Senior responsible owner

Purpose

The Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) is the individual responsible for ensuring that a project or programme of change meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits. They should be the owner of the overall business change that is being supported by the project. The SRO/PO should ensure that the change maintains its business focus, has clear authority and that the context, including risks, is actively managed. This individual must be senior and must take personal responsibility for successfully delivery of the project. They should be recognised as the owner throughout the organisation.

An individual's responsibilities as an SRO should be explicitly included in their personal objectives and the individual should remain in place throughout the project or programme or change only when a distinct phase of benefit delivery has been completed.

The SRO should be prepared to take decisions and should be proactive in providing leadership and direction throughout the life of the project or programme. They should be responsible for ensuring the organisation can fully exploit the outcome of the change such that the benefits are delivered as a result of that outcome.

The SRO role fits existing project management methodologies because the SRO, as owner of the business change, should be the chair of the project (or programme) board.

Alongside the SRO initiative, the Senior IT Forum, a Government and Industry committee jointly sponsored by the OGC and Intellect, is introducing the Senior Responsible Industry Executive (SRIE) role. The SRIE will work in partnership with the SRO to ensure more successful delivery of IT-enabled change programmes in government.

This role is mirrored by the role of Senior Responsible Industry Executive.

Specific responsibilities

The SRO should perform the following key, high-level functions:-

• ensure that a project or programme of change meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits
  -ensure agreement amongst stakeholders as to what the objectives and benefits are;
  -ensure strategic fit of the project or programme objectives and benefits
  -obtain commitment from stakeholders to the delivery of the benefits;
  -monitor delivery of the objectives and benefits taking appropriate action where necessary to ensure their successful delivery.
• Ensuring that the project is subject to review at appropriate stages.
  -Ensuring that the project is subject to review at the key decision points identified for the OGC Gateway™ Process and at other points he/she considers necessary.
  -Making certain that any recommendations or concerns from reviews are met or addressed before progressing to the next stage.
• Own the project or programme brief and business case
  -Oversee development of the brief for change and business case.
  -Ensure that the aims of the planned change continue to be aligned with the business, and establish a firm basis for the project or programme during its initiation and definition.
  -Secure the necessary investment for the business change.
• Development of the project or programme organisation structure and logical plans
  -Ensuring that there is a coherent organisation structure and logical plan(s)
  -Engaging with the work of either project initiation (in a project environment), or establishing the programme (in a programme environment).
  -Establish and maintain a collaborative relationship with the SRIE (where appointed) to align the governance of the two organisations.
• Monitoring and control of progress
  -Monitoring and controlling the progress of the business change at a strategic level (at an operational level this is the responsibility of project or programme managers):the project or programme manager is responsible for providing regular reports to the SRO on progress of the business change. There will be inevitable issues that arise requiring the SRO's advice, decision-making and communication with senior stakeholders, including the SRIE.
  -Chairing the project (or programme) board.
• Formal project closure
  -Formally closing the project or programme and ensuring that the lessons learned are documented within the 'end of project' or 'end of programme' evaluation report: closure requires formal sign-off by the SRO that the aims and objectives have been met and that lessons learned are documented and disseminated.
  -Planning the post programme/project review(s) when the entire benefits realisation process will be assessed.
• Post implementation review
  -Ensuring that the post implementation review takes place, the output is forwarded to the appropriate stakeholders and the benefits have been realised: the SRO is responsible for commissioning and chairing these reviews and ensuring the relevant personnel are consulted and involved in the review process.
• Problem resolution and referral
  -Referring serious problems upwards to top management and/or Ministers as necessary and to suppliers with the SRIE, in a timely manner
  -Regular consultation will be required between those delivering the change and the stakeholders and sponsors.
  -Ensuring that the communication processes are effective and linkages are maintained between the change team/s and the organisation's strategic direction.
  -Regular dialogue with the supplier SRIE to minimise customer-supplier problems by timely resolution.
  

Characteristics of the SRO

What behaviours and characteristics should an SRO have?

An SRO needs to:

• take responsibility - including putting things right when they go wrong, and ensuring that recognition is given when they go right
• have a good understanding of the business issues associated with the project
• be a senior reputable figure approved by the Department/Agency Management Board, or their delegated authority to be the SRO for a project or programme
• be active, not a figurehead
• have sufficient experience and training to carry out SRO responsibilities

An SRO must be someone who can:

•  broker relationships with stakeholders within and outside the project
• deploy delegated authority to ensure that the project achieves its objectives
• provide advice and guidance to the project manager(s) as necessary
• acknowledge their own skill/knowledge gaps and structure the project board and project management team accordingly
• give the time required to perform the role effectively
• negotiate well and influence people
• be aware of the broader perspective and how it affects the project
• network effectively
• be honest and frank about project progress
   
  

Further information

See the briefings for information about programme and project management. See also relevant role descriptions for programme and project manager.

For detailed advice on recommended best practice, see:

Pocketbook

Managing Successful Programmes (OGC - published by TSO)

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 (OGC - published by TSO)

Management of Risk: Practitioner Guide (published by TSO)

Senior Responsible Owner (SRO): checklist of key questions

This checklist sets out the types of questions that SROs should be asking in order to fulfil their responsibilities as a project progresses. It is not exhaustive; and some questions will have more applicability than others in different contexts. Nor does it imply that the SRO will carry out all of these tasks - many will naturally sit with the Project Sponsor or others in the governance structure. What is important is that the SRO can assure themselves that the issues raised are being addressed.

Starting up a project

Role: to oversee the development of the project brief and business case

Is this the right investment for the organisation at this time?

Is there genuine consensus amongst stakeholders as to what the objectives and benefits of the investment should be?

Are the objectives and benefits achievable?

Have you critically reviewed the proposals?

Are they particularly novel in terms of process or technology?

Does the project brief describe the project in full and from a business perspective?

Have you identified and listed the primary and secondary stakeholders associated with the project?

Does the proposed project fit well within the existing programme of projects?

Does the project fit well with Departmental and Government strategic initiatives, frameworks and architectures?

Have you arranged to present the project brief and business case at an appropriate stage to the stakeholder Management Board(s)?

Has the proposed project been formally registered with the appropriate Departmental forum for approval?

Have you tested the underlying assumptions within the project brief and business case?

Is it clear where the benefits should accrue, and how they will accrue, from the proposed change? How they will be measured?

Does the project have an agreed set of performance measures against which performance can be measured during the life of the project, and at its conclusion?

Does the business case reflect the full cost of the project including associated business change costs? Are the funding estimates robust? What are the margins for error and assumptions made? How will funding be tracked?

Can people not familiar with the project understand the project brief and business case?

Are you confident that you are the right person to be the SRO/PO for this project?

Does the business case require the expertise of a specialist - e.g. qualified accountants, risk managers?

Have you used the OGC's Risk Potential Assessment to support you in assessing the complexity of the project/programme and identifying the most appropriate project sponsor/project director?

Has the project gone through the formal approval process? Has approval been gained to go on to the next stage?

Initiation and planning

Role: to ensure that there is a coherent project organisation structure and appropriate plan(s)

Will the investment deliver value for money over its whole life?

Are stakeholders genuinely committed to the delivery of the objectives and benefits of the investment?

Are the objectives and benefits achievable?

Will the project be taken forward by use of a modular/incremental approach? If not, why not?

Has the project been registered within the Agency/HQ Programme Management function (e.g. COE, PPSO)?

How difficult is the proposed project?

Have you put in place appropriate, formal, structured project/programme management arrangements? Is there an appropriate reporting structure with accountabilities?

Have project stakeholders been identified? Are there mechanisms for consulting them as necessary? Where the project cuts across organisational boundaries (i.e. "cross-cutting"), have other Departments/agencies been fully signed up?

Have your terms of reference in relation to the project been agreed and understood by all on the project and stakeholders (business and users)? Have they been signed-off by the appropriate authority?

Is a skilled and experienced project sponsor/project director in place and is the reporting line for the project manager to the project sponsor properly defined?

Is the Project Initiation Document fit for purpose, concise and readable?

Are you confident that the project plans are logical, coherent and achievable? Are all the plans for the different aspects of a business change (e.g. IT, personnel, accommodation) fully compatible?

Does the project plan have a direct relationship with the original project brief and business case, and with the overall strategy of the organisation?

(where applicable) Have you assured yourself that the plans produced by the suppliers are robust (in terms of timescale, cost, and technology)?

Are you satisfied that the suppliers understand your requirements adequately? Is this documented and agreed?

Have you agreed with the project board members what constitutes "approval to proceed to the next stage of the project"?

Is there agreement that you will chair all project board meetings?

Have you dealt with "outstanding issues" before going on to the next step?

Have you dealt early enough with project communication issues - assigned responsibilities to people who can get the message across - used experts if necessary - tested whether the messages are being communicated?

Is the Departmental Accounting Officer aware that the project exists and the potential risks to the Department's business, including all interdependencies (if the project fails)? Does your risk management strategy take account of this explicitly?

Have you agreed with the project board the frequency, format, style and content of required project monitoring reports?

Have you agreed and set tolerance levels covering time, cost and functionality with the project board?

Have you identified alternative, non-technical ways of explaining a) project board members b) stakeholders, including senior stakeholders, complex information?

Have you consulted all stakeholders on what they perceive are the project risks?

Have you assigned risk management responsibilities to the project board and project team?

Do you have mechanisms to ensure regular, accurate reporting of risk, e.g. exception tools?

Has the project gone through the formal approval process? Has approval been gained to go on to the next stage?

Are the project assurance processes and reporting procedures (e.g. user assurance, risk exception tools etc.) rigorous and robust?

Is the project funding still adequate?

Do you need to review the membership of the project board? Is the project board able to make decisions or is it just a discussion forum? Have you checked that board members have received training for their role on the board?

Control and execution

Role: to monitor and control the progress of the project at a strategic level

Managing the context - how is the broader environment affecting the project's objectives/delivery or being affected by your initiative? For example, have the Department's business priorities shifted to a new issue?

Have new legislation, policies, procedures or technological innovation eroded the project's capacity to deliver the projected benefits?

Is the business case being kept up to date to reflect these developments? If developments invalidate original cost/benefit analysis, have you cancelled the project?

Has the project gone through the formal approval process? Has approval been gained to go on to the next stage?

Has the project been subject to OGC Gateway™ Review(s) at the appropriate level it required? Have these taken place i) before contract signing/award of work to existing supplier; ii) before full implementation? Have any concerns raised by the review (s) been addressed satisfactorily?

Is there sufficient evidence to assure the project board that the agreed project deliverables have been completed in accordance with the agreed specification, and that they meet stakeholders' expectations?

Have you checked to ensure the Project Plan is properly maintained and accurately reflects the project? Have you ensured that any changes to the Plan are within tolerance levels? If a change causes the Plan to exceed tolerances have the proper exception processes been employed? What corrective action needs to be taken?

Are suppliers delivering in accordance with their plans?

Has the project team completed the specified tasks and met the milestones within the agreed time?

Has due care, attention and consideration been given to internal and external project dependencies along the critical path?

What are the consequences of missed milestones or other projects not delivering on time?

Are areas reneging on their resource commitments and hampering progress within your project?

What problems is the project team facing? Is the right project team structure in place?

What is the consumption of resources (people, money and assets) in relation to the budget? Are there enough resources? Are they the right resources?

Are team members motivated and fulfilling their roles efficiently and effectively? Are new and different skills required?

Is there sufficient evidence to provide the project board with assurance of budget compliance?

Are there regular checkpoint meetings?

Is information communicated to those (stakeholders) who need to know - both within and outside the project?

Is the project working within a co-operative environment?

Does the project board spend enough time looking ahead - rather than looking back?

Are you still the most appropriate person to continue to remain the senior responsible official for the project?

Change control mechanisms - are these in place?

Closing a project

Role: to formally close the project and ensure that the lessons learned from the project are documented within the end of project evaluation report; to ensure that benefits projected are being realised

Has the project completed what it set out to do? Is it delivering the projected benefits? Have you carried out a formal review?

Have you asked the project sponsor/project director to draw-up a checklist of open issues, which should be handed over to the appropriate line management within the organisation?

What is the agreed plan for the re-integration of team members back into the organisation, if appropriate?

Have you evaluated the project? Does this need to be an independent project evaluation?

Who will benefit from the lessons learned?

Have you agreed a process for ensuring that the project evaluation exercise will not be "academic" and will change the organisation's management and implementation of projects?

How satisfied is the customer?

Are adequate ongoing maintenance and support arrangements in place?

 

Post Implementation Review

Role: to ensure that a post-implementation review takes place

Have you commissioned a post-implementation review (PIR)?

Have you agreed the scope and approach to be employed in carrying out the PIR? (This should involve the operational unit which has assumed responsibility for the project deliverables/realisation of benefits)

Is the PIR team adequately resourced?

What can you do to ensure that the recommendations of the PIR will be implemented?

Are you sure that you have made a clear distinction between the PIR and the final project evaluation report? (The later focuses on the mechanics of the project and lessons learned for the future. The former focuses on the project's delivery of business benefits.)

See also-

the Gate and Review checklist