In a Project, can the Accountable Person for Scope and the Accountable Person for Cost and Schedule (or other different combinations) be two different persons? How would that reflect in the RACI matrix for the project? Thanks Saving Changes...
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Scott SaleProgram Manager| KindredLouisville, Ky, United States
These are the questions that we face as project managers daily. I will give you my take on the best approach and thought process.
- The answer is Yes,No, Maybe and it depends.
All of this will depend on the size, scope, sponsor and stakeholder of the project.
- The Sponsor will give you the Vision and Initial statement
- During your initiation you will determine stakeholders influence and impact
- This will drive your charter and get you through initiation.
- Next - In planning you as the PM will build the budget based off of the Scope of work.
- The PM is responsible to pull together the actual budget based off of the WBS and resource estimates.
- It is the typically the sponsor to obtain the approval for the budget (ie director or executive)
- It is the PMs responsibility and accountability to maintain the budget for the given project.
This is the point we as PMs enjoy the most. When the allocated budget doesnt get the scope of work complete by the given deadline.
This is the point we as PMs have to go to the sponsors and stakeholders to have the "tough" conversations for those that are accountable for scope of work which typically your business sponsor and let them know we either need more time, money or less scope to complete the project. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Accountable is the individual who is ultimately responsible for the results or final decisions. Inside a project the Project Manager (PM) is the accountable for that. That is the reason because you assign a project manager. That not implies that the PM can decide alone about budged/scope/cost. BUT (allways a but exists) you will find lot of places where things happend like @Scott stated above. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
I have been a project manager with a product manager on the project team. I was accountable for the process and he was accountable for the product. Saving Changes...
Thanks for your replies.
I guess that some of the "confusion" comes form the meaning given to the words (first rule, clarify the meaning of words in the context we are using them) . For instance, in the example provided by Stephane, who was the "accountable" for the"whole" (scope, cost and schedule)? In an ordinary scheme, Responsible persons are the ones performing the task or project. The accountable person is the one ultimately answerable for the correct and thorough completion of the task or project. Accountability normally comes with the capability to take decisions (e.g. compromises amongst scope, cost and schedule) . While probably not impossible, I find it difficult and certainly not effective to have this decisional power split. This unavoidably generates conflicts to be escalated to a upper management level. Defeating therefore the very same meaning of accountability. Saving Changes...
Avinash KharePM II| MAP-IT Consultant Project ManagementAmbernath (East), Maharashtra, India
In certain organizations you had to go back to top level management specifically with decisions with respect to cost for huge projects.The accountability of the project with respect to scope,schedule and cost ultimately lies with the project manager. Saving Changes...
