Organisation

Overview

The PROMISE project management organisation assumes that there will be a Customer, or User who will specify the product and a Supplier who will provide product. In majority of cases, the Customer is Product development, and the supplier is Engineering or Development.

PROMISE offers an approach that provides the necessary organisation.

The PROMISE project management structure consists of roles and responsibilities that bring together the various interests and skills involved in, and required by, the project.

A project management structure is a temporary structure specifically designed to manage the project to its successful conclusion to meet the requirements defined in the Project Directive. The structure allows for communication with decision-making entities and should be backed up by job definitions that specify the responsibilities, goals, limits of authority, relationships, skills, knowledge and experience required for all roles in the project organisation.

Some of the PROMISE roles can be shared or delegated but others cannot if they are to be undertaken effectively. For example, the Project Manager role cannot be shared, nor can the Project Manager or Project Board roles be delegated.

The Project Manager and Project Team

The Project Manager is the single focus for day-to-day management of the project and has well-defined responsibilities and accountability. The Project Manager needs a project organisation structure that will take responsibility for some of the many facets of his role and provide support in performing some of the other facets.

To meet these needs PROMISE provides a structure for a Project Management Team which supports:

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Roles for decision-makers

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Management by exception for the decision-makers

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Independent inspection of all aspects of project performance

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Agreement by all concerned on what the various roles and responsibilities are

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Efficient communication between the Project Management Team members.

Four Project Interests (THE PROJECT BOARD)

PROMISE requires that the structure and composition of the Project Board Four interests must be represented on the Project Board at all times.

Business

The product(s) of the project should meet a business need. The project should give value for money. There should, therefore, be representation from the business viewpoint to ensure that these two pre-requisites exist before commitment to the project is made, and remain in existence throughout the project. PROMISE makes a distinction between the business and the requirements of those who will use the final product(s). The Chairman role is defined to look after the business interests (representing the Customer).

User, or Customer

There will be an individual, group or groups for whom some or all of the following will apply:

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They will use the final product

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The product will achieve an objective for them

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They will use the end result to deliver benefits

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They will be impacted by the outcome.

The User presence is needed to specify the desired outcome and ensure that the project delivers it. User management should therefore be represented on the Project Board. This is the function of the User Director.

Supplier

The creation of the end product will need resources with certain skills. Representation is needed from the Suppliers who will provide the necessary skills. The Supplier may need to use both in-house and external teams to construct the final outcome. This is supplied by the presence of the Supplier Director on the Board.

Operator

The operator of the end product will need resources with certain skills. Representation is needed from the Operators who will provide the necessary skills. The Operator may need to use both in-house and external teams to construct the final outcome. This function is fulfilled by the Operations Director.