Canadian Government Executive - Volume 22

Canada’s federal government budget is

without a doubt the largest in the coun-

try — so when Canadian taxpayer dollars

are at stake, it is essential the govern-

ment utilizes the tools necessary to ob-

tain the greatest return on investment.

The use of globally accepted project

management strategies in federal gov-

ernment standardizes the way in which

the government and supporting contrac-

tors view project and program frame-

works. This results in better acquisition

efficiencies, improved requirements and

increased value to the taxpayer.

Implementing project management

competencies in federal government in-

creases the portability of project manag-

ers in the industry. Installing these frame-

works entices qualified project managers

to join the public sector if their skillsets

translate more directly to the field.

I strongly encourage the Canadian

federal government to pay close atten-

tion to the PMIAA and observe how a

bipartisan majority is passing this heavily

supported legislation through the United

States government. Setting government-

wide program management standards is

the first twist of the tourniquet that will

stop the bleeding of wasted money and

resources. Using frequent project man-

agement standards is a mandatory step

toward generating a successful return on

investment.

Craig Killough,

Vice President,

Organization Markets,

Project Management

Institute (PMI).

Special Report

ast fall, the United States Senate

unani

mously approved legisla-

tion that would make significant

improvements to program and

project management policy across the

U.S. government. The Program Manage-

ment Improvement and Accountability

Act (PMIAA) of 2015 was greeted with

rare bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate

and is awaiting action in the U.S. House

of Representatives later this year.

The legislation is aimed at safeguarding

taxpayer dollars by integrating proven

project management approaches across

U.S. federal government departments.

The proposed implementation of estab-

lished project management strategies

would result in a more streamlined fed-

eral government carrying out policy to

correct widespread deficiencies, careless

oversight and unnecessary cost overruns

incurred by preventable delays in meet-

ing stated program goals and deadlines.

The widely supported bipartisan bill in-

cludes principles of improving efficiency

and reducing waste in federal govern-

ment projects and programs through the:

• Creation of a formal job series and ca-

reer path for program managers in the

federal government;

• Development of a standards-based

model for program management con-

sistent throughout the federal govern-

ment;

• Recognition of the essential role of ex-

ecutive sponsorship and engagement

by designating a senior executive in

each agency to be responsible for pro-

gram management policy and strategy;

• Alignment of cross-government dia-

logue on program management prac-

tices through an interagency council on

program management.

These reforms are consistent with Proj-

ect Management Institute (PMI) re-

search, which shows that organizations

that invest in program management

improve outcomes, accountability and

By Craig Killough,

Vice President, Organization Markets, PMI

Visit

www.PMI.org/Pulse

to download the reports.

efficiency. The findings of our

Pulse of

the Profession

report indicate that stan-

dardized approaches, engaged executive

sponsors and certified professionals are

fundamental building blocks for all orga-

nizations seeking to achieve the highest

levels of performance.

Improving programmanagement leads

to benefits such as increased collabora-

tion, improved decision making, and re-

duced risk. And as diverse and complex

as the federal government is, the utiliza-

tion of sound program management is

the kind of widely applicable tool need-

ed to address some lingering and funda-

mental challenges.

An institution known for its bureaucrat-

ic nature, the U.S. government has recog-

nized the need to improve its efficiency

and reduce its waste. Passage of PMIAA

is an acknowledgement of the value a

sound project management framework

delivers and how it can lead to signifi-

cant benefits for government projects

and programs in the long run.

The key elements of this common

sense legislation are equally applicable

in Canada. PMI’s research reveals that,

globally, organizations waste an average

of $122 million for every $1 billion spent

on projects. It would be naïve to think

that the Canadian federal government —

or any government body, for that matter

— cannot significantly improve its per-

formance.

While the Canadian federal govern-

ment has a tremendous taxonomy of

projects and programs via its Project

Complexity and Risk Assessment (PCRA)

tool, there remains the opportunity to

place greater emphasis on aligning com-

petencies and career paths to its gradi-

ent and, as a result standardize the lens

through which federal stakeholders view

the management of federal projects and

programs. Doing so would put a credible

human capital strategy in place to ensure

that each level of project and program

has the necessary project leader.

June 2016 //

Canadian Government Executive /

US Project Management Legislation –

A Complimentary Model for Canada

Effort to Improve Project Management Practices

across Federal Government Gaining Steam in U.S.