Directing a Project

The purpose of the Directing a Project process is to enable the Project Board to be accountable for the project by making key decisions, to have overall control and delegate day-to-day management of the project to the Project Manager.

Objective

The objectives of the Directing a Project process are to provide authority (to make a decision)

• To initiate the project (allow the Initiating a Project process to start).
• To deliver the project’s products (start the delivery stages).
• To close the project (when the Closing a Project process is done).
• Provide direction and control during the project.
• Be the interface to Corporate / Programme Management.
• Ensure that post-project benefits will be reviewed.

Context

Let us put the Directing a Project process into context. What does Directing a Project process really do for the project, how is the project triggered, how does the Project Board control the project, when do they give advice, and how do they communicate and check business justification?

What is the trigger for the Directing a Project Process to start?

It is the Request to Initiate a Project that is done by the Project Manager at the end of the Starting up a Project process. As you know, day-to-day management of the project is done by the Project Manager, while the Project Board looks down from above. They manage by exception, receive regular reports, exercise their control and make decisions.

Where is it decided how often the Project Manager communicates to the Project Board?

The Communication Management Approach covers how often communication should be done between the Project Board and the Project Manager.

What about advice?

The Project Board provides guidance to the Project Manager throughout the project and the Project Manager can seek advice at any time.

Business Justification: The Project Board is responsible for ensuring that there is Continued Business Justification and can decide to shut down the project if the Business Case is no longer viable, as this can change during the project.

Activities

There are 5 activities within the Directing a Project process; they are:

• Authorizing Initiation – which is to allow the Initiation Stage to start.
• Authorizing the project – which is to allow the delivery stages to start.
• Authorizing a Stage or Exception Plan – review the existing stage and authorize the next stage to begin, or to authorize exception plan to complete the current stage.
• Giving ad-hoc direction – Project Board provides guidance throughout the project.
• Authorizing project closure – shut down the project after a number of checks.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Project Board
  • All decisions