Strategic Governance of P3M

A corporate PMO perspective

Stuart Collins

Head of Project Portfolio

October 2015

1

What is governance of project management

• Why governance matters

• Overview of the BBC PMO

• Lessons we’ve learnt along the

way

• Future considerations

Governance of Project Management,

the framework in which:

• Direction is set

• Responsibility is assigned

• Decisions are made

• Relationships are managed

• Performance is understood

• Problems are solved

• Checks & balances operate

2

In order to…

• Strategic alignment - keep eyes on the

prize

• Support accountability

• Open and honest appraisal

• Confidence in outcomes

• Mitigating risk of failure &

• Create conditions for success

• Supports capability development

• Get it right…

Ensures value for money for audiences

• Getting it wrong…

Waste, reputation, trust

Drives lessons and scrutiny

40p /day

97% UK

Reach

300m Global

20hr /week

3

HOT MICROWAVES! TROUBLE COOKING AT THE BBC

BBC spends £6million in six months on Broadcasting House

BBC bans staff

kickabouts at its

new HQ

BBC staff battle with

revolving doors at

new £1 billion HQ

BBC hawk

kills

pigeon as

staff look

on

4

DMI, a hard lesson

5

New Broadcasting House Sale and Redevelopment of TV Centre

Development of mediacity Salford &

migration of Sport, Childrens, Radio 5

Digital Switchover help scheme

L2012 Olympics

On-line

Successful BBC Projects

Sponsorship & Governance

Portfolio Management

Assurance & Set-up for

Success

Lifecycle & Common

Approach

6

A project community, training courses and

careers portal

Delivery support and assurance for critical

projects, including healthchecks

An introduction to the PMO

A Portfolio of pan-BBC critical projects

A standard approach - with guidance

and tools

• Formed 2010

• 10 Staff

• Right project

• Right way

• Right people

• Objectives change 2013

7

Critical Projects Portfolio

APM GoV SIG

Directing

Change

8

Critical Projects Portfolio

Value

consideration

Risk /

Complexity APM GoV SIG

Directing

Change

• Critical Project Portfolio (CPP) comprises

projects assessed as carrying high

strategic value combined with a high

level of complexity or delivery risk

(PAC 2014)

• Outcome confidence assessment,

performance monitoring and executive

reporting

• Impartial assurance and critical friend

support

• Building skills and capability, supporting

SPOA’s

• Mitigate the risk of failure

9

HR Transformation BBC Studios

10

Accountability

• Project Sponsor – the single most important

factor?

• Accountable for the business case and outcomes

• Right experience and commitment

• Single point of accountability (SPOA)

• With clear supporting structures and

accountabilities

• Fit for purpose and including the right people

• Facilitating decisions

11

Approvals and delivery frameworks

Ga

ted

Life

cycl

eP

roje

ct G

ove

rna

nce

Co

rpo

rate

Go

vern

an

ce· Requirements, deliverables

and benefits are defined

· Outline Investment Proposal

(OIP) focusing on affordability

and deliverability developed

and approved in accordance

with Investment Case

Guidelines

· Peer review of OIP with BBC

PMO for Critical Projects

· Final Investment

Proposal (FIP) developed

and approved in

accordance with

Investment Case

Guidelines

· Resources allocated

· Peer review of FIP with

BBC PMO for Critical

Projects

· Formal acceptance

into the business

· Benefits and residual

changes are managed

and tracked

Final

Investment

Approval

Outline

Investment

Approval

· Business articulates rationale for

project and strategic alignment

· Project Sponsor identified as

accountable for outcomes (Single

Point of Accountability)

· Divisional budget planning

communicated to BBC PMO

· Project pipeline and forecast dates

communicated to Corporate

Finance and BBC PMO

· Strategic Investment Proposal

(SIP) developed and approved in

accordance with Investment Case

Guidelines

· BBC PMO supports

management of all Critical

Portfolio projects and other

complex projects according

to the “BBC Way”

· Project Brief developed

· High level costs and

benefits identified

· Outline Project

Management Plan (PMP)

developed

· Integrated Assurance and

Approval Plan (IAAP)

developed and owned by

Sponsor

· Project Governance

established with gated

approvals agreed as part

of IAAP

· Project Plans including

full Project Management

Plan (PMP) developed

· Deliverability

Confidence Assessment

(BBC PMO)

· Agreed deliverables produced

· Business accepts project

outputs

· BBC PMO assures delivery of

Critical Projects

· Formal handover into the Business

· Benefits plan allocated to a

Business owner

· Project closed down

· Plan for future PIR

Strategic

Investment

ApprovalTransition

Assurance

APPROVAL GATE

· Entry / exit criteria

· Affordability and

deliverability

assessment

Additional project

gates as per IAAP

Acceptance

Assurance points and Approval gates defined in the Integrated Assurance and Approvals Plan (IAAP)

12

• Honest forward look, supporting project

• Delivery confidence – avoiding bias

• Assurance integrated with plans,

agreed at inception

• Three levels

• Set up for success review

Supported by impartial assurance

notes

13

Honest appraisal, right response

12 month trend

Pj A Pj B Pj

C

GREEN:

Success appears highly likely and

there are no major outstanding

issues at this stage that appear to

significantly threaten delivery.

GREEN/AMBER:

Successful delivery appears

probable. Constant attention will be

needed to ensure risks do not

materialise into major issues

threatening delivery.

AMBER:

Successful delivery appears

feasible but significant issues

already exist requiring

management attention These

appear resolvable if addressed

promptly.

RED/AMBER:

Successful delivery is in doubt with

major risks or issues apparent in

an number of key areas. Urgent

action is needed to address these

issues.

RED:

Successful delivery outcomes* appear

to be unachievable. There are major

issues which at this stage do not

appear to be manageable or

resolvable. Re-baselining and/or

overall viability to be re-assessed.

*…

14

A word on capability

• You can’t govern, assure in or hope for success

• Capable Sponsors

• Competence in delivery

• Right approaches

• Right support

• Promote job family

• Lessons Learnt

• Training & Masterclasses

• Community

• Outside thinking

15 BBC PM Forum: Practitioners top 10 lessons

Evolving the body of governance

16

Charter & the future BBC

http://www.live.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/insi

dethebbc/whatwedo/bbc-for-all-of-us

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/bbc-

charter-review-public-consultation

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