C/D/H Talks Tech

Author:

Susan Cotts

I started my career in 1990 and I've been with C/D/H for almost 13 years now.

Some of my most interesting projects include: MOSS publishing portal , MOSS extranet collaboration portals, and MOSS executive dashboard portal

When I'm not at work I care for my family, play with my kids, downhill ski, fish, run, vacation on the beach, summer BBQ with friends, volunteer at my church, etc.

I’m a pretty ordinary middle aged working mother, and I love it!

More about Susan
Articles by Susan Cotts

Typically, when starting a new project the project manager spells out each of the required team members and their skills, the team members’ roles and responsibilities, and finally, their task assignments.   This is spelled out in a Project Roles document and provides clarity and helps to ensure accountability for the project team.   Unfortunately, I’ve found that the Project Sponsor is often left out of the Project Roles document. And, in one too many occasions, the Project Sponsor is not accountable for his/her role.

Arguably, holding a Project Sponsor accountable is difficult but because it is the most important role within the project, leaving it undefined and unclear has a big impact on the project’s success. So, what are the expectations we, project managers and team members, have of the Project Sponsor? First, I should define who should be the Project Sponsor.

Who
First, the Project Sponsor is typically a member of senior management, someone with authority to provide the financial resources for the project. Second, the Project Sponsor must have a vested interest in the project. He or she is the person within an organization who has the most to gain by the project’s success and the most to lose if it fails! Finally, a Project Sponsor is someone who is strategic. He or she works with other leaders in the organization to select projects that meet the organization’s strategic objectives.

The Project Sponsor should have all three characteristics outlined above to be an effective leader for the project. If your Project Sponsor doesn’t, that should be a red flag. The Project Sponsor role is likely being played by someone else that you aren’t communicating with regularly. It is best to ask that he/she be included in regular project review meetings.