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Missing project owner in project - risk or issue

by Michal Knizka

Project owner left company, another one was not nominated. roject continues - it is not internal project, but delivery to customer. There is a risk, that in case of any change request (time, scope) , nobody will approve it. What should a project manager do in a such case ? Could project manager close the project on his own decision ?

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6 Comments

  1. Project Owner/Sponsor is esspecially important in early Business Case definition phase and than in Commissioning phase of project. Project Owner/Sponsor is also usually a member of GO/NO-GO/Rework Decision Making Committe within so called front end definition GATE reviews. Existence of Project Owner/Sponsor in previously mentioned early and final phases of a project is inevitable for project success. If your project is in later frint end definition phases or in project implementation phase, usually the GATE decision making/plant appropariation committee or a steering committee should be able to provide required review and decision making to allow Project Manager to follow with project work. Anyhow, nomination or Change to a Project Owner/Sponsor sure needs to be defined within related documentation, procedure or guideline of your company management system . In our company, our system is based on division/branch of Project Owner/Sponsor´s accountability. Thus, no matter whether a person on position of a Director or General Manager have changed, since new person substituting the previous is nominated and simultaneously is taking over all responsibilities of previous person including Project Ownership/Sponsorship role.
    +6 Reply Upvote post

  2. There are many topics that would go to the Project Sponsor (or owner as you call it). Lack of resources to perform the project would be one. Is the sponsor really gone, or just the person who filled that role? Somebody must still be holding the budget of that sponsor. Go up the line to find out who is now accountable and also hold that person accountable. Don't find yourself holding the ball when things go south.
    +4 Reply Upvote post

    1. To be clear, this is an issue to me - not a risk- that needs resolving asap.
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  3. Dear Michal, exactly as Bram wrote below - missing project owner is an issue not the risk. That would be a risk in case owner will be about to leave, but in this case he is already gone. That should be the point for the steering committee round to address that issue and find immediately the new project owner who will bear the project accountability + properly document all potential risks connected with that issue and address to steering committee as well. There should not be project managed without project owner at all. Take care BR Viktor
    +5 Reply Upvote post

  4. Thank you all for your comprehensive answers. I will try to arrange steering committee session to solve this.
    +4 Reply Upvote post

  5. Hi Michal, Missing project owner is an issue not a risk which need to be dealt with ASAP. Steering committee need to address this as issue and come up with immediately solution. The project should not be managed or close without a project owner. I hope this helps
    +6 Reply Upvote post

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