Project governance comes down to a few basic questions: Who can approve the work? Who handles changes? Where does the team record decisions? Clear answers help prevent confusion and rework.

Define who decides in project governance

Projects slow down when teams do not know which decisions they can make independently and which require executive approval. A written list of approval responsibilities helps the team route decisions to the right person.

Keep one approved set of project records

Maintain scope, schedule, key requirements, and decisions in controlled project records. Conflicting spreadsheets and informal email instructions are common causes of rework.

Use change control proportionate to the project

Change control should match project size and risk. Even a small project benefits from documenting what changed, why it changed, who approved it, and what it does to schedule, cost, or quality.

Review risks before they become issues

Risk management is most valuable before the impact occurs. Assign owners, define triggers, and identify mitigation actions. Assign someone to monitor each significant risk and carry out the agreed response.

Close the project governance loop

Governance is not complete when a meeting ends. Record and share decisions, actions, and changes. Teams should leave governance meetings knowing exactly what was approved, what remains open, and who owns the next step.

Start here

Check one active project for a current scope, approval responsibilities, change log, and open decisions. Correct the missing records and agree on who will maintain them.

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