“Governance.” For many delivery teams, it’s a word that triggers thoughts of red tape, slow decisions, and endless paperwork.

But according to Programme Director Andy Farrow, that perception couldn’t be further from the truth.

With more than two decades leading major IT and Dynamics 365 transformations, Andy joined me on Episode 7 of the D365 Insights podcast to challenge the myths and explain what governance really means.

His view is simple:

“Governance isn’t bureaucracy. It’s an insurance policy for delivery.”

So what is governance in a D365 programme?

For Andy, governance boils down to two things:

Clarity + Control

It’s the framework that helps teams move faster, stay aligned, and make decisions with confidence. When governance is absent, the warning signs appear quickly:

• Fuzzy scope

• No definition of success

• Costs creeping without explanation

• Steering groups that don’t steer

• Quiet chaos behind the scenes

As Andy puts it:

“When governance is done right, it accelerates delivery and reduces rework. Everyone knows where they’re going.”

The governance traps that derail programmes

Andy has seen the same pitfalls repeat across organisations:

• Governance treated as a compliance tick-box, not a strategic enabler

• Over-engineered processes that slow everything down

• Agile teams assuming they “don’t need governance”

• No RAID discipline, no decision log, no realistic plan

• Stakeholders quietly bypassing governance altogether

And that last one? It’s the silent killer.

“You won’t notice it happening until it’s too late.”

What good governance actually looks like

Andy shared his “minimum viable governance” — the essentials he expects on every D365 programme:

• Clear goals and measurable success criteria

• A steering committee with defined roles and accountability

• A RACI that includes business stakeholders

• A structured change control process

• A RAID log that’s actively maintained

• A delivery methodology everyone understands (waterfall, agile, or hybrid)

• A communication plan that keeps all parties aligned

• Governance scaled to the culture and complexity of the programme

Most of the programmes Andy leads use a hybrid delivery model — but the method doesn’t matter.

“Whatever approach you take, governance has to be there.”

🔧The tools Andy relies on

• Azure DevOps — scope, user stories, risks, decisions, actions

• Microsoft Project — plan viability, resource visibility

• Excel — still unbeatable for budget tracking

• Decision logs, RAID logs, RACI — the non-negotiables

And his favourite part?

How to get sceptical stakeholders on board

If governance has a bad reputation in your organisation, Andy recommends reframing it:

• Governance is an accelerator, not a blocker

• It protects timelines, budgets, and user adoption

• It reduces rework and increases delivery confidence

• It only works when it’s lean, relevant, and easy to follow

His closing message is one every programme leader should hear:

“Governance turns ambition into execution. Without it, you’re flying blind.”

🎧Listen to the full conversation

D365 Insights Episode 7: No Control, No Glory – Why Governance Matters in D365 Available now on Spotify & YouTube — search D365 Insights by Source & Connect. You can now also catch the show on the Source & Connect website.

If you want support building a governance model that actually works for your D365 programme, let’s talk — this is exactly what we help organisations do.