2: Entity arrangements

Entities may have responsibilities for delivering new programs, improving delivery of existing programs, improving efficiency, and developing capabilities for the future. Progress in these areas will often be achieved by implementing specific projects – time-limited activities with a specific goal. Having the right environment and support for the planning and approval of projects helps provide confidence that project resources are being applied in the right areas, with reasonable prospects of success, and at reasonable cost.

The right environment for planning and approval of projects is not simply a matter of having the right procedures and templates. The right environment also involves the entity’s senior leadership group in such matters as:

The Guide describes important steps in the planning and approval of individual projects that should be undertaken to improve the prospects of project success, and to meet accountability requirements.

setting strategic goals and then actively working with the entire executive team on understanding and striving toward these goals;
encouraging, through their own behaviour, an open approach to understanding and then overcoming the risks inherent in complex projects; and
allocating resources to improving their entity’s project planning and project management capabilities.

This chapter outlines elements of better practice at the entity level for planning and approving projects.⁷ These better practices will usually be the responsibility of executives with entity wide roles for corporate planning, ICT and business strategy, human resources strategy, and governance. Individual executives have a role in contributing to the formulation of corporate policies, and a responsibility to comply as appropriate.

Entities will typically have all, or the majority, of these better practice elements in place and are encouraged to assess their existing arrangements against the elements listed to identify any opportunities for improvement.

These better practices should be applied by entities as appropriate to their circumstances, such as their size, complexity, and the nature of their responsibilities.

7: This is not an exhaustive list of management and agency planning practices. This Guide focuses on practices particularly relevant to project planning and approval.

2: Entity arrangements

Structure of this chapter:

2.1 Promoting strategic alignment

2.2 Having the right people and culture

2.3 Having effective governance arrangements

2.4 Addressing common APS requirements

Key better practice summary