Introduction

The focus of this Guide

This Guide provides an executive perspective of the planning and approval stage of projects for Australian Government entities.

The Guide focuses on the most common types of projects – those aimed at program delivery, and on internal business operations.

As these projects often involve an Information Communications and Technology (ICT) component, the Guide includes information and examples of issues that arise when ICT is a substantive part of a project.

The Guide focuses on issues of interest to senior executives in the public sector and complements the detailed advice available on project planning generally.

The Guide provides advice on planning projects. There are additional considerations for the effective planning of programs of projects.²

There are a number of APS processes relevant to project planning, such as:

the annual Budget process, where entities may seek funding for projects;
the ICT Investment Framework;
the ICT Two Pass Review process — which applies to large or risky ICT-enabled projects;
arrangements for agencies to assess their organisational capability, including their capability for project management;
monitoring and reporting arrangements of the Cabinet Implementation Unit; and
the Gateway Review process — which applies to complex projects that meet certain financial and risk thresholds, and provides independent assurance to entities on projects from conception through to implementation.

The Guide aims to provide practical advice to assist executives to improve the quality of project proposals which may be subject to these APS processes, but does not go into detail on the processes themselves. References for these processes are provided in Appendix B – Related government policies.

The Guide focuses on broader issues for executive attention in typical APS projects, including during development of the project concept and business case. The Guide does not cover in detail every element of a business case. This information is available in publications such as Finance's ICT business case guide. The Guide also does not cover the special issues associated with very large projects, or projects focused on capital works, or specialised categories such as military acquisition projects.

2: The distinction between projects and programs of projects is discussed in Chapter 2.3, in the section on accountability and authority (page 33).

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The structure of this Guide

Diagram of structure of this guide. Chapter 1 puts projects in context; chapter 2 describes better practices in the overall arrangements of an entity for the planning and approval of projects; chapter 3 describes better practices for senior executives in the planning and approval of individual projects; and chapter 4 provides an overview of implementation issues for projects.

Checklists and review questions

Entity arrangements checklist: Page 41

Individual project proposals checklist: Page 82

Individual project review questions: Page 110

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