gh how to handle issue management in a pmo setting

How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

Confidentiality StatementThis <document title> along with all attachments hereto shall be considered <company>’s Proprietary/Confidential Information

gantthead.com How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

Purpose

This sample Issue Management process is a method for tracking, managing, escalating and reporting issues concerning <concerning> from the project level up to the program level.

Step Description1 Log and

Describe IssueMatters that cannot be resolved in the near-term within a project team are raised as issues. Issues are often Risks that could not be mitigated sufficiently to prevent them from becoming issues. If the Issue is not resolved, it likely will become a problem with impact on the project’s schedule, budget, quality, and/or outcome.

These Issues are logged and described first at a high level, by the person logging the issue. The following data is loaded at this time:

Issue Title

Issue Description: describe the symptom or underlying problem.

Severity (High, Medium, or Low): if known.

Person Issue Identified By, Date Identified, and Source (Email, Release Meeting, etc.)

Project Name, Project Phase and Project Manager

Log Number (automatically assigned), Log Date, and Logged By

Status: set to ‘Logged’

[Note: Many of the fields above operate from ‘pick lists’ maintained by the PMO staff. If a value needs to be added, please call or email the PMO and it can be done in a few seconds]

2 Review and Assign Issue (Escalate as Necessary)

The Project Manager reviews the ‘incoming’ Issue and assigns ownership of the Issue to someone on the project team. The Project Manger first reviews the Issue to validate that it is in fact an issue (if not, it is ‘Cancelled’). If so, then the Project Manager reviews the Description, and Severity, discusses these with the person who identified the issue, as necessary, and updates this information as necessary.

Next the Project Manager assigns someone on the project team, or extended project team, to be the Issue Owner. As Issue Owner, this individual will lead analysis, reporting, and resolution of the issue for the project. The following data is loaded at this time:

Assigned To: who the Issue Owner is – the default is the Project Manager.

©2007 gantthead.com 2


Step Description Expected Close Date: date the Project Manager expects the Issue may be, or should be, closed

by.

Resolution Authority: if the Issue resolution will require approval, and it is known at this time, then the individual or group responsible.

Escalate To: If the Project Manager cannot readily assign the Issue, then the Project Manager escalates it to the PMO Leader who may have that authority or access.

Status: set to ‘Assigned’

If the PMO Leader does not have the authority or access to assign responsibility at the appropriate level for the issue, then the issue is escalated to a ‘higher level’ until the issue can be assigned proper ownership. The issue is escalated up to one of the following levels, in the following sequence, for assignment of ownership:

Account Manager; or

Management Steering Committee.

As part of the assignment of Issue Ownership, any of the previous information about the issue may be updated as necessary (e.g., Description), including previously mentioned information that may be blank (e.g., Resolution Authority).

3 Analyze and Document Details for Issue and Develop Activity Plan

The Issue Owner and/or Project Manager is/are responsible for understanding and recording the details for the Issue. This entails analyzing the Issue, and its impact, with other appropriate members of the team or organization. The Issue Owner and/or Project Manager then work(s) with the members of the team or organization to define the actions necessary to resolve the Issue. An Activity Plan is agreed comprising: Overview; Action Items; Who’s Responsible; their Target Completion Dates; and associated Status information.

The following data is loaded at this time:

Impact Analysis: describe the impact the issue is or will have on the project.

Activity (Action) Plan:

o Overviewo Action Item List (optional – only use this if useful]:o Action Item;o Responsibility;



Step Descriptiono Target Date; ando Action Item Status/Comments

Status: set to ‘Resolving’As part of the analysis and planning for resolution of the issue, any of the previous information about the issue may be updated as necessary (e.g. Description, Severity), including previously mentioned information that may be blank (e.g. Resolution Authority).

4 Implement Activity Plan (i.e., Resolve Issue) and Report Status

IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITY PLANThe Issue Owner is responsible for implementation of the Activity Plan to resolve the issue. This entails leadership, communications, and management of the activities involved for proper completion of the Action Items. The Issue Owner keeps the Project Manager advised on status of the Activity Plan (i.e. resolution status of the Issue). The Project Manager in turn keeps upper management, and the rest of the extended team, up-to-date on status of all issues. The Issue Management Status Report is used for summarized issue status, sorted by Escalation, Severity, and Status. Individual Issue Management Worksheets can be used for detailed status reporting and update on an individual issue.

The Project Manager monitors the status of resolution of the Issue (i.e. status of implementation of the Activity Plan to resolve the Issue). The Project Manager provides the Issue Owner feedback and assistance as necessary in resolving the Issue.

If the Project Manager determines that progress on resolving the Issue could benefit from escalation to upper management, then the Issue is ‘escalated’ for review and attention. The Project Manger first escalates the Issue to the PMO Leader (or the PMO Leader’s designate) who may have the authority, access, and/or objectivity to facilitate resolution of the issue.

If the PMO Leader (or the PMO Leader’s designate) believes that the Issue needs escalation to an even higher level, then the issue is escalated up to the appropriate management level for proper review and attention. The issue is escalated up to one of the following levels, in the following sequence, for assistance in resolving the issue:

Account Manager; or Management Steering Committee (MSC).The Account Manager or the Management Steering Committee (MSC) then provides the PMO Leader, Project Manager, and/or Issue Owner with feedback and assistance as necessary in resolving the Issue.

UPON COMPLETION OF ACTIVITY PLAN©2007 gantthead.com 4


Step DescriptionUpon completion of the Activity Plan, if the Issue is determined to be resolved, then the Issue is Closed-Out. If Resolution Approval is required, then that approval is obtained before closing-out the Issue (either the person with Resolution Approval, or the Issue Owner after receipt of approval, should officially close-out the Issue).The following data is maintained at this time: Status: set to ‘Resolving’ Status Comments: use the ‘Status Comments’ field(s) to communicate about the status of the Issue

overall or of work on individual Action Items in the Activity Plan. Escalate To: Select an individual or group (e.g. PMO or MSC) to escalate issue to, as necessary. Last Update: maintain last date Issue status was updated Close Date: after the Issue is determined to be resolved, and any necessary Resolution Approval is

secured, then enter the ‘Close Date’ to close-out the Issue. Set the ‘Status’ of the Issue to ‘Closed’.


gh how to handle issue management in a pmo setting

Documents