Our company is committed to the adoption of a standard approach to project management that reflects the Mission and Values of the company and the consistent use of project management procedures and templates to facilitate the implementation of strategic priorities. This policy is designed to specify the minimum essential elements in the management of projects to assist in articulating scope, involving stakeholders, managing risk and maximising project benefits.
Policy Purpose
This policy establishes a company-wide approach to the initiation, planning, implementation and closure of projects. It describes the minimum requirements for the governance and management of projects across our company. This policy is designed to improve the way in which our company projects are managed as they progress to completion and to increase the visibility of projects and our processes to the community.
Not all projects require high and complex levels of governance, documentation and reporting and the aim of the project management model outlined by this policy is to provide a set of guidelines that can be adapted to suit the requirements of each project. Project Sponsors and Project Directors may implement other equivalent governance structures and documentation requirements at their discretion after considering the minimum requirements, particularly for academic-related projects and research projects conducted by Research Institutes for which our company has established approaches to projects.
Project Management Model
The key components of the ACU Project Management Model are:
- Project Management Policy;
- Project Management Procedure;
- Project Management Templates: Business Case, Project Initiation Document, and Post-Implementation Review Report;
- Project Sizing Guidelines;
- Project Management Lifecycle;
- Project Management Network; and
- Project Register.
The Project Management Templates, the Project Sizing Guidelines and the Project Management Lifecycle are attached as appendices to the Project Management Procedure.
The size of a project is defined as being small, medium or large. The Project Sizing Guidelines is a document that provides guidance to the Project Sponsor and Project Manager in determining the size of a project.
The Project Management Lifecycle outlines the major phases of a project and the core template that meets the minimum requirement for documentation in each phase. It also lists the recommended supporting documents for medium and large projects.
Project Management Network
Our company recognises the value of strong collaboration and networking across our company and the benefits of fostering a community of project management practitioners. The Project Management Network is intended to promote collaboration and the sharing of information among project managers.
The Project Management Network will foster a broad-based approach to project management across our company. While membership will vary according to the needs and priorities of portfolios, the Project Management Network will be promoted as a company-wide source of information and not concentrated in any one portfolio.
A Project Management Network Coordinator will be responsible for facilitating the group and overseeing the Project Register. The function of Project Management Network Coordinator will be located within a role in the Office of Planning and Strategic Management.
Project Register
A Company Project Register will be established and maintained for medium and large projects to promote the Company Project Management Model and to assist staff to develop project management knowledge. Project Sponsors and Project Managers are encouraged to record and update project information on the Project Register to:
- increase the visibility of projects and processes to the community;
- raise awareness and understanding of the scope of project work undertaken by the company;
- improve the way in which projects are monitored and managed as they progress; and
- provide information about the history and status of projects to ensure appropriate scoping of future projects.
Each project registered will specify minimal metadata fields to allow for meaningful searching of key terms and contact people.
Project Management roles
The key project management roles are:
- Project Sponsor;
- Project Director;
- Project Steering Group;
- Project Manager;
- Project Working Group; and
- Project Network Coordinator.
For details of the responsibilities of each role, refer to the Project Management Procedure.
Project phases
There are five main phases of any project and one core template to be completed in each phase:
Phase Core Template
Pre-initiate phase Business Case
Initiate phase Project Initiation Document
Plan phase Project Initiation Document
Implement phase Project Initiation Document
Close phase Post-Implementation Review Report
If a project has already been approved it can proceed directly to the Initiate phase and the preparation of the Project Initiation Document.
At a minimum, projects require the following governance structure (to be determined by the Project Sponsor and confirmed by the Project Manager):
Small Project:
- Project Manager
- Project Sponsor
Medium Project:
- Project Manager
- Project Team
- Project Sponsor
Large Project:
- Project Manager
- Project Team
- Project Sponsor
- Project Director
- Steering Group
For further details of the key activities that characterise each phase, including the approval processes for small, medium and large projects, refer to the Project Management Procedure.