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NPIER Methodologies

POA&M

Plan of Action and Milestones

Objective
Track action plan, assignments, and resource allocations when creating comprehensive solution statement.

What is a POA&M?
A Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) is a tool used to identify and track tasks, responsibilities, and progress to ensure a project is completed on time and with all requirements fulfilled. The POA&M outlines tasks, stakeholder responsibilities, and timelines for completing all aspects of a project. This tool is a comprehensive and methodical approach that provides accountability for all stakeholders, helping to resolve alignment issues and identify potential barriers to project completion.

How do I apply a POA&M?

Once improvement opportunities have been identified, identify a stakeholder who will be responsible for updating the POA&M.
Assign each improvement opportunity a stakeholder who is accountable for the task’s completion.
For each task, work with stakeholders to determine when task activities should begin and end based on policy, resourcing, and other factors.
Create a timeline that maps initiation and completion of each task.
Monitor and frequently update the POA&M to reflect the status of tasks.
Develop cadence for meeting with POA&M task stakeholders to identify barriers to progress and completion and determine methods of mitigation or resolution.