Policy: Project management

Purpose

This policy establishes a University-wide approach to the development, approval and management of most ANU projects.

Overview

This policy prescribes the minimum requirements for the management and governance of most projects at ANU.

The University has a Project Management Framework for staff to use, ensuring commonality of language and approach. The framework provides a common foundation to control scope, manage stakeholders, mitigate risk (including work health and safety) and maximise project benefits.

Scope

The Project Management policy applies to most projects in the University, with the following exclusions:

academic research grants, contracted research and associated projects; and
activities where external legislation requires a different approach.

A project is defined as a body of work with a distinct start and end date that involves transformation of a business function and/or delivery of one or more products according to an agreed business case. The business case may be simple or comprehensive, depending on the size of the project. Example projects include organisational change through innovation, introduction of a new product or service, a pilot or proof of concept followed by a phased rollout.

This Project Management policy is used in conjunction with related policies and procedures of the University including work health and safety, risk, delegations, procurement, records and archives management and managing change.

Policy Statement

Project Management

1. Project Managers at ANU use the project stages outlined in the Project Management Framework when establishing and managing projects.

2. Project managers implement further controls where appropriate after meeting the minimum requirements; such as, but not limited to, alternative methodologies or more detailed project monitoring or compliance practices.

Project Governance

3. All projects adhere to the applicable minimum governance activities as outlined in the Project Tiering Guidance document in the PMF Library of Resources.

4. All projects complete a risk assessment prior to the commencement of the project and during the lifecycle of the project, in accordance with the University’s Enterprise Risk Framework.

5. In addition, projects utilise the following governance structures and tools, if relevant to their project:

Technology Governance – including the Digital Strategy Committee, Technology Investment Committee and Solution Design Authority.
Capital Works – For any works or proposals to alter the interior or exterior of buildings, the natural environment or surrounding infrastructure refer to the Alterations in or about University buildings procedure.
StrategyDotZero (SDZ) – a digital project approval and status-reporting tool. Further information is available in the SDZ User Access and training guides.

Roles and responsibilities

6. The Project Sponsor is responsible for project funding and ensuring the project achieves its objectives and benefits.

7. The Project Owner/Business Owner accepts the new service, capability or product; is responsible for realisation of project outcomes and any identified benefits (NOTE: will likely carry forward past end of project).

8. The Project Manager is responsible for the administration and management of the project, and compliance with this policy and other relevant University policies and procedures (refer clause 6) and is the key project contact and responsible for management, of the project team and its contractors.

9. The Project Governance Body has oversight of the project and ensures that the project is executed in line with the approved project documentation; monitors project health including risks and issues and acts to remediate or cancel the project if required. Representation includes business user(s) and service provider(s). The Project Governance Body is the Project Control Group and/or the Project Steering Committee, Project Board or Project Sponsor/Business Owner, depending on the size of the project.

Definitions

10. Project Management definitions are found in the Project Glossary in the Related Links section of the PMF.

Delegations relevant to this policy

11. Project Managers must be aware of the Delegations Framework, familiarise themselves with the University’s delegations and be aware of the respective delegations as they relate to their specific project.

Information	Printable version (PDF)
Title	Project management
Document Type	Policy
Document Number	ANUP_007003
Version
Purpose	This policy establishes a University wide approach to the approval, development and arrangement of projects including governance frameworks.
Audience	Staff
Category	Administrative
Topic/ SubTopic	Governance & Structure

Effective Date	15 Jul 2021
Next Review Date	15 Jul 2026

Responsible Officer:	Director Planning and Service Performance
Approved By:	Vice-Chancellor
Contact Area	Planning and Service Performance Division
Authority:	The Australian National University Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026 Australian National University Act 1991 Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Work Health & Safety Act 2011 Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
Delegations	0
Information generated and received by ANU staff in the course of conducting business on behalf of ANU is a record and should be captured by an authorised recordkeeping system. To learn more about University records and recordkeeping practice at ANU, see ANU recordkeeping and Policy: Records and archives management.

Policy Library