In addition to reporting to the project steering committee, reporting and accountability to the government is required. Project sponsors should ensure that:

·      client portfolio Ministers are appropriately briefed on the status of projects; and

·      government receives timely advice on project status including through the quarterly reporting on projects status. This includes communicating bad news as well as good fully and transparently on a timely basis.

The quarterly Major Projects Performance Report includes the following:

·      analysis of performance of projects against time and budget;

·      major risks to meeting deadlines, quality or budget and treatment strategies proposed and implemented by the relevant agency to address those risks;

·      additional central agency recommendations from their review and analysis; and

·      follow up on remedial action plan implementation.

The report includes summary information on individual projects using a traffic light risk rating system with further information on projects with significant delivery and/or budget risk. In addition, the report will include information on project trends and any systemic issues emerging from the delivery of the overall capital program, and any recommended actions arising. This information will be sourced from whole of program analysis, first-hand knowledge from project involvement and the Gateway reviews undertaken throughout the previous six months.

Achieving success

Success for an investment requires awareness and tracking of:

·      the agreed value proposition — the desired business outcomes, benefits and value;

·      the business’ measures of success — how these outcomes are achieved, their lasting impacts;

·      the project’s measures of success — its outputs, outcomes and deliverables within the agreed constraints (time/budget);

·      the impact of the outputs and their implementation on stakeholders; and

·      the staff’s measures of success — how the outcomes and change process impact them personally.

Glossary

Term	Definition
Accountability	In leadership roles, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance, and implementation within the scope of the role or employment position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences. Accountability cannot exist without proper accounting practices; in other words, an absence of accounting means an absence of accountability. [2]
Authority	The PMBOK (PMI) states that the PM has the authority to spend approved funds acquire resources and do the necessary activities to ensure the successful delivery of project outcomes. This authority is delegated after the approval of the document that ‘formally authorises a project and which documents initial requirements that satisfy the stakeholder’s needs and expectations’.
Project governance	Project governance is the system and structure to support the decision-making about a project. The governance framework outlines who has responsibility and authority to make decisions and ensures there is clearly defined accountability for all aspects of a project. It is the link between, and support for, the governance decisions made by Government and the work of the project team to deliver the project and its outcomes.
Project sponsor or senior responsible owner (SRO)	The SRO is the effective link between the organisation’s senior executive body and the management of a project. The Sponsor is also a core member of the project steering committee usually the Chair. In addition to being an experienced executive well versed in the details of organisational stakeholder and client requirements and relationships, the sponsor needs to have experience in project management. The SRO is has accountability and responsibility for a project
Responsibility	Responsibilities relate to duty or obligation that an individual (or group) has the ability or authority to act or decide on one’s own, without supervision
Tolerances	Tolerances are the limits placed on authority. Tolerance is a permissible deviation from a plan’s target which is usually set for time and cost.