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Issues Management Detail
Issue Management is designed to minimise the negative effects of issues on the Project. Issue Management follows many of the processes applicable to risk management and these two areas are usually considered in tandem. Issues arising should be recorded on a Project Issues Log. Assessing issues typically classifies them into one of three types:
- A previously identified risk which has now happened and requires the appropriate issue resolution action;
- A required change to some aspect of the Project; or
- A problem or question affecting all or part of the Project in some way.
The issue log is a key tool for the project manager in the ongoing tracking and monitoring of issue resolution. Just as in risk management, change control (ie the process of recording, authorising and implementing requests for change) is a key process in monitoring and resolving programme/project issues. It should be closely integrated with wider Configuration Management arrangements to key sets of project information or in relation to products/services being delivered.
Issues can be raised by anyone associated with the project and a clear process for raising them should be widely publicised. Issues may arise from a wide variety of sources, for example:
- Benefits management, transition activities, costs, scope, timescales;
- Dependencies, business as usual/operations, resources, products;
- Anything that arises from projects in a programme that can’t be resolved;
- Stakeholders, organisation, programme/project staff, 3rd parties; and
- Other projects underway within the organisation.
Main Issue Management roles and responsibilities are illustrated below.
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) | Must ensure issue resolution activities are operating effectively and that key strategic issues are being dealt with at the appropriate senior level |
| Project Manager | Developing the implementation strategies for both risks & issues. Issues resolution, as documented on the issue log, will be the down to those indicated as having the relevant levels of authority and responsibility |
| Project management office | Responsible for managing and co-ordinating the information & support systems to enable the efficient handling of project issues. Should ‘own’ the issue resolution process |
| All staff | Based on a clearly stated and published process, everyone associated with the programme/project is responsible for bringing issues to the attention of programme/project manager |
