Project Governance Structure Document
Project Name: AI-Powered Call Management System
1. Introduction
This document establishes the governance framework for the AI-Powered Call Management System project. The framework ensures alignment with strategic objectives, facilitates efficient decision-making, implements robust risk management strategies, and delineates clear accountability throughout development, deployment, and operational phases.
2. Governance Objectives
| Objective | Description |
|---|---|
| Strategic Alignment | Guarantee adherence to established business and operational objectives. |
| Decision-Making | Enable timely and judicious determination regarding development and AI efficacy. |
| Accountability | Delineate explicit duties across backend, frontend, AI, and telephony departments. |
| Risk Management | Identify, mitigate, and monitor potential project hazards. |
| Adaptability | Ensure the system's capacity for future improvements and augmentation. |
3. Governance Structure
| Governance Level | Roles and Responsibilities | Composition |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Governance (Steering Committee) | Establish strategic direction, exercise high-level oversight, approve major decisions. | Representatives from UNICEF, BITZ ITC Leadership, and key stakeholders from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Lesotho. |
| Project Management Office (PMO) | Manage project implementation, monitor risks, coordinate interdepartmental teams. | Project Lead (Nelson Adagi), Product Owners, UNICEF Representative. |
| Technical Advisory Board | Ensure open-source best practices, ethical AI, and adherence to privacy/security protocols. | Ken Orwa (AI Ethics & Data Privacy), Gateway Frankline (AI Trainer S3), Joseph Kimani (Backend & System Architecture). |
4. Decision-Making Process
| Decision Type | Owner | Approval Level | Escalation Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational | Project Manager | Project Manager | Steering Committee |
| Technical | Technical Lead, Advisory Board | Steering Committee | Project Sponsor |
| Major Changes | Steering Committee | Steering Committee Approval | Project Sponsor |
| Critical Issues | Steering Committee | Project Sponsor Approval | N/A |
5. Risk Management
| Risk Category | Potential Issues | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Data Privacy | Data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (GDPR, HIPAA) | Anonymization, access controls, regular audits |
| AI Model Risks | Performance degradation, bias, inaccurate predictions | Periodic retraining, bias detection, continuous monitoring |
| Operational Risks | System outages, voice processing issues, capacity overload | Redundant systems, automated scaling, manual override protocols |
| Project Risks | Budget overruns, insufficient resources, schedule delays | Frequent evaluations, contingency planning |
6. Reporting & Communication
| Report Type | Frequency | Recipients | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progress Reports | Weekly | Steering Committee, Stakeholders | Track progress, flag issues, report milestones |
| Sprint Reviews/Demos | Bi-weekly | Dev Teams, Stakeholders | Showcase features, collect feedback |
| Steering Meetings | Monthly | Steering Committee | Strategic decisions, budget review, risk checks |
| Ad-hoc Reports | As needed | Relevant Teams, Project Sponsor | Address critical issues or unplanned events |
7. Change Management
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Change Request | Team member submits request with impact analysis |
| Impact Review | Technical leads evaluate effect on performance, timeline, budget |
| Approval | Steering Committee reviews and approves significant changes |
| Implementation | Integrate change into sprints with minimal disruption |
8. Compliance & Auditing
| Area | Compliance Obligations | Audit Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Data Privacy | GDPR, HIPAA (where applicable), internal security protocols | Quarterly |
| AI Performance | Accuracy, fairness, bias evaluation | Bi-monthly |
| System Performance | Uptime, call efficiency, response latency | Monthly |
9. Conclusion
This governance structure ensures transparency, accountability, and adaptability for the AI-Powered Call Management System. It facilitates effective collaboration, risk mitigation, and decision-making across all project phases, from development and deployment to ongoing operations.