PM Resources > Governance/Compliance

Which governance/compliance model is right for you? Like so many things in project management, there is no one-solution approach to governance. Here we discuss two models.

Economic challenges have made the idea of Cloud Computing almost irresistable to cash-strapped CIOs, but what is the real cost of doing business in the Cloud, and what does that mean for IT Governance and standards?

Cloud computing offers cost savings, flexibility and speed of deployment that can be very tempting to all kinds of IT organizations, but don't forget about the risks inherent in turning over control of your data in the age of IT Governance and SOX compliance.

For many organizations, governance is still seen as an outside factor. But governance shouldn’t be imposed on your project--it should be planned in.

Groups who do not follow a governance process have many reasons for not doing it. But only the accurate determination of the rationale will result in the correct intervention. Here are six common reasons and effective responses.

We seem to be moving from the “every PMO is different” model to the “PMOs fit into one of several types” model. However, since the heady days of Y2K the world has changed a lot--and created a lot of opportunities for PMOs to reinvent themselves and create a new model. This writer may be a power-crazed egomaniac, but he thinks PMOs can run the organization (if not the world).

One of the most established standards organizations (and their pronouncements) is often missing from the IT governance conversation: the International Organization for Standardization. Did you know that the ISO has been very active in the governance and compliance space? Here is an update on the standards that you might find useful.

PMOs are responsible for establishing standards--but what should those standards be? This article will explore a few of the things to consider when establishing a model for project process compliance.

Decisions on IT Governance are easy when your company has ample resources and infrastructure to implement and support it. As companies get smaller, however, those decisions get much more difficult. Here are some guidelines to help you evaluate and prioritize your needs to build a strategy for getting the maximum benefit while staying within your means.

Project workers must be active participants in any governance program in order for it to be effective. But how do you enliven the “boring” topic of governance? Here are some ideas that will help the project workforce feel more responsible for governance in your project.

Governance is the buzzword of the last few years, but is it being done properly? Our writer builds on a few experiences he's had with governance and considers some ways that we can improve things by bringing consistency to the process.

Our yearly look at the state of IT, collected from various industry surveys. We'll take a look at everything from outsourcing and budgets to IT's move toward something greener.

CollabNet updates its TeamForge platform and ScrumWorks project management application, focusing on scaling agile to the enterprise through flexible reporting, ease of use and other enhancements.

This article will explore how to establish the right governance process so it will be utilized and maintained within a business team.

How many people on your projects understand the specific roles and responsibilities that are assigned to them? A huge challenge in many organizations is that they fail to define a governance structure that includes the necessary measures to be practical. An effective structure needs to have well-defined roles and responsibilities that are understood and adopted. Without it, governance is a hollow shell.

What will project management look like in the future? One writer summons his smarts as he comes up with some dramatic predictions about governance, PMOs and the accountable PM. Is he a genius or a goofball? You be the judge...

Even when everything seems to be going well, things may not be as rosy as you think. All the facts might point to success, but perceptions can often trump that reality. Here's some practical advice on aligning how things are and how they appear.

While good governance rarely happens naturally, it does and can happen. But rather than waiting for the right bowl of porridge to appear before us (because that really does only happen in fairy tales), we need to make the porridge we want. As with any good meal, it helps if we start with a recipe.

Why relate governance to a fairy tale? The more cynical among us might say that’s because the idea of effective governance and the actual practice really aren’t that far removed from fantasy. The astute reader also won’t require much effort or imagination to figure out where we’re going: some project managers suffer from too much, while others not enough; only an elusive few, however, can say that their governance is “just right”.

IT governance is typically treated as a top-down C-level agenda item. We think about governance committees, executive charters, board-level oversight and enterprise-level compliance goals. In this piece, we will examine why good governance and sustainable governance will require us to think bottom-up. Here’s to IT governance, the grassroots way!

PMO isn't for everyone. There's a very valid argument that it creates a needless layer of bureaucracy for some organizations. For others, however, it can salvage success from failing projects. Here's how to tell if--and when--you can benefit from PMO, and some tips on how to make it work.

Project managers usually tend to focus on the methodology for executing the technical part of the project. However, a good understanding of a practical SOA landscape and its associated challenges can help a technical PM make the SOA adoption on technology projects run even smoother.

Picking the right IT governance framework can be confusing. Here we take a look at many of the emerging flavors in the increasingly clustered mix.

As technology becomes ever more critical to business success, changes are coming in IT governance that tighten its relationship to strategic objectives. Here, analysts discuss the business basis for the shift.

Too many PMOs are not yielding demonstrable positive financial results, often due to limitations outside of their control. Here are two common problem scenarios that can be fixed by changing the way in which the PMO is chartered, operates and is perceived within the business.

Managing projects that span countries and cultures brings with it its own set of challenges, not the least of which is a greater risk of failure. This article explores some of those challenges and complexities that are unique or amplified when managing global projects.

While most of the material that is published on governance is applicable to public-based projects, there are some significant differences from what is traditionally managed on the corporate level.

A new guide addresses unique aspects of project management within the pharmaceutical industry, including regulatory context, integrated validation and risk management.

IT governance is evolving, but some fundamental practices hold true. Whether your organization is implementing processes for the first time or reassessing and remaking existing ones, here are some proven paths to follow and pitfalls to avoid.

In the history of organizations trying to implement and get some value from project management, there has been a string of buzzwords that have captured the hearts, minds and budget approvals of senior executives. Why doesn't the hype of portfolio management seem to measure up in real life?

At the end of the day, the real measure of a PMO’s effectiveness is the degree to which it improves the speed, cost and consistency of project success. Here's how to evaluate that effectiveness.

Before PMO directors pursue ISO 9001 certification, it is important to understand what it constitutes and how it can benefit PMOs. For some, the certification can be a way to increase performance and staff confidence. For others, it can be cost-prohibitive and add little value.

Let’s face it--business has an insatiable appetite for all kinds of technology projects and as a PM you usually end up caught in the middle. How can you balance competing requests and demand for limited resources? One way is to ask for intercession of governance.

In an organization stripped of resources, maintaining compliance is crucial--and difficult. Find existing problems and fix them quickly using these tactics.

For governance to work, the system must have credibility. If you don’t build credibility early, it’s too late to recapture it later.

IT governance is a relatively new concept that is still evolving...and good IT governance practices share many fundamental principles with enterprise governance.

If you thought compliance obstacles, goals and requirements were tough, brace yourself. Compliance issues for 2008 include tougher regulations, new security threats, better technology and much more.