Independence controls
While the tool was originally developed by Mozaic and informed by over 20 years of project review experience, ProjectPhD has been launched as a separate entity maintaining strict independence. Further, the integrity of the diagnostic depends on structural independence from the program being assessed. The following controls are in place to manage both factors:
- Standardised evidence-based scoring methodology – the same evidence-based methodology is applied to every program, not adjusted for client expectations or preferred conclusions. The underlying software is strictly quarantined and cannot be altered by Mozaic, partners, or clients to skew towards particular outcomes or recommendations. Reports undergo quality assurance on a sampling basis to ensure no such bias is introduced at the report review and editing stage.
- No contingent fees tied to outcomes – no outcome of the diagnostic can influence the fee structure
- Disclosure of any relationship with the program’s delivery chain – where Mozaic or any related company is delivering or bidding for work on the same program, this is disclosed in the report and second-review sign-off applies
- Licensed partners – all partners comply with the same independence standards; non-compliance is grounds for licence suspension
These controls are published as ProjectPhD’s own governance policy. These controls are designed so the instrument holds up under post-mortem scrutiny, external audit, or regulatory inquiry. They are structural, not aspirational.
Scope boundaries
As with all projects, trusting us to deliver what we promised starts with being clear about what is out of scope. ProjectPhD is a stage-gate delivery risk assessment. It occupies a specific and deliberate scope:
- It is not a financial audit
- It is not an Internal Audit function
- It is not a full assurance engagement
- Optional Document upload and review strengthens the evidentiary basis but remains a structured artefact review, not a forensic examination
- Re-Check is scoped against the conditions-to-proceed from the original Assurance Report for the same program
- It is not tailored towards a particular outcome, either with regard to Mozaic per the independence controls above, or an internal political outcome
These boundaries prevent mandate confusion between the diagnostic and other governance instruments. They keep the assessment focused on what stakeholders need to prevent issues, get project back on track, and make decisions with confidence.