Project Assessment Matrix
The Project Assessment matrix helps to define the nature of the project and provides an
indication of how the project may be viewed institutionally in relation to a range of key
factors. The matrix provides a scoring system to classify projects as a minor, medium or
major project. It is modelled on a similar matrix in use at Manchester Metropolitan
University (accessed at http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/bit/project-management-toolkits).
The outcome of the assessment can be used to assess the appropriate level of senior
support and project governance. Guidance is provided on page 5 on governance and
project management tools that may benefit the different scale of projects.
Initial assessment
If a project is assessed to have a ‘yes’ response to any of the considerations below, even
if this was to only one, then the project would be deemed to be a major/strategic project
and would require senior level approval and would
typically be sponsored by a Vice
Chancellor’s Group member or nominated Corporate Management Team member.
Impact considerations
Anticipated cost
Description
Y/N
Required funding of £50,000+ (excluding staff costs) that
cannot be absorbed within a local business centre budget
without higher level approval e.g. UDF/ Capital Funding.
Strategic Priorities
Is fundamental to the achievement of our Strategic Plan
and current strategic objectives/imperatives.
Organisational effectiveness
Requires major restructuring of University services/
processes and/or requires significant allocation of new or
a reallocation of staffing resource.
Sector/External requirement
Fundamental to responding to major policy change or
mandatory
sector/external
regulatory
or
legislative
requirements that if not met would be significantly
detrimental to the reputation of the University.
Contract(s)
Contract(s) with third parties that relate directly to key new
strategic partnerships.
1
How to use the assessment matrix
There are two tables, one for impact and one for risk. Each table has ten considerations.
-
For each consideration, a score needs to be assigned
o You should score each consideration from 0-4
o Score each consideration by highlighting the one most relevant to you. After
completing this for each row, a table will have an overall score between 0 –
40.
o The two scores can be used on the assessment grid on page 4 to determine
the project type (not a project, minor, medium, major).
Where a project is very close to an upper boundary on the matrix, it might be worth
considering it as a project within the next level for added scrutiny.
Each project type is described on more detail on page 5 of this document.
2
Impact
Considerations
Anticipated Cost
1
Timescale
(months)
Strategic
priorities
Score 0
Score 1
Score 2
Score 3
Score 4
No cost other
than staff
costs
Allocated
within the
business
centre
budget
Requires a
redistribution of
business centre
budget
Requires an
increase to
business centre
budget
Requires additional
funds with senior
level approval e.g.
Capital Funding
Less than 1
month
1-6
6 – 12
12 – 18
>18
Very
minimal link
Contributing to
other work that is
linked to a
University
supporting
Strategy
Contributing to
other work that is
linked to a
strategic objective
Key to the delivery
of a University
supporting
Strategy
Some new
business
processes and
possibly some
reallocation of or
new staffing
resource
Significant restructure of
processes and reallocation of or
new staffing
resource
No link
Impact on
organisational
effectiveness
(structures/
processes/
resources)
No impact
Very
minimal
Some new
business
processes and
possibly some
re-training
Sector/External,
requirement
No link to
external
imperative
Very
minimal
links
Some links to
other work that is
responding to a
sector/external
requirement
Is a mandatory
requirement that is
to be implemented
in one business
area
Is a mandatory
requirement that
impacts upon the
work of more than
one business area
Stakeholders
Minimal
Internal and
within single
business
area
Internal across
more than one
business area
Significant
university-wide
engagement
Significant internal
and external
engagement
Contract(s)
No contract at
all
No new
contracts
required
New contract
required (no
tender process)
New contract
required (tender
process)
Multiple new
contacts required
Track record
Do this
regularly
Have done
this before
many times
Have done this
before once or
twice
Have done similar
before
Have not done
anything like this
before
No
dependency
Very
minimal
links with
other
projects
Links with other
projects but little
impact
Links with other
projects upon
which this project
depends
Other projects
depend upon this
project
No impact on
students
Very
minimal
impact on
students
Minor impact on
student
administration
Minor impact on
academic services
Major impact on
academic services
and/or student
admin and or
student experience
Dependencies
impact
Enter line
score
here
Total score
1
Costs should be revaluated throughout the planning stage and the total cost (Inc. staffing costs) should be approved by
the Project Sponsor and financial services before the project commences.
3
Risk
Considerations
Score 0
Score 1
Score 2
Score 3
Score 4
Cost over-run
Impossible
Unlikely
Somewhat likely
Very likely
Almost certain
Timescale overrun
Impossible
Unlikely
Somewhat likely
Very likely
Almost certain
Not meeting
strategic
priorities
No risk of
affecting
strategic
priorities
Small risk of
delaying
strategic
priorities
Small risk of
delaying and
damaging
delivery of a
University
Supporting
Strategy
Risk of damage
and delay in
delivering
Supporting
Strategy very
likely
Risk of damage
and delay to
Strategic
priorities likely
Adverse impact
on
organisational
effectiveness
No risk of
impairing
Small risk of
impairing
Risk impairing
quite likely
Risk impairing
very likely
Risk impairing
almost certain
External
imperatives
No risk of
delay
Small risk of
delaying
Small risk of
damage and
delay
Risk of damage
and delay quite
likely
Risk of damage
and delay very
likely
Stakeholders
No risk of
impact
Small risk of
impact
Significant risk of
impact on
internal support
stakeholders
Significant risk
of impact on
teaching
stakeholders
Significant risk
of impact on
external
stakeholders
Contract issues
No impact
Small
impact if
contract not
renewed
Small impact on
other contracts if
this one goes
wrong
Large internal
impact if
contract goes
wrong
Major
reputation
damage if
contract goes
wrong
Track record
Right
resources
already in
hand
Good
chance of
getting right
resources
internally
Good chance of
getting right
resources
internally /
externally
Some key
resources may
be hard to
source at the
right time
Key resources
will be hard to
resource
No impact
Small
impact on
other work
Significant
impact on other
internal-facing
work
Significant
impact on other
external-facing
work
Major
reputation
damage if
project goes
wrong
Small
impact
Significant
impact on
administration
Significant
impact on
teaching
Major
reputation
damage if
project goes
wrong
Dependencies
Student impact
No impact
Total score
4
Enter line
score here
40
35
30
25
Risk
20
15
10
5
0
5
10
15
20
Impact
Not a project
Minor project
Medium project
Major project
5
25
30
35
40
Not a Project
Any use of resources, financial or otherwise within work carried out at the University will
inevitably need some level of approval from management. However, if a piece of work falls
into the ‘not a project’ category it is not subject to any project management processes or
procedures and may be ‘business-as-usual’ activities that represent an on-going
consideration rather than a temporary/ time limited endeavour. It may be useful, however,
to adopt various aspects of the framework to facilitate good practice and contribute
towards successful outcomes, but there isn’t any expectation for the use of a project
management approach. A project is a unique body of work, implemented over a fixed
period of time. It is not the routine business of a particular department or an established
standard cycle of activity.
Minor Project
Minor projects can be managed and controlled within the relevant faculty or service area.
If there is suitable funding and resource for a minor project within a given business centre
the project may not need Vice Chancellor’s Group or Corporate Management Team
approval to proceed. In this case, someone within the particular area can undertake the
role of the Project Sponsor. The Project Sponsor and Project Manager should agree the
extent to which any or all of the templates are used.
Medium Project
Medium projects may be managed without Vice Chancellor’s Group or Corporate
Management Team sponsorship within the relevant faculty or service area. However, it is
likely that a medium project will have an importance or impact beyond the lead service
area and will need to be considered from a strategic perspective is likely that Vice
Chancellor’s Group or Corporate Management Team would nominate the Project Sponsor.
It would be good practice for robust project management governance to be put into place
and for a project management methodology to be utilised.
6
Major Project
All major projects should be aligned to the strategic direction of the University, even if they
are being managed within a single faculty or service area. Vice Chancellor’s Group
approval is necessary for all major projects. A Vice Chancellor’s Group or Corporate
Management Team member would usually sponsor major projects and therefore regular
updates will be required to either the Vice Chancellor’s Group or Corporate Management
Team. It would be good practice for robust project management governance to be put into
place and for a project management methodology to be utilised.
7
Use of Documentation
The following grid outlines the suggested use of project management documents for
projects of different sizes, and can act as a guide for project delivery after this assessment
has been completed and the size of the project has been determined.
Minor
Project Management Documents
Medium
Major
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Background Document
*
*
*
Mandate
Business Case
Project Initiation Document (PID)
Product Specification Document
*
*
Risk Register
Project Plan
Work Package Description Form
*
Financial Plan
Communication Plan
*
*
*
*
Issue Log
Highlight Report
Lessons Learned Log
Exception Report
End Stage Report
Project Review Report
*
*
Project Completion Statement
Post Project Review Report
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