Organizational Process Asset Review Template – Free Word Download
Introduction to the Organizational Process Asset Review
In the discipline of project management, we often focus on the “new” the new technology, the new team, and the new requirements. However, a professional Project Manager knows that the key to speed and compliance lies in the “old.” Every established organization possesses a treasure trove of knowledge, tools, and protocols known as Organizational Process Assets (OPAs). These are the plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization.
The Organizational Process Asset Review is a formal audit conducted during the initiation phase to identify which existing assets can be leveraged to accelerate the project and which policies must be followed to ensure compliance. Instead of “reinventing the wheel” by creating a new status report template, a new risk scoring matrix, or a new procurement workflow, the PM retrieves these from the corporate repository. This not only saves hundreds of hours of administrative effort but also ensures that the project “speaks the same language” as the rest of the business.
This template is designed to help you categorize and evaluate the OPAs available to your project. It covers two main categories: Processes, Policies, and Procedures (the “How-To” of the company) and Corporate Knowledge Bases (the “Memory” of the company). By completing this review, you ensure that your project is built on the foundation of organizational standards, reducing the risk of governance failure and increasing the professional polish of your deliverables.
Section 1: Review Methodology and Objectives
1.1 The Objective of the Review
The primary goal of the OPA Review is to maximize administrative efficiency and ensure governance alignment.
Guidance for Completion:
Articulate the value of this review to your stakeholders. It is about “Velocity through Standardization.”
“By conducting a comprehensive OPA Review, Project [Name] aims to reduce administrative startup time by 20%. We will utilize existing, audited templates and workflows to ensure that all project artifacts are immediately compliant with corporate PMO (Project Management Office) standards.”
1.2 Access and Permissions
Identify where these assets are stored and who has the authority to access them.
Common Repositories:
- The PMO Intranet: For templates and methodology guides.
- The Finance Portal: For budget tracking tools and expense policies.
- The Legal/Procurement Drive: For contract templates and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).
- The HR Knowledge Base: For resource on-boarding checklists and performance review forms.
Drafting Text:
“The Project Manager has been granted ‘Read’ access to the Central PMO Repository (SharePoint). Any templates retrieved from this source will be treated as the ‘Master Version.’ Any required deviations from these standards must be documented in Section 6 of this review.”
Section 2: Review of Processes, Policies, and Procedures
This category includes the rules and templates that dictate how work is performed within the organization.
2.1 Initiating and Planning Assets
Assets to Review:
- Project Charter Template: Does the organization require a specific format for senior leadership approval?
- WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) Templates: Are there industry-specific structures (e.g., for construction or software) that we must use?
- Planning Checklists: Is there a “Definition of Ready” that we must meet before entering the execution phase?
Analysis:
“The organization’s Standard Project Charter (v3.2) is suitable for this initiative. However, the standard WBS template is too hardware-focused. We will adapt the ‘Agile Software Addendum’ from the OPA library to better suit our development lifecycle.”
2.2 Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling Assets
Assets to Review:
- Change Control Procedures: What are the steps to modify the project baseline? Is there a Change Control Board (CCB) already in place?
- Risk and Issue Management: What is the standard 5×5 matrix for scoring impact and probability?
- Financial Controls: What are the rules for invoice approval, capital expenditure (CapEx) vs. operational expenditure (OpEx), and financial reporting?
Guidance:
Explicitly list the “Financial Thresholds” found in the OPAs.
“According to the Corporate Finance Policy (OPA-FIN-01), the Project Manager has a discretionary spend limit of $5,000. Any transaction exceeding this amount requires a second signature from the Sponsor, as per the established OPA workflow.”
2.3 Closing Assets
Assets to Review:
- Project Closure Guidelines: What are the mandatory steps to “turn off” the project?
- Final Audit Requirements: Does the Internal Audit team require a specific set of documents for the end-of-year review?
- Knowledge Transfer Templates: How does the organization want the “Handover to Operations” documented?
Section 3: Review of Corporate Knowledge Bases
This category includes the historical data and intellectual property of the organization.
3.1 Historical Information and Lessons Learned
(Note: This links to Template 57 but focuses on the source of the data).
Assets to Review:
- Previous Project Files: Access to the “Gantt Charts” and “Budget Sheets” of past projects.
- Lessons Learned Repository: A searchable database of what worked and what didn’t.
Analysis:
“A review of the PMO Lessons Learned Database (2023-2025) reveals a recurring issue with ‘Cloud Latency’ in the Singapore data center. This OPA insight has triggered a change in our Technical Architecture to include local caching.”
3.2 Financial and Configuration Knowledge Bases
Assets to Review:
- Labor Rates: What is the standard “Internal Recharge Rate” for a Senior Developer or a Business Analyst?
- Project Version Control: Is there a standard tool (e.g., GitHub, Subversion) for managing document and code versions?
- Supplier Database: Is there a “Preferred Vendor List” we are mandated to use?
Guidance:
“The Project will utilize the OPA Standard Labor Rates for 2026 ($120/hour for Tier 1 resources). This ensures our budget is consistent with the departmental ‘shadow budget’ and prevents reconciliation issues during year-end.”
Section 4: Categorization Matrix of Assets
Use this table to summarize the assets you have selected for the project.
| Asset ID | Asset Name | Version | Action Taken |
| OPA-01 | Weekly Status Report Template | v4.0 | Adopted without change. |
| OPA-02 | Risk Register (Excel) | v2.1 | Modified to include ‘Security’ category. |
| OPA-03 | Procurement Workflow | 2024 Rev | Mandatory compliance required. |
| OPA-04 | Change Request Form | v1.5 | Adopted for all scope changes. |
| OPA-05 | Technical Debt Log | v1.0 | Adopted for the Build phase. |
Section 5: Identification of Missing or Inadequate Assets
Sometimes the organization’s assets are outdated or non-existent for your specific project type (e.g., a Waterfall company doing its first AI project).
5.1 Gaps in the OPA Library
Gap Analysis:
- “There is no existing OPA for ‘AI Ethical Compliance Review.’ The project team will need to draft this from scratch.”
- “The standard ‘Vendor Contract’ template does not account for modern SaaS (Software as a Service) data privacy clauses.”
Mitigation:
“Where an OPA is missing, the Project Manager will draft a new template. Upon project closure, these new templates will be ‘donated’ back to the PMO for inclusion in the corporate OPA library for future projects.”
Section 6: Tailoring and Customization
OPAs are not meant to be “straitjackets.” They often require “tailoring” to fit the size and complexity of the project.
6.1 The Tailoring Plan
Guidance for Completion:
Define which processes you will “scale down” or “scale up.”
“Given that this is a ‘Level 2’ project (Budget < $100k), we will tailor the OPA reporting requirements. Instead of a 10-page monthly report, we will provide a 2-page summary, as permitted by the PMO Tailoring Guide (OPA-GOV-05).”
6.2 Justification for Deviations
If you are breaking a corporate rule or ignoring a template, you must explain why.
“Deviation: We are not using the standard ‘Corporate Travel Agency’ (OPA-ADMIN-02). Reason: The project requires emergency on-site support in a remote region not covered by the standard vendor. A waiver has been signed by the CFO.”
Section 7: Governance and Sign-Off
7.1 Compliance Certification
“The Project Manager certifies that the Organizational Process Assets listed in Section 4 have been reviewed and integrated into the Project Management Plan. The project team agrees to adhere to the mandatory policies and procedures identified herein.”
Conclusion
The Organizational Process Asset Review is the bridge between the individual project and the institutional standard. By completing this template, you are demonstrating a commitment to professional discipline and organizational alignment. You are acknowledging that the company’s past investments in methodology and knowledge have value, and you are leveraging that value to give your project a “running start.”
This document is particularly useful during audits. When an auditor asks, “Why did you use this specific risk scoring method?” you can point to the OPA Review and show that it is the corporate standard. It removes the burden of personal justification and replaces it with institutional authority.
Finally, remember that the relationship between a project and the OPAs is reciprocal. While you consume assets now, you will contribute assets later. The lessons you learn, the templates you improve, and the data you generate will become the OPAs for the next generation of project managers. By participating in this cycle, you are helping to improve the organization’s overall delivery capability.
Meta Description:
A strategic Organizational Process Asset Review template to identify, evaluate, and tailor corporate templates, policies, and knowledge bases for project use.
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