In a given project, is a responsibility of a PM to check or validate by himself an information that may have legal impact given to him by the functional expert of the organization?. Or the expert income should be considered valid? Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I am not sure I fully understood your question Engels but yes, the PM along with the legal advisor are supposed to be aware of all such information.
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1 reply by Engels Gilvert
Feb 15, 2017 3:00 PM
Engels Gilvert
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This scenario the legal advisor already gave you the info, the question should the PM go ahead or double check by himself?
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Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
The PM is responsible to ensure that all project related items - information, work packages, deliverables, invoices - conform to the expected standards and norms. Saving Changes...
Engels, this depends on where the PM accountability/responsibility line is drawn.
It is a slippery slope for a PM to take on a role of functional expert, especially in legal matters. Since it is difficult (and potentially dangerous) for a PM to pass judgment on the quality of legal input being provided by either internal staff or external counsel, the PM must accept the expert's advice, or risk owning the consequences of overriding any input received.
Put another way, it is unreasonable and unrealistic to expect the PM to have sufficient depth of knowledge in all areas of a project, unless the project is extremely small and short lived. Saving Changes...
There are some variables to consider, if I understand the question correctly.
If a BA provided information that had legal ramifications, I would submit it to my legal department for review. If the functional expert was a company lawyer, I would consider it valid.
Think of it this way. If the person providing the information has responsibility and decision making authority in your company for the information provided, I would consider it valid.
I would never validate something by myself, unless I had decision making authority on that item. If the person providing the information does not have the authority, I would find the person that does and ask that person to validate the information. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Don't forget the project manager's motto: Trust but verify. Saving Changes...
I am not sure I fully understood your question Engels but yes, the PM along with the legal advisor are supposed to be aware of all such information.
This scenario the legal advisor already gave you the info, the question should the PM go ahead or double check by himself? Saving Changes...
Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
Just my two cents worth from experience
A legal advisory and a Contracts Manager are specifically appointed in companies to manage the legal ramifications of contracts and engagements including public liabilities, escrow agreements, privacy breach, termination etc.
It's in the best interests of a project manager to leverage the skills and expertise of these experts.
A project manager can skim through the details and understand the contracts at a very high level but in the end, the Project Manager needs to make sure that the legal and contracts teams have reviewed all legal obligations .
A confirmation from the experts that they have fully reviewed and signed off on the relevant documentation should suffice. Saving Changes...
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