Project management schedule

The first part deals with the establishment of the steering committee.

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Steering committees are typically used in complex, high-stakes tech contracts where strategic guidance, high-level decision-making, and strong governance are required.

The part which relates to the communication plan places an obligation on the parties to create such a plan. A communication plan generally addresses the following-

1. Frequency: This refers to how often the communication will take place. For example, project status updates might be shared weekly, budget reports might be shared monthly, and steering committee meetings might occur quarterly. This ensures regular and timely communication to keep all parties informed and aligned.

2. Method: The communication method refers to the medium through which the communication will take place. This could range from emails, project management tools, video conferences, face-to-face meetings, or a combination of these. The choice of method often depends on the nature of the information being communicated and the preferences or requirements of the parties involved.

3. Content: The content of communication refers to what information will be shared. This could include project updates, risk assessments, progress reports, changes to the project scope, or any other relevant information. The plan should detail the type of information to be shared to ensure that all parties remain well-informed.

4. Roles and Responsibilities: The communication plan should clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each party involved in communication. This would include who is responsible for sending out updates, who is expected to receive and respond to them, who is responsible for compiling reports or other materials, and who is in charge of facilitating meetings. This helps to ensure clear and effective communication with no misunderstandings about who is responsible for what.

Next, an obligation is created on the parties to establish a risk management plan. A risk management plan generally entails the following-

• Identify and Assess Risks: This step involves recognizing potential risks and evaluating their likelihood and potential impact on the project. It might include brainstorming sessions, expert interviews, historical data analysis, and other techniques. The purpose is to create a comprehensive list of risks that could affect the project in any way.

• Develop a Risk Management Plan: Once the risks have been identified and assessed, the parties should develop a risk management plan. This is a strategic document that outlines how the identified risks will be handled. The risk management plan ensures that risks are actively monitored and that there are contingency plans in place.

• Description of the Risks: Each identified risk should be thoroughly described in the risk management plan. This helps everyone involved in the project to understand what each risk entails.

• Likelihood of Occurrence: For each identified risk, an estimation of its probability of occurrence should be provided. This helps to prioritize the risks based on their likelihood of happening.

• Potential Impact on the Project: This involves an assessment of the potential severity of each risk. Risks with greater potential impact should be given more attention in the risk management plan.

• Actions to Minimize or Eliminate Risks: For each risk, the plan should outline strategies to minimize or completely eliminate the risk. This might include preventative measures to reduce the probability of the risk, contingency plans in case the risk materializes, and even plans to accept the risk if it’s more cost-effective than trying to mitigate it.

The part which deals with the responsibilities of the steering committee generally provides a high level overview of such responsibilities. Here are a couple of examples-

• Overall Supervision and Evaluations of the Activities: The steering committee is responsible for overseeing all project activities to ensure they are carried out as per the agreement. They monitor the progress, assess the quality of work, and evaluate if the project is aligned with the overall goals and objectives. The committee can call for changes or corrections if the activities are not meeting the required standards or expectations.

• Deciding or Approving Modifications to the Scope of Services: The scope of services defines what is to be delivered by the project. If there’s a need to alter this scope for any reason, it’s the responsibility of the steering committee to decide or approve these changes. This is a significant role, as scope modifications can impact the project’s cost, timeline, and resources. Their decision-making power helps in maintaining control over the project’s direction.

• Evaluation of Each Party’s and Each Party’s Employees’ Performance: The committee is also tasked with evaluating the performance of all parties involved in the agreement. This can include both the organizations and individual employees. Such evaluations can help identify any issues or discrepancies early and take necessary actions to rectify them. It can also be used to recognize and reward good performance, which can motivate the project team and foster a positive work environment.

• Facilitation of the Completion of Milestones and Delivery of Deliverables: Steering committees play a crucial role in ensuring that project milestones are reached and deliverables are produced on time. They might do this by allocating resources, resolving high-level issues, making strategic decisions, or providing support to the project team. By facilitating the completion of milestones, the steering committee helps ensure that the project stays on track to meet its objectives.

This part describes the formation and role of working groups in carrying out the activities specified in the contract.

• Formation of Working Groups: It states that one or more working groups will be formed, each comprising of employees from each party. These working groups are essentially smaller, specialized teams within the larger project team, often focused on specific tasks or areas of the project.

• Responsibilities of the Working Groups: Each working group is responsible for completing the services and delivering the deliverables, milestones, and results defined for their assigned tasks. This means they are responsible for executing the specific parts of the project plan assigned to them, and delivering the expected outputs on time and to the specified quality standards.

• Replacement of Working Group Members: The clause also sets out the process for replacing a member of a working group. If a party wishes to replace one of its employees in a working group, it must notify the other party’s representative within the steering committee in writing. This formal process ensures that all parties are aware of and approve changes to the working groups, maintaining clear communication and avoiding potential confusion or disputes.

This part lays out the responsibilities and reporting structure for the working groups in relation to their activities and progress.

• Responsibility of the Working Groups: It must explicitly state that the working groups are responsible solely for the activities assigned to them. This is a crucial aspect of project management, as it ensures that tasks are clearly delineated, which helps in preventing confusion about who is responsible for what and promotes accountability.

• Reporting to the Steering Committee: The working groups must report their progress to the steering committee regularly. Regular reporting allows the steering committee to stay informed about the status of the project, monitor progress, and make timely decisions when necessary. This reporting might involve providing updates about completed tasks, upcoming milestones, encountered problems, and potential risks.

• Frequency and Requested Reporting: The report must be submitted on a regular basis and as requested by the steering committee. Regular reporting could be weekly, biweekly, monthly, or based on some other defined schedule, depending on the project’s complexity and duration. Additionally, the steering committee might request additional reports as needed, for example, in case of significant changes or issues in the project.