Project Controls vs Project Management: Who Owns the Decision System?

On capital programs, role confusion between project management and project controls is common. The project manager leads delivery and outcomes, while the project controls function safeguards the integrity of the decision-making system. When these responsibilities are blurred, accountability dilutes and governance noise is introduced. This article explores where the line should be drawn and what good practice looks like in mega-project delivery.

The Confusion

On large capital projects, it is common to see reporting misinterpreted as controls, or project managers filling the gap when controls capability is absent. Both create risk. A project can still progress, but without a defensible decision system, the program is exposed. Stakeholders lose confidence when reporting feels inconsistent, when baselines are unstable, or when cost and schedule forecasts shift without clear rationale.

Reports Masquerading as Controls

A spreadsheet or dashboard is not controls. Controls are not simply the act of producing data. True controls involve designing and operating the frameworks that validate scope, track performance against baselines, and manage change. Reports are outputs, but controls are the processes, governance, and assurance that underpin those outputs.

PMs Filling the Gap

Where controls functions are weak or underdeveloped, project managers often step in. They assume responsibility for forecasts, risk registers, or cost models. While this may keep a project moving, it also undermines assurance. The PM becomes both decision-maker and checker, eroding independence. On large-scale asset programs, this lack of segregation of duties creates a material governance risk.

The Separation

A clear division is required:

Project Management defines scope, sets strategy, and drives outcomes. The PM is accountable for delivering the agreed objectives.

Project Controls establish and maintain baselines, manage forecasts, control change, and ensure reporting integrity. Controls provide the defensible data that governance forums rely on.

This distinction preserves accountability and provides the defensibility demanded in capital investment programs.

Interfaces

In practice, controls do not sit in isolation. They interface daily with:

• PMs for scope and strategic decisions
• Commercial leads for contract and cost integration
• Delivery managers for construction performance and risk identification

Controls act as the translation layer between delivery detail and governance oversight. When these interfaces work effectively, controls operate as the "nervous system" of the project, connecting delivery data to governance decisions.

What Good Looks Like

Good project controls are not complicated. They are consistent. The hallmarks include:

• A single version of the truth on time, cost, and risk
• Transparent baselines with clear change histories
• Forecasts that stand up to external audit and investor scrutiny
• Reports that drive decisions, not just fill dashboards

A Starter RASCI

To avoid overlap, it helps to define responsibilities clearly. A simple RASCI framework illustrates ownership:

• Who decides? The Project Manager, supported by governance forums
• Who prepares? The Project Controls team, ensuring forecasts and reports are accurate
• Who assures? Independent assurance or internal audit, validating that both PM and Controls functions are performing correctly

Closing Insight

The decision system on capital projects must be robust, auditable, and trusted by investors and boards. Project managers lead delivery, but project controls safeguard the system that enables defensible decisions. When both functions respect their boundaries and operate with clarity, capital programs are positioned for predictable, transparent outcomes.