How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

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How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

Purpose
This sample Issue Management process is a method for tracking, managing, escalating and reporting issues concerning
<concerning> from the project level up to the program level.

Step
1 Logand
DescribeIssue

Description
Mattersthatcannotberesolvedintheneartermwithinaprojectteamareraisedasissues.Issuesare
oftenRisksthatcouldnotbemitigatedsufficientlytopreventthemfrombecomingissues.IftheIssue
isnotresolved,itlikelywillbecomeaproblemwithimpactontheprojectsschedule,budget,quality,
and/oroutcome.
TheseIssuesareloggedanddescribedfirstatahighlevel,bythepersonloggingtheissue.The
followingdataisloadedatthistime:

IssueTitle

IssueDescription:describethesymptomorunderlyingproblem.

Severity(High,Medium,orLow):ifknown.

PersonIssueIdentifiedBy,DateIdentified,andSource(Email,ReleaseMeeting,etc.)

ProjectName,ProjectPhaseandProjectManager

LogNumber(automaticallyassigned),LogDate,andLoggedBy

Status:settoLogged

[Note:ManyofthefieldsaboveoperatefrompicklistsmaintainedbythePMOstaff.Ifavalue
needstobeadded,pleasecalloremailthePMOanditcanbedoneinafewseconds]
2

Reviewand
AssignIssue
(Escalateas
Necessary)

TheProjectManagerreviewstheincomingIssueandassignsownershipoftheIssuetosomeoneon
theprojectteam.TheProjectMangerfirstreviewstheIssuetovalidatethatitisinfactanissue(if
not,itisCancelled).Ifso,thentheProjectManagerreviewstheDescription,andSeverity,
discussesthesewiththepersonwhoidentifiedtheissue,asnecessary,andupdatesthisinformationas
necessary.
NexttheProjectManagerassignssomeoneontheprojectteam,orextendedprojectteam,tobethe
IssueOwner.AsIssueOwner,thisindividualwillleadanalysis,reporting,andresolutionofthe

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Step

How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

Description
issuefortheproject.Thefollowingdataisloadedatthistime:

AssignedTo:whotheIssueOwneristhedefaultistheProjectManager.

ExpectedCloseDate:datetheProjectManagerexpectstheIssuemaybe,orshouldbe,closed
by.

ResolutionAuthority:iftheIssueresolutionwillrequireapproval,anditisknownatthistime,
thentheindividualorgroupresponsible.

EscalateTo:IftheProjectManagercannotreadilyassigntheIssue,thentheProjectManager
escalatesittothePMOLeaderwhomayhavethatauthorityoraccess.

Status:settoAssigned

IfthePMOLeaderdoesnothavetheauthorityoraccesstoassignresponsibilityattheappropriate
levelfortheissue,thentheissueisescalatedtoahigherleveluntiltheissuecanbeassignedproper
ownership.Theissueisescalateduptooneofthefollowinglevels,inthefollowingsequence,for
assignmentofownership:

AccountManager;or

ManagementSteeringCommittee.

AspartoftheassignmentofIssueOwnership,anyofthepreviousinformationabouttheissuemaybe
updatedasnecessary(e.g.,Description),includingpreviouslymentionedinformationthatmaybe
blank(e.g.,ResolutionAuthority).
3

Analyzeand
Document
Detailsfor
Issueand
Develop
ActivityPlan

TheIssueOwnerand/orProjectManageris/areresponsibleforunderstandingandrecordingthe
detailsfortheIssue.ThisentailsanalyzingtheIssue,anditsimpact,withotherappropriatemembers
oftheteamororganization.TheIssueOwnerand/orProjectManagerthenwork(s)withthe
membersoftheteamororganizationtodefinetheactionsnecessarytoresolvetheIssue.AnActivity
Planisagreedcomprising:Overview;ActionItems;WhosResponsible;theirTargetCompletion
Dates;andassociatedStatusinformation.
Thefollowingdataisloadedatthistime:

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ImpactAnalysis:describetheimpacttheissueisorwillhaveontheproject.
3

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Step

How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

Description
Activity(Action)Plan:
o Overview
o ActionItemList(optionalonlyusethisifuseful]:
o ActionItem;
o Responsibility;
o TargetDate;and
o ActionItemStatus/Comments
Status:settoResolving
Aspartoftheanalysisandplanningforresolutionoftheissue,anyofthepreviousinformationabout
theissuemaybeupdatedasnecessary(e.g.Description,Severity),includingpreviouslymentioned
informationthatmaybeblank(e.g.ResolutionAuthority).

Implement
ActivityPlan
(i.e.,Resolve
Issue)and
ReportStatus

IMPLEMENTATIONOFACTIVITYPLAN
TheIssueOwnerisresponsibleforimplementationoftheActivityPlantoresolvetheissue.This
entailsleadership,communications,andmanagementoftheactivitiesinvolvedforpropercompletion
oftheActionItems.TheIssueOwnerkeepstheProjectManageradvisedonstatusoftheActivity
Plan(i.e.resolutionstatusoftheIssue).TheProjectManagerinturnkeepsuppermanagement,and
therestoftheextendedteam,uptodateonstatusofallissues.TheIssueManagementStatusReport
isusedforsummarizedissuestatus,sortedbyEscalation,Severity,andStatus.IndividualIssue
ManagementWorksheetscanbeusedfordetailedstatusreportingandupdateonanindividualissue.
TheProjectManagermonitorsthestatusofresolutionoftheIssue(i.e.statusofimplementationof
theActivityPlantoresolvetheIssue).TheProjectManagerprovidestheIssueOwnerfeedbackand
assistanceasnecessaryinresolvingtheIssue.
IftheProjectManagerdeterminesthatprogressonresolvingtheIssuecouldbenefitfromescalation
touppermanagement,thentheIssueisescalatedforreviewandattention.TheProjectMangerfirst
escalatestheIssuetothePMOLeader(orthePMOLeadersdesignate)whomayhavetheauthority,
access,and/orobjectivitytofacilitateresolutionoftheissue.
IfthePMOLeader(orthePMOLeadersdesignate)believesthattheIssueneedsescalationtoan
evenhigherlevel,thentheissueisescalateduptotheappropriatemanagementlevelforproperreview

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Step

How to Handle Issue Management in a PMO Setting

Description
andattention.Theissueisescalateduptooneofthefollowinglevels,inthefollowingsequence,for
assistanceinresolvingtheissue:
AccountManager;or
ManagementSteeringCommittee(MSC).
TheAccountManagerortheManagementSteeringCommittee(MSC)thenprovidesthePMOLeader,
ProjectManager,and/orIssueOwnerwithfeedbackandassistanceasnecessaryinresolvingtheIssue.
UPONCOMPLETIONOFACTIVITYPLAN
UponcompletionoftheActivityPlan,iftheIssueisdeterminedtoberesolved,thentheIssueis
ClosedOut.IfResolutionApprovalisrequired,thenthatapprovalisobtainedbeforeclosingoutthe
Issue(eitherthepersonwithResolutionApproval,ortheIssueOwnerafterreceiptofapproval,should
officiallycloseouttheIssue).
Thefollowingdataismaintainedatthistime:
Status:settoResolving
StatusComments:usetheStatusCommentsfield(s)tocommunicateaboutthestatusoftheIssue
overallorofworkonindividualActionItemsintheActivityPlan.
EscalateTo:Selectanindividualorgroup(e.g.PMOorMSC)toescalateissueto,asnecessary.
LastUpdate:maintainlastdateIssuestatuswasupdated
CloseDate:aftertheIssueisdeterminedtoberesolved,andanynecessaryResolutionApprovalis
secured,thenentertheCloseDatetocloseouttheIssue.SettheStatusoftheIssuetoClosed.

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