Farid Hadj-Hamou wrote: Hi
Can someone explain who approves the Project management plan in the different organization matrices [Strong - Projectized - Functional]
Thank you
Hi Farid,
Typically the project plan is approved by the project manager, project sponsor or the functional managers who provides the resources for the project.
It becomes less difficult for a project manager to get his project management plan approved, if he successfully identifies all the stakeholders and their requirements and objectives and deals with the conflicting priorities in advance.
In a functional organization, the project team members always report to a functional manager who calls all the shots. Project management decisions need to be cleared with functional managers, who approve the project management plan.
In a weak matrix, PMs have some authority, but they aren’t in charge of the resources on a project. Major decisions still need to be made with the functional manager’s cooperation
or approval.
In a balanced matrix, Project managers share authority with the functional managers. PMs run their people-management decisions by the functional manager, but the functional manager runs his project decisions by the PM, too. Between the project manager, sponsor and functional manager in a balanced matrix would, I believe, depend on a case-by-case basis.
In case of strong matrix and projectized organisation I believe the project sponsor in discussion with the project manager approves the project management plan.
Subsequent changes on an approved project management plan pass through the "Change Control Board" to get further approvals.
Hope this helps.
