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Project Management Control Book
Overview
Many organisations have developed a standardised project management folder structure so that there is a common approach used to filing project management documents.
This is a highly recommended practice which makes filing and finding project management documents easier especially where the organisation is wishing to achieve a repeatable process as required to obtain CMM Level 3 or the equivalent.
But why should an organisation implement a standardised Project Management Control Book?
Detail
There are a number of reasons for using a common project filing standard.
A standard approach to project filing makes project manager succession / change-over much easier as a new project manager would know exactly where to find key documents in the filing system.
It also means that all project members know where to find and file project documents.
If a standardised project folder structure is used, it is advisable that the same filing structure is used for hard-copy and soft-copy documentation. This means that a project hard-copy folder should be setup and an identical project folder structure be setup on a project data-store on a shared computer system.
The hard-copy folder should be a file store for physical documents that were significant e.g., signed-off documents or copies with signatures, and physical copies of signed contracts not distributed in soft-copy form. The soft-copy folder should contain all work-in-progress documents, and significant correspondence and final published versions of documents.
Having a common folder structure for all projects also allows the organisation to improve the control and management of key IP, and aid the structuring of projects into programs, portfolios or business interest or management areas.
So what basis should be used for the project folder structure?
There are many possible ways that project folders may be structured, but probably the most common structures used are based on PMBOK.
PMBOK breaks project management into 9 areas of knowledge as follows:
1.
Integration management
2.
Scope management
3.
Time management
4.
Cost management
5.
Quality management
6.
Human Resources management
7.
Communications management
8.
Risk management
9.
Procurement management
Whatever structure is decided on, it is necessary to provide project management staff with a guideline to indicate where project documents should be filed in the folder structure.
The following table is an example of a guideline that might be used as a basis for building a PMBOK -based project folder structure :
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