Project Governance

You may have heard the term 'project governance' or 'governance structure'.

A governance structure consists of a number of committees and roles with agreed accountabilities and decision-making powers, two important examples are Steering Committees and Project Sponsors.

Without an effective governance structure most projects will struggle to progress to a successful outcome. The governance structure is used to resolve issues that arise and consider recommendations on project deliverables. Often substantial consultation occurs at the beginning of a project, but the governance structures need to remain active throughout the project's life. Any changes to a project's scope, timelines or budget need to be presented to all elements of the governance structure and the changes documented and agreed. Without a rigorous approach like this projects can suffer from scope creep, poorly-defined scope and budget and time overruns.

Different projects will require differnet approaches to their governance structure and if you are unsure you are encouraged to contact the ITS Project Office to discuss how to proceed.