Hi All
I'm hoping you can help me with some clarification.
I read lots of literature about roles and responsibilities and there seems to be overlaps.
For example, today I have read that the Senior Supplier is responsible for ensuring that the project produces the required products to the required quality standard, but I also read that the Project Manager is also responsible for this.
I know that more than one person can be responsible for the same outcome, but our CEO wants to know who to deal with when products are delivered late or wrong, i.e. who is ultimately accountable?
I see the SS as having the authority, so I can understand how he / she will be accountable. yet the PM is more hands on and potentially more exposed to the day to day issues, so I can see arguments for both.
We are producing role profiles and I need to be able to distinguish the difference in peoples responsibilities.
What are peoples views on this?
Thanks
Nick
Responsibilities - Clarification
I agree with you; there are overlaps of responsibility.
I have checked the P2 Manual and it says ' This role is accountable for the quality of the products delivered by the supplier...'
The SS represents the interests of those designing, developing, implmenting , facilitating, procuring the projects products.
Basically, if the supplier gives the project a product that is unsatisfcatory, does not meet the clients quality criteria, then the SS is responible as they made the product. The SS has a responsiblity to check the product description and ensure that they are producing products that fulfil the quality criteria laid out in the product description. If not, then they are accountable.
Does that help?
I have checked the P2 Manual and it says ' This role is accountable for the quality of the products delivered by the supplier...'
The SS represents the interests of those designing, developing, implmenting , facilitating, procuring the projects products.
Basically, if the supplier gives the project a product that is unsatisfcatory, does not meet the clients quality criteria, then the SS is responible as they made the product. The SS has a responsiblity to check the product description and ensure that they are producing products that fulfil the quality criteria laid out in the product description. If not, then they are accountable.
Does that help?
Also, this role description might help:
Senior Supplier
The Project Board role that provides knowledge and experience of the main disciplines involved in the production of the project’s deliverables. The Senior Supplier represents the supplier interests within the project and provides supplier resources.
Senior Supplier is a Project Board role that represents the interests of those who are going to deliver the desired products. The supplier can be an in-house department or an external company. Their main concern throughout the project is “Can it be done?” and can it be done within the agreed time and costs and quality.
Senior Supplier
The Project Board role that provides knowledge and experience of the main disciplines involved in the production of the project’s deliverables. The Senior Supplier represents the supplier interests within the project and provides supplier resources.
Senior Supplier is a Project Board role that represents the interests of those who are going to deliver the desired products. The supplier can be an in-house department or an external company. Their main concern throughout the project is “Can it be done?” and can it be done within the agreed time and costs and quality.
Hi, and thanks for the reply.
Yes it was useful thanks. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something that distinguishes between the way responsibilities are defined.
Now all I need to do is convince the others!
Thanks again
Nick
Yes it was useful thanks. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something that distinguishes between the way responsibilities are defined.
Now all I need to do is convince the others!
Thanks again
Nick
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Mohamed.Benmerikhi
- Expert Member
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Thu 20 Sep 2012 10:19 am
- Location: France
Hi Guys,
Very interesting question indeed.
I think the current arguments add to the current body of knowldge while they allow PM practitioners to solve ongoing issues related to their responsabilities. Overlaps occur more often than we think, but i always find it paradoxical - especially in complex projects such transnational projects, technology and R&D projects, or more generally projects with an innovation dimension - that the unstability of the task structure, or the WBS, affects a great deal the allocation of tasks to various project participants and consequently leads to problems in responsability assignment.
Such situations usually end up with tasks being redefined and reassigned according to the functional specialisations of the project teams and individuals. Hence, a redistribution of tasks and responsabilities.
Please do not hesitate to write to me if this is not very clear.
Bets of luck in your endeavours
Mohamed
Very interesting question indeed.
I think the current arguments add to the current body of knowldge while they allow PM practitioners to solve ongoing issues related to their responsabilities. Overlaps occur more often than we think, but i always find it paradoxical - especially in complex projects such transnational projects, technology and R&D projects, or more generally projects with an innovation dimension - that the unstability of the task structure, or the WBS, affects a great deal the allocation of tasks to various project participants and consequently leads to problems in responsability assignment.
Such situations usually end up with tasks being redefined and reassigned according to the functional specialisations of the project teams and individuals. Hence, a redistribution of tasks and responsabilities.
Please do not hesitate to write to me if this is not very clear.
Bets of luck in your endeavours
Mohamed