PRINCE2 Project Board – small is beautiful! 

Project Board in PRINCE2

Okay, so we all know that there are three roles on any project board – the Executive (a single individual), the Senior User (one or many individuals), and the Senior Supplier (one or many individuals). In addition, each role has its own Assurance responsibilities (business, user, and supplier assurance).

When you consider that many individuals will want to insist on being involved either from the user or supplier side, there is a strong temptation to watch the project board numbers swell…
Passions can run high as individuals insist that they should have a presence on your project board.
Large numbers on a project board increase communication needs and complexity and can slow decision-making, not to mention outright disagreement between members which can cause delay or failure of the project.

An Efficient Project Board

Here are some ideas that can help trim down the project board to an efficient fighting unit!

Multiple Suppliers.
The trick here is to have a lead supplier represent all the suppliers. They may have separate ‘supplier meetings’ if needed, but only the lead supplier is present on the project board. In this way the suppliers have a ‘voice to air their questions, problems and concerns for the good of all.

Multiple Users.
In a similar way you may often find many requests from ‘business as usual’, departmental heads, operational managers, customers all insisting they take a part on the project board. The solution is to set up a user committee and have their chair represent the user’s interests on the project board.

Clarify and Drive the roles.
As individuals request a presence on the project board, clarify each role to determine if that person ‘fits’ into one of them. Exam aspects such as the individuals power, authority, and knowledge. You will often find they conclude that they need not take a role, but possibly be copied on Highlight Reports for example.

Communication verses control.
Does the individual have a desire to be kept informed, or do they need to manage outcomes? If it’s the former, then they can be kept informed in other ways. The Communication Management Strategy document contained within the Project Initiation Documentation (PID), should address how this to occur.
If it’s the latter, then consider the above ideas for multiple users and suppliers, or if sensible, let them fill one of the project board roles.

In summary, Small Is Beautiful. The project board is there to use appropriately authorized individuals to make swift decisions, precise control, and to ensure the project has the resources it needs to be successful and ultimately, provide value for money. Bloated project boards have the reverse affect.

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