Understanding Project Roles and Responsibilities

Understanding Project Roles and Responsibilities 

In the world of project management, having well-defined roles and responsibilities is essential for achieving success. One of the worst ways to kick off a project is for team members to not understand their roles or anyone else's roles. Early in my project management career, I started a project and, after a few team meetings, one meeting got completely derailed over a discussion about each person's role. I assumed everyone knew why they were there, but my assumptions were wrong. We spent a very long meeting ensuring everyone’s role was clear and escalation paths were defined. We discussed the typical project team roles and their respective contributions one at a time until everyone was on the same page.

This was an important lesson for me. As project managers, we can’t always assume that project team members have an understanding of the distinct project team roles that adds to the overall success of the project. I recommend including project roles in every project slide deck as an appendix slide for reference. This is reviewed and agreed to at the project kick-off meeting.  Every project is slightly different, and roles and expectations can be modified as needed. In the end, transparency and open communication is key.  

Below is an outline of typical project roles and their respective contributions.

Sponsor

• Vision and Direction: The sponsor sets the overall vision and strategic direction for the project.

• Ownership and Accountability: Sponsors are accountable for the project's results and successes.

• Guidance and Support: The sponsor resolves escalated issues and barriers reported by the Project Manager or Project Lead.

• Communication: Attends ‘Sponsor Update’ meetings to stay informed and guide the project accordingly.
  
  

Project Lead (if applicable)

• Support and Design: Helps the team with solution design and ensures the project aligns with the strategic direction.

• Accountability: Like the sponsor, a project lead is accountable for project results.

• Engagement: Participates in core team and ‘Sponsor Update’ meetings.
  
  

Project Manager

• Planning and Management: Builds and manages the project plan focusing on achieving the project goals and milestones.

• Communication and Escalation: Provides updates on key milestones and escalates issues to the Sponsor.

• Facilitation: Facilitates team meetings and resolves issues before they require escalation.
  
  

Change Manager

• Change Implementation: Builds and executes the Change Management & Communications Plan and drives adoption.

• Communication: Manages and guides the development of project communications.

• Team Collaboration: Attends core team meetings to ensure alignment and timely execution of the change strategies.
  
  

Process Lead

• Design Support: Assists the core team and workstream leads with solution design and process analysis.

• Participation: Regularly attends core team meetings to provide continual support.
  
  

Functional Lead

• Decision-Making: Approves business requirements and guides decision-making processes concerning the solution.

• Ownership: Will own and is responsible for the solution and tracking metrics once implemented.

• Expertise: Provides expert input throughout the project lifecycle.
  
  

Technical Lead (if applicable)

• Technical Management: Owns and manages the build for the technical part of the solution.

• System Expertise: Offers expert input on systems involved in the project.
  
  

Reporting/Metrics Lead

• Data Expertise: Specializes in reporting and metrics, providing necessary data insights.

• Data Management: Collects, analyzes, and publishes essential data and reports.

• Meeting Attendance: Engages in core team meetings to align data insights with project objectives.
  
  

Workstream Lead

• Scope and Design: Establishes the scope of the workstream and spearheads the design and implementation of the solution.

• Leadership: Leads working sessions and provides status updates to the core team.

• Problem-Solving: Raises issues to the Project Manager and attends core team meetings for resolutions.
  
  

Advisory Members (if applicable)

• Guidance: Offers specialized knowledge and guidance throughout the project.

• Execution: Helps execute tasks necessary to complete project objectives.

• Collaboration: Participates in core team meetings to ensure the design solution is effectively implemented.

It’s always best to not assume everyone on the project team understands what their role on the project is. Avoid assumptions and be upfront and transparent with project team roles. When well-defined, these roles serve as the cornerstone of a successful project.From planning to execution, each member contributes uniquely to the project's success.   

Mike Cook
Director, Business Process Management Office