User Director

The User Director is responsible for the specification of the needs of all those who will use the final product(s), User liaison with the project team and for monitoring that the solution will meet those needs within the constraints of the Business Case.

The role represents the interests of all those who will use the final product(s) of the project, those for whom the product will achieve an objective, or those who will use the product to deliver benefits. The User Director role commits User resources and monitors products against requirements. This role may require more than one person to cover all the User interests. For the sake of effectiveness the role should not be split between too many people.

Specific Responsibilities

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Ensure the desired outcome of the project is specified

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Make sure that progress towards the outcome required by the Users remains consistent from the User perspective

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Promote and maintain focus on the desired project outcome

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Ensure that any User resources required for the project are made available

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Approve Product Descriptions for those products which act as inputs or outputs (interim or final) from the Supplier function, or will affect them directly and that the products are signed off once completed

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Prioritise and contribute User opinions on Project Board decisions on whether to implement recommendations on proposed changes

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Resolve User Requirements and priority conflicts

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Provide the User view on recommended follow-up actions

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Brief and advise User management on all matters concerning the project.

The assurance responsibilities of the User Director are that:

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Specification of the User's needs is accurate, complete and unambiguous

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Development of the solution at all stages is monitored to ensure that it will meet the User's needs and is progressing towards that target

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Impact of potential changes is evaluated from the User point of view

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Risks to the Users are constantly monitored

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Testing of the product at all stages has the appropriate User representation

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Quality control procedures are used correctly to ensure products meet User Requirements

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User liaison is functioning effectively.

Where the project's size, complexity or importance warrants it, the User Director may delegate the responsibility and authority for some of the assurance responsibilities to a User assurance role.