IT Project Governance Flashcards

Which role is PRIMARILY accountable for ensuring an IT project remains aligned with organizational strategy throughout its lifecycle?

Answer: Executive sponsor

The executive sponsor holds ultimate accountability for strategic alignment and business value realization of the project.

A governance audit finds that a system integration project approved a vendor payment without a corresponding signed deliverable acceptance. This is an example of:

Answer: A control deficiency in the financial governance process

Payment without accepted deliverables breaks the contract-to-payment control chain, a core financial governance requirement.

What is 'governance theater' in the context of IT project management?

Answer: Performing governance rituals without real oversight or authority to act

Governance theater occurs when processes exist on paper but lack real enforcement, decision-making authority, or impact on project outcomes.

A project manager escalates a budget overrun to the steering committee. The committee delays the decision for four weeks. What governance failure does this illustrate?

Answer: Slow decision velocity undermining governance effectiveness

Governance bodies must make timely decisions; delayed decisions on escalations cause further cost and schedule damage.

In a multi-vendor system integration program, which governance document BEST establishes how disputes between vendors will be resolved?

Answer: The program governance plan, including an escalation and dispute resolution process

A program governance plan defines cross-vendor escalation paths and dispute resolution mechanisms critical for multi-vendor integration programs.

Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between project governance and compliance in a regulated industry?

Answer: Project governance must incorporate compliance checkpoints to ensure regulatory requirements are met throughout delivery

In regulated industries, governance frameworks must embed compliance checkpoints at each phase to prevent costly remediation at audit time.

A CSI project has a governance-mandated risk review every 30 days. The project manager skips one review, citing low current risk. What is the PRIMARY concern?

Answer: Skipping mandated governance reviews sets a precedent that erodes the governance framework

Skipping mandated reviews, even with good intent, weakens governance discipline and creates precedent for further non-compliance.