P3G BOOK

Project, Programme and Portfolio Governance (P3G)

Authors: Ross Garland and Adrian Morey
Publisher: TSO (The Stationery Office

The purpose of this guide is to provide the knowledge and understanding necessary to design, implement and operate effective and efficient governance arrangements for an organisation’s portfolio of projects and programmes.

It is a practitioner’s guide and so takes a practical approach. The guide is principles-based thereby allowing organisations and practitioners the flexibility necessary to address their specific circumstances. The principles are grounded in logic and practice and the guide explains both how and why they are applied. They are scalable and so are applicable from the smallest to the largest initiatives. It explains the critical importance of accountability and how to ensure consistency of decision making rights between the accountable roles. In doing so it addresses the integration of governance at all levels in the organisation.

It indicates how to establish an effective governance framework for a project, programme or entire portfolio. It is applicable to all sectors including hard infrastructure, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and business change in both the public service and the private sector. It addresses traditional delivery methods as well as approaches such as agile and hybrid.

Key features:

  • Provides the knowledge and understanding necessary to design, implement and operate effective and efficient project, programme and portfolio governance arrangements

  • Shows how governance can be adapted to the specific organizational and project/programme circumstances
  • Applicable to all areas in both the public and private sectors
  • Explains both the “how” and the “why”
  • Grounded in logic and practice
  • Practical, pragmatic, principles-based approach
  • Addresses both traditional and agile methods

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book reviews

Provides a very useful reference that draws on good practice from a range of bodies of knowledge. The authors have taken time to identify practical examples and provide useful references and templates to get you moving.

I liked the book because it provides a really good insights into the dark arts of governance.

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are excellent and provide a pragmatic framework on which to build your model.

I have applied some of the principles in my work and found that they work when applied by intelligent people who understand their intent and can apply them pragmatically.

ROD SOWDEN

Managing Director, Lead Author MSP and P3M3

Aspire Europe Limited

United Kingdom

Looking for some contained thinking around governance that’s more than just “it depends”? The P3G book is a great place to start your journey. Guided by core principles, the authors provide grounded guidance based on real world learning, and absorbing advice from a variety of practitioners and sources on how to improve real outcomes for organisations.

In a future version it would be interesting to see even greater ties to thinking in bodies like SAFe and Scrum@Scale – but there’s a lot to learn even from this current incarnation.

I liked the book because it takes an enthusiastic run at a variety of thorny topics which can be difficult to provide firm guidance on.

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are a great prompt for practitioners in the governance space to think more broadly about how to bring method to (often) madness.

Kit Friend

Agile Coach

Accenture

Australia

Project, Programme and Portfolio Governance (P3G) is both accessible and comprehensive, covering the full breadth of topics from the fundamentals to developing and maintaining an effective P3 governance system. There are plenty of interesting ideas grounded in decades of experience and real-world insights, conveyed effectively using a principles-based approach. The ten principles of P3G resonate strongly with expert practitioners that I have spoken to as well as my graduate students. I found the book to be accessible enough that readers from beginner to advanced levels could easily pick it up and get something out of it. I would strongly recommend the book to anyone interested in project governance or project management from a business perspective. I believe that this will be among the classic works on P3 governance in future.

I liked the book because it has clear and practical guidelines for how to actually implement project, programme and portfolio governance.

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are comprehensive and highly relevant. A principles-based approach is the correct approach for developing governance guidelines.

I have applied some of the principles in my work and found that they are specific enough to provide clear guidance to decision-makers yet general enough to allow for flexibility in implementation in accordance with contextual factors.

Ata Ul Musawir

Assistant Professor

Riphah International University

Pakistan

THIS is the book! – ‘Project, Programme and Portfolio Governance’. Well done authors Ross Garland and Adrian Morey MBA GAICD! (with great forward by Stephen Jenner!). Governance is where value is lost or gained, and investments in strategy and change (Portfolios, Programmes, and Projects) are notoriously poorly governed. Published by the TSO this book is a must on every Investment Committee’s, Project Sponsor’s, or Project Manager’s desk.

For me the value of the book is in its 10 Principles – each an essential P3M governance tenet – advice on how to apply these (including critical sections: “how to establish new arrangements”, and “scaling them to your needs”!) and case studies demonstrating how its done.

I liked the book because it is easy to read, insightful, pragmatic, and critically, is supported by training and certification – indeed its the only recognised qualification for project, programme and portfolio governance worldwide!

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are essential – so often these are not brought to the surface early enough, and too often, not at all!

Grant Avery

Director

Outcome Insights

New Zealand

As a Mentor, Coach and Trainer, and best practice advocate and practitioner, I’ve always been concerned with referring those new to the world of P3M management, control, governance, and delivery to begin with some of the best practice guidance and training; not that I’m against PRINCE2, MSP, Better Business Cases for example – they all have their place in the P3M world; I live by them 😉. These methods and frameworks do not provide a holistic overview of P3M and offer tools and techniques to be a good ‘manager’ or ‘leader’ in delivery, support, management, and control.
I think in the future, I will point new starters in P3M to this guidance P3G…if we all had this foundation, then my job in P3M assurance and P3M3 assessment would be easier.

I liked the book because as a best practice advocate, this book aligns to other best practice for P3M [project, programme, portfolio management] and provides a great overview to governance, management, control and ownership.

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are well set out with an easy read diagram that points out to those accountable and responsible what is key to make change successful.

I have applied some of the principles in my work and found that these are a must; and have lived by this code in essence over the my years in P3M.

Deb Hopkins-Hurt

Executive Director

AHE Partnership

United Kingdom

Practitioners generally struggle with project governance. As a results, their project management efforts don’t seem to produce the required level of performance. The books and articles on project governance read more like research material than practical ideas. What I really liked about the book is the way the authors have distilled key project governance ideas into 10 practical principles that can be easily understood and put into practice. The author’s real-world examples and case studies help to solidify the concepts discussed in the book. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their project governance skills and achieve better results.

I liked the book because is well-structured and easy to understand, making it a valuable resource for both experienced project managers and those new to the field..

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are clear and actionable and can easily be put into practice.

I have applied some of the principles in my work and found that decision making, stakeholder engagement & commitments, and team performance improved..

Dr. Khalid Ahmad Khan

Professor of Project Management & President PMI Lahore Chapter

Riphah International University

Pakistan

The book is instrumental and gives the readers all they need to build the Project, Program, and Portfolio governance frameworks; the examples and case studies make the application easy to understand and apply.
As a PPP & PMO Consultant, I use the governance principles covered in this book to build and Improve the governance framework, Policies, and Procedures.
The case studies are beneficial, giving more insight into how to apply governance to Project, Program, and Portfolio Management.
The reader can find the book helpful if they are a beginner or a professional.

I liked the book because it is a very organized book, giving the readers all they need to build the Project, Program, and Portfolio governance frameworks; the examples and case studies makes the application easy to understand and apply.

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are valuable, useful and practical.

I have applied some of the principles in my work and found that it is working very well, my customers appreciate it, and It covers all the governance requirements.

Mohamed Khalifa

Management Consultant | Speaker | Team Coach | PMOs Builder

Lifelong

Kuwait

I liked the book because it was easy to read and laid out nicely in a way that made learning logical for me.

I read the entire book before I attended the training course with Ross and I always use this method to establish whether I’m able to learn directly from book or is it so abstract that without the training, the book doesn’t make sense.

I’m pleased to report that the book made sense and I understood the import of its message and its importance when applied to my clients. The training with Ross only enhanced that sense and therefore I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the latest and greatest on project, programme and portfolio governance. It’s not verbose and neither is it stark, it’s the right balance.

I think the 10 governance principles described in the book are full and complete and cover off all the dimensions required for governance.

I have applied some of the principles in my work and found that my clients are responding extremely well to the ‘new and improved’ right practice guidance this book contains.

Youssef Mourra 

Director, Principal P3M Consultant

Nonsuch

New Zealand