Project Board

The Project Board is responsible to the corporate or programme management for the overall direction and management of the
project and has responsibility and authority for the project within the remit (the Project Mandate) set by corporate or programme
management.

The Project Board is the project’s ‘voice’ to the outside world and is responsible for any publicity or other dissemination
information about the project.

Specific Responsibilities
The Project Board approves all major plans and authorises any major deviation from agreed Stage Plans. It is the authority that
signs off the completion of each stage and authorises the start of the next stage. It ensures that required resources are committed
and arbitrates on any of the conflicts within the project and external bodies. In addition, it approves the appointment and
responsibilities of the Project Manager and any delegation of its Project Assurance responsibilities.

The Project Board has the following responsibilities. It is a general list and will need tailoring for a specific project.

At the beginning of the project:

» Approve the start of the project via acceptance of the Project Brief
» Agreed with the Project Manager on that person’s responsibilities and objectives
» Confirm project tolerances with corporate or programme management
» Specify external constraints on the project, such as quality assurance
» Approve an accurate and satisfactory Project Initiation Document, ensuring it complies with relevant customer standards
and policies, plus any associated contract with the supplier
» Delegate any Project Assurance roles
» Commit project resources required for the next Stage Plan.

As the project progresses:

» Provide overall guidance and direction to the project, ensuring it remains within any specified constraints
» Review each completed stage and approve progress to the next
» Review and approve Stage Plans and any Exception Plans
» ‘Ownership’ of one or more of the identified risks, as allocated at plan approval time – that is, be responsible for
monitoring the risk and advising the Project Manager of any change in its status and taking action, if appropriate, to
ameliorate the risk
» Approve changes
» Ensure compliance with corporate or programme management directives.

At the end of the project:

» Provide assurance that all products have been delivered satisfactorily
» Provide assurance that all Acceptance Criteria have been met
» Approve the End Project Report
» Approve the Lessons Learned Report and the passage of this to the appropriate standards group to ensure action
» Decide on the recommendations for follow-on actions and ensure passage of these to the appropriate authorities
» Approve, where appropriate, the Post-Project Review Plan
» Send project closure notification to corporate or programme management.

The Project Boards owns the process, Directing a Project (DP).

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The Project Board is ultimately responsible for assurance that the project remains on course and to deliver the desired outcome of
the required quality to meet the Business Case defined in the Project Initiation Document. According to the size, complexity and
risk of the project, the Project Board may decide to delegate some Project Assurance Responsibility.

One Project Board responsibility that should receive careful consideration is approving and funding changes.

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