When to use it
A useful fit
Use it at mobilisation, when several organisations share delivery, or when decisions repeatedly wait for the wrong meeting.
Know the limits
Do not create extra boards where a named owner with clear authority would do. Urgent safety or mandatory reporting routes take precedence over a routine escalation ladder.
How to use it
- Map decisions and authority limits, including supplier and operational responsibilities.
- Agree what evidence triggers an escalation and how quickly it must be answered.
- Bring options and consequences to the appropriate decision owner, then record the outcome.
Worked example
A supplier forecasts a delay that would miss an agreed service launch. The project manager documents recovery and phased-release options and asks the sponsor to decide before the next routine board meeting. The decision log records who owns the revised date.
Illustrative scenario by fannarmaximus; not an official exam question.
Common pitfalls
Waiting until a limit is actually breached removes time to act on a forecast.
Attribution & sources
Common governance practice; the series’ arrangement and this explanation are by fannarmaximus.
The citations below identify authoritative references for this topic. They do not imply endorsement or reproduce the bodies’ competence lists.
- IPMA® (2015). Individual Competence Baseline for Project, Programme and Portfolio Management, Version 4.0 (ICB4). Zurich: International Project Management Association. ISBN 978-94-92338-00-6 (print), 978-94-92338-01-3 (pdf). Free PDF from IPMA®: https://ipma.world/ipma-standards-development-programme/icb4/
- Project Management Institute (2025). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Eighth Edition, and The Standard for Project Management. Newtown Square, PA: PMI®. ISBN 9781628258295.
- Association for Project Management (2025). APM Body of Knowledge, 8th edition. Princes Risborough: APM. ISBN 9781913305390.