CHAPTER 4

ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY

4.1 Introduction

Assign responsibility is the process of appointing, designating, and documenting the single person responsible for conducting the execution of the project work. Like most actions in project management, this is an iterative process. The initial organizational structure will be integrated with the WBS. As-needed changes and adjustments are made prior to the achievement of a stable organizational structure. Each element of work has an individual who is responsible and accountable for the scope, schedule, and cost of the work. Inputs and outputs are provided in Figure 4-1.

4.2 Inputs

4.2.1 Scope Baseline

The scope baseline contains all of the project work against which delivery will be compared.

4.3 Description

4.3.1 Create Organizational Structure

Projects are undertaken within the existing structure of an organization. However, the organizational structure for the project itself needs to be documented to reflect the lines of authority and communication within the project. The project structure can reflect the organization's structure or some other structure depending on the needs of the project and the organization's policies. It must also reflect responsibility for the accomplishment of the work.

4.3.2 Integrate WBS and Organizational Structure

Integrating the WBS on one axis of a matrix, and the organizational structure on the other, shows how the work and the responsibility are matched up. At this stage, the individual who is assigned the responsibility for any given element of work may or may not be identified.

Following the initial work integration, the project manager collaborates with the appropriate organizational managers (frequently called functional or line managers) to identify the individual who is to be assigned responsibility and authority for performing the work to be done. That individual then determines and develops the budget and schedule to accomplish that work (i.e., the what, when, and how much of the work).

4.4 Outputs

4.4.1 Organizational Breakdown Structure

The organizational breakdown structure (OBS) is a hierarchical representation of the project organization that illustrates the relationship between project activities and the responsible organizational units that will perform those activities. It is arranged to relate the control accounts to the organization units.

4.4.2 Responsibility Assignment Matrix

The responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) (see Figure 4-2) shows the integration of the work in the WBS and the OBS, and helps ensure each element of the project scope is assigned to a person or a team. The RAM delineates levels of control and responsibility and indicates the authority and responsibility levels for the project. The intersection point of the OBS and the WBS is the control account. The individual responsible and accountable for the successful delivery of the scope, schedule, and budget in a control account is the control account manager (CAM).

Each control account can only belong to one WBS element and one OBS element. It is permissible for multiple organizations (frequently called performing organizations) to work on the scope within a control account, but management responsibility and accountability belong to only one organization (the responsible organization).

4.5 Considerations

4.5.1 Level of Detail

While no specific level of detail is appropriate for all projects, the project manager needs to recognize the dangers of keeping that level too high or too low. At too high a level, the size of the control accounts (in budget, schedule, and/or scope) will overwhelm the control account managers (CAMs). At too low a level, the sheer number of control accounts will be, at best, distracting, but more likely detrimental to the successful accomplishment of the work within the parameters of the control account. Additionally, driving the level of the control account down increases the amount of management oversight and intervention required by stakeholders. The level of detail should be managerially consistent with control account manager capability and span of control.

4.5.2 Maintenance

Whenever work and budget moves into, out of, or within the project, one or more control accounts will change. That change should always be reflected on the RAM. Such an approach will give the project manager a continuously updated picture of all of the work and budget that is associated with a project.

4.6 Summary

The WBS is integrated with the project organizational structure to ensure that all work is managed by a responsible and accountable individual. The project organization is documented in a hierarchical format called an organizational breakdown structure (OBS). The OBS is matrixed with the WBS to create a RAM. The intersection of the WBS with the OBS elements determines the control account. The control account manager is responsible and accountable for the scope, schedule, and budget for the work.