PMQ Book T HE P ROVEK APM PMQ B OOK (B O K7) Document Control Configuration details Author Mike Warren Document reference The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 Reviewed by Helen Grindley Approved by Greg Montgomery Document version history Document version Date issued Comments V1-0 1 st Sept 2020 First issue V1-1 15 th Dec 2020 Second issue V1-2 12 th October 2021 Third Issue Contact Details Provek Ltd. 12 Thatcham Business Village Colthrop Way Thatcham RG19 4LW Tel 01635 524610 Fax 01635 524620 Email admin@provek.co.uk Web www.provek.co.uk The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 2 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 C O N T E N T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 D O C U M E N T C O N T R O L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Configuration details.............................................................................................................1 Document version history .....................................................................................................1 Contact Details.....................................................................................................................1 C O N T E N T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 F O R E W O R D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 T H E APM P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T Q U A L I F I C A T I O N (PMQ ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Who is for?...........................................................................................................................6 What does it cover?..............................................................................................................6 How is it assessed?..............................................................................................................6 The syllabus and the exam questions ...................................................................................6 The PMQ challenge..............................................................................................................6 Command Verbs ..................................................................................................................7 H O W T O U S E T H I S B O O K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 1 - U N D E R S T A N D H O W O R G A N I S A T I O N S A N D P R O J E C T S A R E O R G A N I S E D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Part 1 Organisation structures ............................................................................................10 Part 2 The project organisation ...........................................................................................16 Part 3 Project management governance .............................................................................29 Learning outcome 1 sample exam questions ......................................................................31 Learning outcome 1 sample exam answers ........................................................................33 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 2 - U N D E R S T A N D P R O J E C T L I F E C Y C L E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Part 1 Project lifecycles ......................................................................................................38 Part 2 Informed decision making ........................................................................................50 Learning outcome 2 sample exam questions ......................................................................52 Learning outcome 2 sample exam answers ........................................................................53 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 3 - U N D E R S T A N D T H E S I T U A T I O N A L C O N T E X T O F P R O J E C T S . . . 59 Part 1 Projects, programmes and portfolios ........................................................................59 Part 2 Influence and impact factors.....................................................................................68 Learning outcome 3 sample exam questions ......................................................................78 Learning outcome 3 sample exam answers ........................................................................79 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 4 - U N D E R S T A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N W I T H I N P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Part 1 Communication ........................................................................................................87 Part 2 Conflict ....................................................................................................................92 Part 3 Negotiation .............................................................................................................. 96 Learning outcome 4 sample exam questions ....................................................................100 Learning outcome 4 sample exam answers ......................................................................101 Additional learning (not covered in PMQ syllabus or examined) ........................................108 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 5 - U N D E R S T A N D T H E P R I N C I P L E S O F L E A D E R S H I P A N D T E A M W O R K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Part 1 Leadership .............................................................................................................119 Part 2 Teamwork .............................................................................................................. 125 Learning outcome 5 sample exam questions ....................................................................133 Learning outcome 5 sample exam answers ......................................................................134 Additional learning (not covered in PMQ syllabus or examined) ........................................140 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 6 - U N D E R S T A N D P L A N N I N G F O R S U C C E S S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 3 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Part 1 Stakeholder management ......................................................................................144 Part 2 The business case .................................................................................................148 Part 3 The project management plan (PMP) .....................................................................153 Part 4 Estimating and contingency planning .....................................................................157 Part 5 Information management .......................................................................................164 Part 6 Project reporting.....................................................................................................166 Part 7 Earned value management (EVM) .........................................................................168 Learning outcome 6 sample exam questions ....................................................................172 Learning outcome 6 sample exam answers ......................................................................175 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 7 - U N D E R S T A N D P R O J E C T S C O P E M A N A G E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Part 1 Scope definition .....................................................................................................195 Part 2 Requirements management ...................................................................................199 Part 3 Configuration management ....................................................................................201 Part 4 Change control ......................................................................................................203 Learning outcome 7 sample exam questions ....................................................................206 Learning outcome 7 sample exam answers ......................................................................207 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 8 - U N D E R S T A N D S C H E D U L E A N D R E S O U R C E O P T I M I S A T I O N . 211 Part 1 Scheduling .............................................................................................................211 Part 2 Resource management ..........................................................................................217 Part 3 Cost planning .........................................................................................................221 Learning outcome 8 sample exam questions ....................................................................223 Learning outcome 8 sample exam answers ......................................................................224 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 9 - U N D E R S T A N D P R O J E C T P R O C U R E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Part 1 Procurement ..........................................................................................................232 Learning outcome 9 sample exam questions ....................................................................241 Learning outcome 9 sample exam answers ......................................................................242 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 10 - U N D E R S T A N D R I S K A N D I S S U E M A N A G E M E N T I N T H E C O N T E X T O F P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Part 1 Risk management ..................................................................................................247 Part 2 Issue management ................................................................................................256 Learning outcome 10 sample exam questions ..................................................................258 Learning outcome 10 sample exam answers ....................................................................259 L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E 11 - U N D E R S T A N D Q U A L I T Y I N T H E C O N T E X T O F A P R O J E C T 265 Part 1 Quality management ..............................................................................................265 Learning outcome 11 sample exam questions ..................................................................267 Learning outcome 11 sample exam answers ....................................................................268 H O W T O P A S S T H E APM PMQ E X A M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Sample part answers for the command verbs ...................................................................275 APM Annotated Answer Document...................................................................................276 APM PMQ S Y L L A B U S & I N D I C A T I V E C O N T E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 APM PMQ S A M P L E E X A M P A P E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 S A M P L E P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T T E M P L A T E S A N D T I P S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 Business case ..................................................................................................................311 Project management plan (PMP) ......................................................................................314 Project progress report template.......................................................................................318 Change request form........................................................................................................320 Change log template ........................................................................................................321 Risk register template.......................................................................................................322 The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 4 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Issue log template ............................................................................................................322 Lessons log ......................................................................................................................322 The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 5 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Foreword The Provek APM PMQ Book is a companion guide to the Association for Project Management’s (APM): ‘The Project Management Qualification’ (PMQ). It aligns with the latest APM Body of Knowledge 7 th Edition (BoK 7) and is designed to support candidates in their preparation for the APM PMQ qualification. It will also act as a handy reference guide beyond the exam. The book follows the structure of the PMQ qualification syllabus and is divided into 11 learning outcomes and 67 assessment criteria. Each learning outcome includes a comprehensive narrative and examples of APM PMQ exam style questions with sample answers. In addition, there is a section called ‘How to pass the APM PMQ exam’, the APM syllabus and indicative content and a set of the most commonly used project management templates. There are tutorial videos and podcasts available to support each unit. The details are available from the Provek website: https://www.provek.co.uk/ We hope that the material contained within this book will not only support those studying for the PMQ qualification but also contribute to the pursuit of excellence in project management. We are continually looking to improve our products and therefore welcome any comments or suggestions regarding the information and guidance contained in this book. Mike Warren MAPM Training Delivery Director October 2021 The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 6 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 The APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) The APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) enables candidates to demonstrate knowledge of all elements of project management. Candidates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how these elements interact and how their project fits into their strategic and commercial environment. It is the ideal next step for anyone holding the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification. Who is for? The APM Project Management Qualification is aimed at those wishing to achieve a broad level of project management knowledge enabling them to participate in project delivery, as well as those aspiring to become established in project management. What does it cover? This qualification assesses the breadth of knowledge in all areas of project management and covers knowledge areas from the APM Body of Knowledge 7th Edition. How is it assessed? A three-hour paper (plus 15 minutes reading time) where candidates must answer ten from sixteen questions. There is a fast-track route for current registered PRINCE2® Practitioners: a two-hour paper (plus 10 minutes reading time) that recognises prior learning. In this paper candidates must answer six from ten questions. A single exam question will consist of two parts that can give a total of 50 marks. One part will be worth 20 marks while the other will be worth 30 marks. Each part will test one assessment criterion. The syllabus and the exam questions The syllabus is structured using 11 Learning Outcomes (LO). Within these there are 67 Assessment Criteria (AC). Each AC incorporates a ‘command verb’ which determines the types of response required for an associated exam question. These command verbs are explained in the next section. The questions set in the exam paper are directly derived from the AC both in terms of the scope and command verb used. The only exception to this is where the ‘Differentiate’ term may be changed to ‘Explain the difference between...’ We have given some guidance for some of the AC throughout this book to clarify what might be required in a typical question. What this means in practice is that preparation for the exam can be focused on the AC. The wording of the question can of course be different to that of the AC, and we have tried to reflect the essence of this variation in our sample questions. Each of the 10 questions in the exam is worth 50 marks and consists of 2 parts. Part a) is worth 20 marks and part b) is worth 30 marks. Both parts of a single question will target a different AC from the same LO. Your target time for answering a single question is 15 minutes. The PMQ challenge The PMQ exam is tough and should not be undertaken lightly. The challenges are: • Learning the wide range of subjects in the syllabus • Acquiring the exam techniques required to pass the exam within the time constraints. The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 7 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Whilst it is a straightforward process to learn the subjects defined by the AC, learning how to answer the questions is much more challenging for most candidates. This is based on learner feedback. The key to this is practice, practice, practice! In this book you will find a wide range of sample answers that will give you an indication of what a good answer looks like. In addition, Provek offer a marking service where experienced markers will provide feedback on submitted answers. We strongly recommend that you undertake a full mock exam before the actual exam. This recommendation has been endorsed by a high number of successful candidates. Simulating the actual closed book exam will help you assess your exam readiness and ability to complete 10 questions within the set time constraints. Command Verbs Candidates must become familiar with the definition of different command words, which will be used in assessments and the exam. A command verb itself is simply an instruction to do something. It is suggested that candidates are familiar with these words if they are to provide the required type and depth of response to an assessment. The command verb in each exam question will match the command verb in the corresponding assessment criteria apart from ‘differentiate’ as shown in the table below. Command verb Definition Total number of uses in syllabus Differentiate Recognise or determine what makes something different. The exam wording for this type of questions can be ‘explain the difference between...’ This must not be simply a description of two separate things but a comparison with contrast and relevance. 11 Describe Give an account of the purpose(s) or reason(s). This must be more than a description of the subject. It is the ‘why’ question. 9 Explain Give an account of the purpose(s) or reason(s). This must be more than a description of the subject. It is the ‘why’ question. 42 Interpret Translate information/data into another form to aid understanding, to demonstrate understanding or to inform a future action. No calculations are required, but may help you to show your understanding 1 State/outline Set out the main points/characteristics. 4 The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 8 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 How to use this book As discussed in the foreword, this book is designed to provide practical help in your preparation for PMQ Qualification. It will also provide a useful reference when considering the application of key project management principles within the workplace. This section explains how to get the most out of this book. We have a range of available options for learning and your choice of these will have an impact on how you use this book. The following steps are designed for those delegates undertaking self-study and should be used in conjunction with the series of videos on The PM Channel – a bespoke project management resource designed and managed by Provek Ltd. If you are undertaking either classroom or blended learning, you will receive specific instructions on how to navigate the training material (including this book). Step 1 – Study each of the 11 Learning Outcomes (LO) Each learning outcome provides the narrative that is needed to support the assessment criteria and therefore should be read as part of your study. On completion, re-read the assessment criteria to check that you have covered everything. It is suggested that you read one learning outcome at a time and carry out steps 3 and 4 below before moving on to the next one. Note: We recommend that you should read these learning outcomes in the following order first to provide a foundation for the ones that follow: 1. LO 3 – Understand the situational context of projects 2. LO 2 – Understand project lifecycles 3. LO 1 – Understand how organisations and projects are organised Step 2 – Read the section called ‘How to pass the APM PMQ exam’ Passing an exam is both about your knowledge of the subject and your technique. This section provides valuable guidance on the exam technique. Read this thoroughly before attempting the example exam questions. This section includes information provided by the APM and includes actual submitted learner answers that have been marked. This shows the differences between a high scoring answer and a low scoring one. This will help you understand the marking criteria and help equip you for your exam. Step 3 – Attempt the example exam questions At the end of each learning outcome there is a set of sample exam questions with suggested sample answers. To test your knowledge of each, it is important that you attempt a selection of the example questions provided, covering a number of command verb types as well as AC. For those undertaking Provek training, feedback on a selection of your answers can be provided (contact us for more details of this). Step 4 – Review your answers Review your answers against the sample answers. This will help you see what a ‘good’ answer is and allow you to identify any shortfalls in your own answer. It should be stressed, however, that there are many ways to answer a question and there is no reason why your answer should not get good marks where it is different to the sample answer. The Provek APM PMQ Book Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 9 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Step 5 – Attempt the sample APM PMQ sample paper Once you have completed all of your study, we recommend that you attempt this full 16- question sample paper. As stated in the exam instructions, you are required to answer 10 out of the 16 within 3 hours. This exercise is a useful pilot run to the actual exam and will test your stamina, your ability to select the right questions and of course, your knowledge. The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 10 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Learning outcome 1 - Understand how organisations and projects are organised Part 1 Organisation structures A ssessment Criteria (AC) Title 1.1 differentiate between types of permanent and temporary organisation structures (including functional, matrix, and project) Provek question guidance You will need to explain 2 or 3 differences (compare and contrast) between any of the following: • Functional (permanent) & project (temporary) • Functional and matrix (a mix of permanent and temporary) • Matrix and project e.g. ‘a functional organisation is..... whereas a project organisation is.....’ Warning! The use of the terms ‘permanent’ and ‘temporary’ may be used in a question. See this section of the book for understanding the relationship between these terms and those in parenthesis (in the AC). Overview Organisations in which projects take place can vary greatly in their structure. The structure of an organisation will affect the way its projects are managed and how people will interact. For example, managing a project in a government department or a local authority will be very different to the way one is managed in a small private company trying to maximise its profits in a competitive market. Each type of organisation will present unique challenges to the project manager as well as opportunities. Organisations can be categorised as: • Permanent. These are associated with business-as-usual and consist of functions such as finance, technical and marketing. Projects may exist within a single function or span across many functions • Temporary. These exist only to deliver projects It is therefore important that the project manager (PM) understands the type of structure they are working within and how to overcome the challenges and maximise the opportunities. The three main types of organisational structure are: • Functional (permanent) – people working within functions • Matrix (combination of temporary and permanent) – people within functions working on projects in integrated teams • Project (temporary) – people working only on projects (little or no functions) The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 11 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Organisations delivering projects may favour one organisational structure or any combination of the three. The following diagram shows the project managers level of authority for each type of organisation. The functional structure (permanent) This structure is prevalent in the public sector and manufacturing organisations where business-as-usual (BAU) dominates. The functional manager has responsibility within the function for line management and any project work. It is effective for simple projects that are self-contained within a single function (e.g. the finance department implementing a new accounting process), whereas cross-functional projects tend to be passed from one department to another, e.g. from design to manufacturing to testing. The project manager in this latter case would have very little influence over the more powerful departmental managers and be reliant on their cooperation. The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 12 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 The project organisation (temporary) The project organisation is often supplier-based and common in the engineering and construction industry. Each project is resourced to match the project and has a dedicated project team (task force) and a project manager who has both line and project responsibilities. There will usually be full-time (core) team members. The matrix organisation (mixture of permanent and temporary) Many projects operate in this type of structure. The project manager has responsibility for delivering the project and the functional manager has responsibility for maintaining and developing the functional capability and utilisation of people across multiple projects and BAU activities. Functional resources are assigned to the project, and they are expected to have both project and functional loyalties. Many projects may be serviced by the same range of functional groups. A strong matrix is where the project manager has priority over resources. It is quite common for them to be co-located to the project away from their functional ‘home’. A weak matrix is where the functional manager has priority over resources and the project manager accesses the team via the functional manager. The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 13 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 14 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Summary of the differences Functional Matrix Project The role of the project manager For cross functional projects, the PM relies on the functions and generally has low influence over them. They benefit from having specialists involved in the project, but they may get distracted by departmental business-as-usual. The PM has authority over the team members for the project duration but will have to negotiate with functional managers to obtain them. The project benefits from both project manager direction and line manager input. The PM has authority over a dedicated team who recognise their authority. The PM acts as their line manager. This allows a strong team to be developed who are focused solely on the project. Resource management Maintains a body of skilled staff who are experts in their field. This ensures that the organisation has enough capability. This retains corporate knowledge and can facilitate continuous improvement. Flexible use of resources as PMs can call on functional expertise when required. This can allow the PM to return resource to function when not needed. PMs have visibility of resource skills and where they reside. Staff are directly allocated to the project. These are often procured externally and there can be less flexibility as they are ‘fixed’ for a duration. The advantage is that skills can be recruited in a way that is aligned with the specific needs of the project. Employee’s view Functional staff are developed in their chosen roles, and they are able to use their skills. There is also a career path within the functional area. The work they perform is limited by the functional constraints. Staff have a variety of work as they move between function and projects. This can help individuals grow as they gain experience. They are able to return to their function when the project is complete. Will have in effect, two managers who can both provide advice and support. This can also cause conflict and high demands on staff e.g. project and functional workload. Focused on a clear goal and work towards that as an autonomous team. Can be very stimulating but due to the temporary nature of projects can lead to job insecurity. Staff may not be developed (e.g. training) and lose currency in their specialist skillset. The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 15 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Functional Matrix Project Client’s view Access to a wide skillset but may lack clarity regarding project status and progress as PM will need to contact functional managers who are delivering key elements of the project. Single point of contact in PM who has access to a wide range of skills, capacity and capability. This gives the client confidence in organisation's ability to deliver. PM will need to negotiate with functional managers when additional work is needed (e.g. client driven change) to obtain necessary resources. Single point of contact in PM and will have a focussed and dedicated project team that can react quickly to changes. The PM will have rapid access to project status and is able to update client promptly. Change requests can also be investigated quickly due to team structure. It may, however, take some time to ‘buy-in’ additional resources to respond to client driven variations. Knowledge management Knowledge is accumulated and retained within functions Knowledge gained in projects is taken back to the functions and vice-versa. Knowledge resides with the team, may not be easily shared across an organisation and may be lost when team is disbanded The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 16 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 Part 2 The project organisation AC Title 1.2 explain the way in which an organisational breakdown structure is used to create a responsibility assignment matrix 1.3 explain the role and key responsibilities of the project manager 1.4 differentiate between the responsibilities of the project manager and the project sponsor throughout the project Provek guidance This compare and contrast AC could produce a question that targets their responsibilities in specific lifecycle phases including definition, deployment and transition. Candidates should compare and contrast in each case. 1.5 describe other roles within project management (including users, project team members, the project steering group/board and the product owner) Provek guidance For a describe question it is helpful to assume that the reader of your answer does not know what these roles are. One suggestion is that you ‘test out’ your answer by showing it to someone who is not familiar with this subject. The product owner is a specific role in a project using an iterative (agile) lifecycle. Answers must reflect this. 1.6 describe the functions and benefits of different types of project office (including project/programme/portfolio management office (PMO), embedded PMO, central PMO and hub-and-spoke PMO) Provek guidance It is vital that you take note of the specific type of PMO referenced in a question that targets AC1.6. Each has different benefits and functions Organisational breakdown structure (OBS) The OBS (example shown below) represents the temporary organisation required to deliver a project. It shows the lines of delegation and reporting (including escalation). Once the OBS has been developed and agreed, it should be published and communicated to the team together with their roles and responsibilities. The Provek APM PMQ Book Learning outcome 1 - organisation Copyright: Provek Ltd Page 17 of 323 The Provek APM PMQ Book BoK 7 v1-2 The OBS and the responsibility assignment matrix A responsibility assignment matrix is a chart or a diagram showing assigned responsibilities for elements of work. It is created by combining the work breakdown structure with the organisational breakdown structure (BoK 7). The OBS shows the team roles available to the project. When it is combined with the work breakdown structure (WBS) it can be used to show who is available and allocated to complete elements of work, either at an activity or a work package level. This ensures that: • there is clarity in task allocation which supports resource planning. • resource owners (e.g. line managers) can provide support as they are aware of the allocated tasks. • there is clear ownership of product development. • there is a clear point of contact for information including progress status and technical information. In addition, because the OBS also shows the hierarchy (or governance) of the project, it also enables the ‘accountable’ roles (e.g. sponsor and members of the steering group) to be allocated to the responsibility assignment matrix (see RACI code below). This ensures that: • The accountable person for each element of work is identified who may be required to sign-off work packages and make decisions for escalated issues. This will provide clarity of roles and communication (e.g. people know who to escalate to). • There is a link between the governance ‘layers’ in the OBS and the allocation of tasks shown in the responsibility assignment matrix. This supports governance/management control by ensuring that the right people with approved authority are making key decisions. A RACI (or similar) ‘code’ can be added to the responsibility assignment matrix (also known as a RACI matrix) to describe how various roles participate in completing tasks or deliverables for a project. RACI is an acronym that describes four key roles and responsibilities: