The Effective Project Board: keeping projects and programmes on target

When projects are large and a lot is at stake, there usually is some kind of project board. Sometimes organizations call this a steering committee or a program committee. Managers with different expertise and different intentions are asked to keep the project or program on course. Are such project boards effective? Sometimes. Is it easy for the members to function as a team? No. For most of them, a project board meeting is just another meeting in a long row. Do we then need to abandon this monster? Certainly not. We just need to make project boards work.

The Effective Project Board familiarizes managers with the nature, role and tasks of project boards and their own role in them. The book enables managers to actively and consciously contribute to the success of projects in their organizations. It provides answers to questions such as:

* Why do we have project boards?
* What is expected from project board members before and during a project?
* How can we determine managers' eligibility for project boards?
* How do project boards relate to organizational governance?

This book is intended for managers who want to find out how they can fulfil their role as project board member. Project managers and program managers who want to learn how to address the intricacies of project boards will also find it useful.

Jan Postema (1954) studied Early Modern History in Groningen (The Netherlands) and holds an MBA from Hertfordshire University UK. He has been involved in project management for over 25 years and acted as a project manager and project consultant in various organizations. Since 2013, he is a management team member of IPMA Netherlands' Dutch National Research Group in project management, which aims at making the results of scientific research available for project management practitioners.

The Project House series presents written and digital publications for professional development in management. Through a minimum of theory and a maximum of practical guidelines, you will gain a wealth of information and skills in a short notice. In addition, the books are ideal for reference.

When projects are large and a lot is at stake, there usually is some kind of project board. Sometimes organizations call this a steering committee or a program committee. Managers with different expertise and different intentions are asked to keep the project or program on course. Are such project boards effective? Sometimes. Is it easy for the members to function as a team? No. For most of them, a project board meeting is just another meeting in a long row. Do we then need to abandon this monster? Certainly not. We just need to make project boards work.

The Effective Project Board familiarizes managers with the nature, role and tasks of project boards and their own role in them. The book enables managers to actively and consciously contribute to the success of projects in their organizations. It provides answers to questions such as:

* Why do we have project boards?
* What is expected from project board members before and during a project?
* How can we determine managers' eligibility for project boards?
* How do project boards relate to organizational governance?

This book is intended for managers who want to find out how they can fulfil their role as project board member. Project managers and program managers who want to learn how to address the intricacies of project boards will also find it useful.

Jan Postema (1954) studied Early Modern History in Groningen (The Netherlands) and holds an MBA from Hertfordshire University UK. He has been involved in project management for over 25 years and acted as a project manager and project consultant in various organizations. Since 2013, he is a management team member of IPMA Netherlands' Dutch National Research Group in project management, which aims at making the results of scientific research available for project management practitioners.

The Project House series presents written and digital publications for professional development in management. Through a minimum of theory and a maximum of practical guidelines, you will gain a wealth of information and skills in a short notice. In addition, the books are ideal for reference.