Project Management Handbook

National Project Management System

Business Projects-IT-Enabled

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NPMS Business Projects-IT-Enabled

Project Management Handbook

Revision History

Version Number / Description / Date Modified / Author

Foreword

As a means of ensuring project success and reducing project risk, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is committed to implementing an enterprise approach to project management for all PWGSC projects. The purpose of the National Project Management System (NPMS) Handbook for Business Projects - IT-Enabled is to provide common guidelines for project management within PWGSC.

In some cases, the guidelines within this Handbook will vary from the project management guidelines previously followed by projects within PWGSC (e.g., project stage deliverables, project documentation requirements, etc.).

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Table of Contents

1Overview

1.1Purpose and Scope

1.2Project Management Guidelines

1.3What is a Project?

1.4Roles and Responsibilities of the Client / Business Line Owner

1.4.1Responsibilities of the Project Lead

1.4.2Responsibilities of the Project Manager

1.5Project Governance

1.5.1Business Operations Committee - BOC

1.5.2Departmental IM/IT Steering Committee - DISC

1.5.3IM/IT Architecture Review Board - IM/IT ARB

1.5.4Enterprise Change Advisory Board – ECAB

2National Project Management System (NPMS)

2.1Treasury Board Independent Reviews

2.2NPMS Roadmap: Business Projects - IT-Enabled - «Full»

2.3NPMS Roadmap: Business Projects - IT-Enabled - «Lite»

2.4NPMS Project Management Deliverables and Control Points

2.5Project Inception Stage

2.5.1Definition Phase

2.6Project Identification Stage

2.6.1Initiation Phase

2.6.2Feasibility Phase

2.6.3Analysis Phase

2.6.4Identification Close Out Phase

2.7Project Delivery Stage

2.7.1Planning Phase

2.7.2Design Phase

2.7.3Implementation Phase

2.7.4Delivery Close Out Phase

2.8Mandatory Deliverables: Business Projects - IT-Enabled

3Project Status Reporting

Appendix A - NPMS «Full» vs. «Lite»

Appendix B - Screening Tool

Appendix C - TBS Status Indicators

Appendix D - Glossary of Acronyms and Terms

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NPMS Business Projects-IT-Enabled

Project Management Handbook

1Overview

As a means of ensuring that all projects undertaken are planned, managed and delivered in a nationally consistent manner that takes into account the concept of best value and are fully compliant with all applicable legislation, regulations and Treasury Board policies, PWGSChas established a (NPMS). This framework is overseen by the Project Management Advisory Council (PMAC). PMAC was formed to strengthen departmental project management capacity and facilitate inter-branch cooperation. In addition the PMAC shares best practices, ensures systematic use of project management tools within the department and ensures all branches deliver projects in a consistent manner. The PMAC also oversees that the NPMS is kept up to date.

1.1Purpose and Scope

The purpose of the NPMS Handbook is to provide common guidelines for managing Business Projects - IT-Enabled at PWGSC. It outlines the project management framework, standards and procedures to be used for project management.

It is the policy of PWGSC to use theNPMS to ensure that all projects undertaken are planned, managed and delivered in a nationally consistent manner that is transparent regarding scope, schedule and budget, while taking into consideration the concept of best value. Projects must also be fully compliant with all applicable legislation, regulations and Treasury Board policies.

This NPMS Policy - PWGSCapplies to all PWGSC Real Property Projects and Business Projects - Information Technology - Enabled, and, at the discretion of the Department, non-routine initiatives that have characteristics analogous to a project such as: a limited time span with fairly well defined start and end dates; a clear outcome, output and budget; identified high risk and cost; a requirement for dedicated resources.

When to use this Handbook:

This handbook should be used by anyone working on an IT-Enabled Business Project at PWGSC.

1.2Project Management Guidelines

The project management guidelines used at PWGSC are in accordance with the TBS Policy on the Management of Projectsand the NPMSPolicy - PWGSC.

1.3What is a Project?

A project is a defined undertaking with a beginning and an end to be executed to create a unique product or result. Within PWGSC the three main project categories are as follows:

  • Business Projects - IT-Enabled are either:
  • New solution projects which develop new solutions to achieve efficient and effective business processes and service delivery that are facilitated by Information Technology; some of these projects may transform business practices.
  • Maintenance projects which implement changes to existing products, results, services, applications or systems.
  • Real Property Projects: All real property asset acquisitions or improvements, including entering into a lease, fit-up of accommodation space, construction, renovation and remediation of a built-work (building, bridge, dam, road, etc.) or crown-owned land.
  • Non-Routine Initiatives: At the discretion of the Department, non-routine initiatives that have characteristics analogous to a project such as: a limited time span with fairly well defined start and end dates; a clear outcome, output and budget; identified high risk and cost; a requirement for dedicated resources.

1.4Roles and Responsibilities of the Client/Business Line Owner

The client / businesslineowner (often at theADM or DG Level) will own the results of the investment delivered by the project and is ultimately responsible for making sure the business requirements are defined and ensuring that the delivered capability meets the needs of the business. Normally, the businesslineowner funds project costs (unless there is a joint initiative). In support of the businesslineowner there will often be a business projectlead (often at Director/Manager level) that will provide on-going support for the project.

The client / business line owner is responsible for:

  • acting as champion for the project;
  • developing the Business Case and ensuring that the appropriate approvals are obtained;
  • providing/securing project funding;
  • approval of the Project Charter;
  • chairing the Project Steering Committee, where applicable;
  • reviewing and approving certain project deliverables and major change requests;
  • identifying and approving required changes to project scope, cost and schedule; and,
  • periodically reviewing the Project Status Report with the Project Manager or Project Lead.

1.4.1Responsibilities of the Project Lead

The sponsoring branch or sectorcarries out the function of Project Lead (generally at the Director Level). The Project Lead is responsible for the planning and delivery of the project. In support of the Project Lead, there will be a Project Manager who will provide ongoing management for the project.

The Project Lead is responsible for:

  • planning, controlling and providing overall direction of the entire project in accordance with the NPMS Framework;
  • ensuring the project is managed within the defined project scope;
  • reviewing and endorsing the Project Charter;
  • approving and making recommendations on major changes that impact scope, time and cost;
  • liaising with the Project Steering Committee;
  • acting as primary project interface between the Business and the Delivery Branch; and,
  • conducting any project procurement activity (or delegates this to a Procurement Manager).

1.4.2Responsibilities of the Project Manager

The primary objective of the Project Manager is to meet the project objectives. The Project Manager is responsible for:

  • managing the project and project team on a day to day basis;
  • ensuring the success of the project from the project initiation through to the planning, delivery and close out phases;
  • planning and controlling the entire project in accordance with the NPMSFramework for Business Projects - IT-Enabled;
  • achieving the defined project objective (scope) within the allocated cost and schedule, in accordance with the approved Project Charter;
  • creating the project schedule and defining tasks, in addition to monitoring and tracking time and status scheduled tasks;
  • escalating project issues to the appropriate levels;
  • reviewing proposed changes and assessing their impact on the project costs and schedule;
  • maintaining the risk/issues log (or delegates this to a Risk Manager); and,
  • scheduling and conducting status meetings during the entire project.

1.5Project Governance

Project governance is the process by which high-level decisions are made about a project, such as whether to approve changes to its scope. Governance is used to balance the interest of stakeholders and to provide high level approvals and guidance to the project team. Effective project governance requires clear terms of reference, processes, escalation procedures, and decision making bodies.

Project governance is defined and articulated in the Project Charter. The Project Steering Committee and the Project Management Team are the principal, but not the sole governance structures for most projects. Each project, regardless of its size, is integrated within the departmental and branch governance reporting, review and approval structure. The intention is to ensure that an enterprise focus is implemented across the entire portfolio of departmental and branch projects. Portfolio management matches specific project initiatives to strategic objectives and business needs.

In the NPMS, the goal is for projects to deliver products that address business needs which have been defined, developed and prioritized from a strategic level downwards. Decisions about whether to proceed with projects are tied to the organization’s strategic needs, to the investment plan and to the benefits and outcomes that can be generated by a project relative to other proposed projects. Linkage is provided through the core NPMS project management deliverables from the Statement of Requirements onwards. The NPMS core deliverables are used to justify proceeding to the next project stage or phase.

1.5.1Business Operations Committee - BOC

The Business Operations Committee (BOC) is the Deputy Minister's principal forum to receive debriefs from the Associate Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Ministers (ADMs) on major projects and initiatives, and to monitor progress on the priorities and directions of the Department. This committee is a forum for all business lines and their governance committees to provide updates and address operational and strategic business line requirements as needed.

1.5.2Departmental IM/IT Steering Committee - DISC

The Departmental Information Management /Information Technology Steering Committee (DISC) is the primary decision body responsible for making departmental IM/IT decisions or recommendations about IM/IT projects/initiatives and activities. DISC provides an enterprise perspective in managing IM/IT. DISC strives to promote the alignment of all IM/IT investments to PWGSC strategic objectives, and ensures that approved non-program specific IM/IT investments continue to provide business value throughout their life cycle supported by the Governance Liaison Office. DISC also promotes the application of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF). DISC reports to the Departmental Policy Committee (DPC).

1.5.3IM/IT Architecture Review Board - IM/IT ARB

The IM/IT Architecture Review Board (ARB) is an advisory body for enterprise architecture decisions. The ARB has the mandate to create a common vision and ensure architectural compliance across the enterprise in areas associated with the delivery of IM/IT solutions, including:

IM/IT architecture (Technology, Services, Solutions)

IM/IT guidelines, principles and standards

IM/IT security, services and compliance

IMIT privacy/policy, services and compliance

IT applied research

The IM/IT ARB ensures that the technical solutions developed by projects are aligned to the department planning directives and priorities. In so doing, IM/IT ARB is mandated to make enterprise architecture recommendations to the Departmental IM/IT Steering Committee (DISC) including those related to IT investment direction. The IM/IT ARB and its associated working groups will also take strategic direction from the Department IM/IT Steering Committee (DISC).

1.5.4Enterprise Change Advisory Board –ECAB

The Enterprise Change Advisory Board (ECAB) provides authority and management controls for all major* category changes (including but not limited to business applications and IT infrastructure services) relating to the PWGSC enterprise production environment. The ECAB also provides the PWGSC enterprise-level change authority for the Chief Information Officer (CIO). The approval authority for development/rollout of a change falls under the umbrella of the CIO ECAB and/or a business line CAB depending on how the change is categorized. The ECAB may also delegate authority to business line CAB(s) to authorize significant, and minor changes to their business line applications as well as to authorize infrastructure commodity changes in support of their applications and environments.

*Refer to the ECAB Change Management Process for more details on project categories and ECAB gates:

ECAB Documents

There are three gates where a decision for change approval is requested by the ECAB. These occur at the following stages of a change process:

Gate 1: Request for Change (RFC) Introduction - RFC is in the state of "awaiting impact assessment review" and ready for introduction at the CAB.

Gate 2: Review for Development Approval - RFC is in a state of "awaiting development approval review" with the Impact Assessment and Change Plan completed.

Gate 3: Review for Rollout Approval - RFC is in the state "awaiting rollout approval review"; release plans are also included for review.

2National Project Management System (NPMS)

The NPMS defines a generic standard methodology to manage all types of projects and establishes mandatory control points, with key deliverables which are linked to departmental approval processes. NPMS consists of three stages and nine-phases involving: project inception, initiation, feasibility, analysis, identification close-out, planning, design, implementation and delivery close-out.

Figure 1 in section 2.1 outlines the three stages and nine phases by showing the stages at the top of the diagram and the phases of each stage underneath. For each phase, the model shows the mandatory deliverable IDs (represented by circles below the phases) and the required approvals / control points (represented by circles above the phases).

Typically, projects are screened for complexity and risk. More complex projects are delivered using the «Full»NPMS; less complex projects are delivered using the «Lite» version of NPMS (See Appendix A).Approvals for «Lite» projects are at a lower level and are usually approved within the Branch. Projects using NPMS «Full»are normally approved at the director general level.

In cases where agreements may be between branches or possibly departments (OGDs), both the Client Director General and the Delivery Director General will need to approve.

«Full» NPMS will be used when one or more of the following criteria are met:

  • the project requires TB approvals;
  • anew solution project with an estimated cost over $1 Million;
  • a maintenance project with an estimated cost over $2 Million;

Projects are to apply NPMS «Lite» if they meet the following criteria:

  • a new solutions project with an estimated value at less than $1Million;
  • a maintenance project estimated between $1 Million and $2 Million;
  • a maintenance project estimated at less than $1 Million that meets one or more criteria in the Screening Tool (see Appendix B).

Maintenance projects with an estimated value <$1M which do not meet any of the criteria in the screening tool are not obliged to use NPMS «Lite».

For projects carried out for and funded by other government departments (OGDs), NPMS practices are to be applied in keeping with client approval and governance, as per the NPMS Policy.

2.1Treasury Board Independent Reviews

Independent reviews are mandatory for projects requiring Treasury Board (TB) approval and left at the discretion of senior management for others. NPMS «Lite» incorporates three independent reviews; NPMS «Full» incorporates five, whereas NPMS «Full» with a TB submission incorporates seven independent reviews. For other projects, TB encourages them to undergo independent reviews at various points in the project life cycle. This allows for review results and recommendations to be used as input into decision-making at relevant gate control points (see Tables 1, 2 and 3).

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NPMS Business Projects-IT-Enabled

Project Management Handbook

2.2NPMS Roadmap: Business Projects - IT-Enabled - «Full»

As outlined in Figures 1 and 2, the NPMS Framework consists of three stagesand nine phases. The three stages include: Project Inception Stage, Project Identification Stage, and Project Delivery Stage.The nine phases include: Definition, Initiation, Feasibility, Analysis, IdentificationClose Out, Planning, Design, Implementation, and Delivery Close Out.

Figure 1 - NPMS Roadmap: Business Projects - IT-Enabled - «FULL»

2.3NPMS Roadmap: Business Projects - IT-Enabled - «Lite»

Figure 2 - NPMS Roadmap: Business Projects - IT-Enabled - «Lite»

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Business Projects-IT-Enabled

Project Management Handbook

2.4NPMS Project Management Deliverables and Control Points

Each Phase in the Business Project-IT-Enabled «Full» Version requires at least one project management deliverable. These deliverables are approved at NPMS control points. Additional approvals may be required at these control points such as IM/IT ARB, ECAB, etc. In the Business Project-IT-Enabled «Lite» version, the number of deliverables and control points as well as the amount of content expected in each project management deliverable is reduced to reflect the lower levels of complexity and risk associated with «Lite» projects.

For more information on which approvals are required for each version, refer to Tables 1,2,3.

2.5Project Inception Stage

The purpose of the Project Inception Stage is:

  • to provide a forum for vetting proposals for Business Projects - IT-Enabled to ensure that they are in keeping with PWGSC IT portfolio strategies and investment plan; and,
  • to review proposed projects that represent an opportunity which may not have been previously identified on any existing plan, or projects that may be characterized as high profile due to potential risk.

2.5.1Definition Phase

The first phase of the project, Definition Phase, assesses the proposed project or opportunity to ensure that the proposal responds to an established set a criteria that result in a go / no-go decision.