monitoring the project.

In my organization, the project manager reports to the Executive Director. The project manager can make decisions on planning activities, changing the budget schedule, proposing new targets or beneficiaries. However, he submits this to the appreciation of the Executive Director before implementation.

In my organization, the project manager reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) quarterly through a reporting mechanism established by the Executive Committee. There are also weekly updates provided by the project manager to a general staff meeting at the end of every week.

I appreciate that this course recognizes and advocates that project managers should be given flexibility when it comes to deliverables and how project governance makes clear the decision making process for everyone. In my experience, the deliverables could be so rigid, or that decision making is sometimes monopolized or that there is no clear delineation of responsibilities/authority. This course has clearly addressed those issues that oftentimes plague projects and project managers.

Hi Ressian, who has the power to approve such things? Thank you in advance.

It's the same case in my organisation, all project managers report to the CEO.
I thing generaly there no wrong with these of governance structure if the CEO is receptive to the managers' suggestions

Well, at the moment i work in an organization where the project manager reports to his or her immediate supervisor who in turn submits everything to the manager.In order to revise schedules or tasks he or she needs permission of the manager through the supervisor.

In my case, there are several Project officers and these report to the Project Manager. The Project Manager Reports to the Deputy Country Director and Country Director. These two report to the Local Board and to the Africa Programs Manager who in turn reports to the CEO who finally reports to the International Board and Donors.

There are however specific situations where the Project Manager is authorized and advised to report to the Donor directly with the Country Director, Africa Programs Manager and CEO in copy, cases such as a response to a specific donor's request or assignment following a specific donor request.

Unfortunately, and this is entirely a personal view, I see the local board as nothing but a team set up to meet national regulatory guidelines. They are basically on the receiving end, they do not even have TORs to be guided by and are just updated on a quarterly basis about the projects and activities in progress.

With the soft skills and hard skills required/expected for project managers, would it be correct to say that Project Managers have a "Project Management Culture" irrespective of each individuals organizational culture? Is an organization, a situation in a country (economic, political, etc) at liberty to shape the project management culture and how would that affect projects?

In my team decisions on a project are made based on the project's governance structure. The project manager is typically authorized to make day-to-day decisions within the project's defined boundaries. Higher-level decisions that impact scope, budget, or key deliverables may require approval from a governance committee or project sponsor. Stakeholder engagement and collaboration play a crucial role in decision-making. Projects often have a change control process to assess and approve proposed changes. Effective communication and adherence to project governance structures are essential for successful decision-making.

In my team decisions on a project are made based on the project's governance structure. The project manager is typically authorized to make day-to-day decisions within the project's defined boundaries. Higher-level decisions that impact scope, budget, or key deliverables may require approval from a governance committee or project sponsor. Stakeholder engagement and collaboration play a crucial role in decision-making. Projects often have a change control process to assess and approve proposed changes. Effective communication and adherence to project governance structures are essential for successful decision-making.

most times as the project moves from one stage to another incase of any adjustments in the scope.
Yes.

In my organization, both the donors and the board participate in the decision making process.

Project governance is important because you have to realy reseach and understand what the project need or is about to move on to the next steps. Also you have to be able to commu nicate with everyone for the project to go well.

We have a well-layed down procedure depending on the project. For an internal funded project, the project lead is the the principle investigator who is in charge of the day to day running of the project and makes decisions on any changes.

our organization the project manager report to the directors of the organization

In my organization the president of the organization is the project governance. The project manager should report to the president. He is allowed to run the existing activities, calling meetings and other previously set tasks.

Then who will run the daily tasks of the organization?

In my organization, there are various projects managers managing specific projects. They can change schedules and tasks as they are being conferred with the power to own the project. But when it comes to budgeting and timelines they set the budget which will be scrutinized and approved by the board and they cannot change it. The set the timeline too but the board has superiority and final say in the timeline. The project managers report to the admistative office and the president of the organization.

In my organization The project manager reports to the program director. The PM is empowered to make day-to-day operational decisions related to project execution, resource allocation, and task prioritization. Responsible for managing the project within defined scope, timeline, and budget constraints.

I totally agree, in my organization, which is a small NGO we struggle to keep boundaries and authority limitations between team members. We are actually running and managing a lot of projects and our reputation is great as we create real change in our community but with a very limited team members which gives the space for a lot of inorganization. As I got promoted to a Project Manager, I took a decision to never start my project without clear vision, authority limitation and a Project governance and I will push for that.

In my organization, projects were usually done by Division, the Division Chief usually acts as a Project Manager. The PM reports to the Director then the Director reports to the CEO. The PM has the discretion to designate the activities and tasks for each member.

In my organization, the project manager reports directly to the organization CEO usually by reports the end of the month and sometimes by the weekly meets.
The projects manager does not have the ability to change the projects plans or the budgets.

In my organization, the project manager reports directly to the organization CEO usually by reports the end of the month and sometimes by the weekly meets.
The projects manager does not have the ability to change the projects plans or the budgets.

In my organisation,we have project officers who run the projects and report directly to the Director.

Since the project manager reports to the director of the organization, he is responsible for reporting monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annually. This will help the team understand the progress of the project and if there are any challenges that also require a change of scope, as well as approvals for certain decisions that might affect the project.

The project manager basically gives out roles and how everything will go. The board of directors just look at it and approved or disapproves.

In my project, the project manager reports directly to the CEO. The project manager is given the privilege and task to plan, set up, orchestrate, and finalize all parts of the project, but being sure to check in with the CEO after every part gets put into motion.