Governance and leadership
Executive support and governance effectiveness
Effective governance and leadership are essential to effective digital projects. This includes strong business leadership and senior executive support. Consultation with the relevant minister is beneficial before approval and throughout delivery.
It is important that senior executives, the SRO and steering committee have the adequate work capacity to govern the transformation, are aligned on the need for change, and have the general digital literacy and relevant experience to govern delivery.
- The senior executives should foster innovation, agility and adaptability to the inevitable change that comes with the uncertainty common in digital projects.
- The governance and leadership team need to foster effective and open communication, and have appropriate skills and emotional intelligence. Governance structures need to be appropriate to the size, pace and complexity of the transformation.
- The project should be business-led, not technology-led with feedback-loops that allow for continuous review of benefits, impacts and governance in the face of discovery and learning during delivery.
Governance processes should ensure project alignment to enterprise risk appetite and be supported by sufficiently detailed information to support governance decision-making.
Delivery confidence can be higher where progress is visible or evident, and lower where there is a lack of detailed up-front planning or measured only by project expenditure.
- Governance roles need to be clearly defined.
- The senior responsible officer (SRO) needs to have accountability for the business area impacted by the change, and have accountability for the project.
- The steering committee needs to be empowered to make decisions, with a clear separation between decision-making and stakeholder engagement forums.
A culture of transparency and learning should be evident, for example, that the leadership team support regular assurance activity, proactively respond to lessons learned, reports reflect good and bad news, and benefits and disbenefits are monitored.
Senior executive support
Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) tolerances
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Senior executives, the SRO and steering committee have the adequate capacity to govern the project and are highly experienced in the area. They proactively foster a culture that is open to learning and bad news
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Senior executives, the SRO and steering committee have the capacity to govern the project and are experienced in the area. There is evidence of a culture that is open to learning and bad news.
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Senior executives, the SRO and steering committee have some capacity and relevant capability. The culture shows limited openness to learning and bad news.
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Senior executives, the SRO and steering committee are involved, but lack capacity and/or relevant capability. Events affecting project progress are not openly aired.
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No substantive senior executive involvement. Low SRO or steering committee engagement. Defensiveness or resistance to scrutiny
Governance effectiveness
DCA tolerances
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Steering committees are empowered to make decisions. Governance roles are clearly defined. Decisions are fast and informed. The SRO takes accountability for the project and impacted business areas. Clear ownership of business and delivery team issues.
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Steering committees are empowered to make decisions. Governance roles are defined. The SRO takes accountability for the project. Generally recognised ownership of business and delivery team issues.
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Steering committee decision-making occurs but is not always timely. Governance roles are broadly defined. The SRO takes accountability for the project.
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Steering committee decision-making is ineffective or not timely. Governance roles are ill- defined.
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Substantive issues related to role clarity. Duplication, re-prosecuting or lack of timeliness in decision-making. Lack of accountability or finger-pointing.
Relevant policy
The Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments supports agencies in planning and implementing fit for purpose assurance arrangements.