A steering committee involving business and IT is the best approach to enable effective communication to senior management regarding the project status for a strategic enterprise resource management system implementation. This is because a steering committee is a group of senior executives, stakeholders, and experts who provide strategic direction, guidance, and oversight for the project1. A steering committee can help to:
Communicate the project vision, goals, benefits, and risks to senior management and other stakeholders1 Monitor and review the project progress, performance, quality, and deliverables1 Resolve any issues, conflicts, or changes that may arise during the project1 Ensure the alignment of the project with the business strategy, objectives, and priorities1 Provide support, resources, and sponsorship for the project1 A steering committee involving business and IT can ensure that both the functional and technical aspects of the project are well represented and communicated to senior management. This can help to avoid any misunderstandings, gaps, or misalignments between the business and IT perspectives. A steering committee can also facilitate effective communication among senior management, project team, and other stakeholders, and foster a collaborative and supportive environment for the project success2.
The other options, project management office with business and IT representatives, weekly project reports reviewed by business and IT management, and project status updates on the intranet are not as effective as a steering committee for enabling communication to senior management regarding the project status. A project management office is a centralized unit that provides standards, methodologies, tools, and support for project management3. A project management office can help to improve the efficiency and consistency of project delivery, but it does not have the authority or responsibility to communicate directly with senior management or influence their decisions3. Weekly project reports are documents that summarize the progress, performance, issues, and risks of a project in a given period4. Weekly project reports can help to keep senior management informed of the project status, but they may not be sufficient to address their concerns or expectations. Weekly project reports may also be too frequent or detailed for senior management who may prefer a higher-level or less frequent view of the project4. Project status updates on the intranet are web-based messages that provide information about the current state of a project5. Project status updates on the intranet can help to increase the visibility and transparency of the project status to senior management and other stakeholders, but they may not be effective in engaging them or soliciting their feedback. Project status updates on the intranet may also be overlooked or ignored by senior management who may have limited time or access to the intranet5. References
:= What is a Project Steering Committee? | Clarizen, How To Run An Effective Steering Committee Meeting
- BrightWork, What Is a Project Management Office (PMO)? | Smartsheet, How To Write A Project Status Report: The Ultimate Guide, Project Status Update Email Sample : Templates and Examples