TURNING PROJECTS ROUNDFROM RED TO BLACK

APM

March 2016

© Arcadis 2015

Welcome

Partner with Arcadis which incorporates:

• EC Harris, Built and Natural Asset Consultancy

• Hyder Engineering

• RTKL and Callison Architecture

• Chrysalis Project Management

Phil Cresswell

Over 25 yearsexperienceworking with andfor the PublicSector mainresponsibilitiesnow are Educationand RegenerationProgrammes andProjects

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Its all about you!• Interactive Session

• Cathartic and Purposeful

• Can we have a quick show of hands for colleagues in the:

− Private Sector

− Public Sector

− Third Sector

− Anyone Else

Depending on your background, industry, whether you work clientside or are contracted onto / into projects will depend on yourviewpoint this evening.

One aspect will remain as consistent – meeting with what seemimpossible time scales

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We will cover….

• Tools and techniques to use when there is uncertainty, or

• There is a fundamental awareness that the project off plan

• How to have early, honest conversations with the Sponsor

Session Objectives

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Scenario

• You are the project manager for atechnology roll-out project

• You have been asked to demonstrate howyou will better the timescales set out in theStrategic Business Case and projects’background information

• You don’t want to point out / caveat that theclient is already behind bringing theopportunity forward and by the time you startyou will be a further three months behind

• You comment that the “timescales arechallenging”

• Now you have to deliver and the sponsor andyour commercial director are holding you toaccount

10 minute discussion in groups of 3-6 about theapproach, tools and techniques available for youto use to map out the issues

Please use examples of where you haveexperienced something similar previously

So what are your options?

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At the outset try to….• Avoid rushing in and designing project plans without understanding as much information

as possible

• Work collaboratively with the entire project team, i.e. the

− Clients team

− Your own team

− Any other consultants not under your direct control

• Setting out Roles and Responsibilities are also vitally important

• As are communications and understanding who the stakeholders are

• There will be a lot of information to try and co-ordinate quickly

• The risk is that a lack of planning results in setting expectations artificially high from the outset

• Maintaining confidence and control is therefore key

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Inheritance Review

• Project Initiation, Start Up

• The IR allows you to map out where you are and where you need to be to deliver “good” in line withthe Sponsors expectations

• Inevitably there will be aspects that are outstanding or incomplete that are dependencies andcritical to delivering project outcomes

• As Prog M’s/PM’s we have a duty to understand in totality the position we are inheriting and whatactions are needed to create the baseline within project plans

• Early intervention on underperformance is absolutely essential

• So what does an inheritance review look like?

A complicated name for something beautifully simple

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Mapping Techniques

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Project / Elemental StrandDelivery Confidence

High Med Low Unclear

Str

ate

gic

Dire

ctio

n

1. Strategic priority within the context ofPEOPLE

2. Robustness of business benefits andcustomer outcomes

3. Robust cost / budget forecast, cost to chargeand MTFS Confidence

13 / 14 14 / 15 15 / 16

4. Governance

5. Clarity of Overall Operating Model (servicearea and transition states)

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Project Health Check

• A 'Health-check' is a snapshot of the status of a project or programme in order toidentify what is going well and what areas need improvement.

• Project managers, sponsors and the project team are often so involvedin the day-to- day activities that they can sometimes fail torecognise the true status of a project

• The same tools and techniques are used in initiation with anInheritance Review to that of a Health Check

The same mapping techniques can be used to health check aproject or programme

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The 100 Day Plan

March 1933: Franklin D Roosevelt committed to turn the American Economy around from theGreat Depression allegedly caused by the policies of Herbert Hoover

Quick show of hands: who has used a 100 Day Plan before?

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“PRO-ACTIVELYMANAGE

EXPECTATIONS”

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The 100 Day Plan• Establishes Joint Working

• Creates One Version of “the truth”

• Moves clients expectation

• Focuses on productivity

• Starts to open up conversations

• Provides a “language,” for the team

• Can be used as a quick reference

• Can be played in at Board

• Flash Reports can reference

• Builds Confidence and Trust

• Celebrates Early Wins

• Easy to spot slippage

• Can identify areas of concern

• Links to the Inheritance Review

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Client Technical Support Education & Skills Infrastructure

100 Day Plan I Mobilisation & Implementation Q.6.18

Plan Element & Activity First 20 day Cycle Second 20 Day Cycle Third 20 Day Cycle Fourth 20 Day Cycle Fifth 20 Day Cycle(Completed by)

Leadership & Programme Culture

Subject to agree with Client

Commissioners Agree Campaign Headlines (Scope & Vision)

Agree & Diarise Team

Meetings (Ways of

Working)

Commence Roll Out any

training requirements

Arrange Feedback

sessions with EdSI SLT &

Members Run Health check

ECH would work with Client to

agree Leadership principles &

cultural change requirements

Propose Values &

Behaviours

Enable identified quick

wins - Results Orientated

Agree Mentoring &

Coaching Requirements Set Performance Targets

Initiate Mobilisation

Close Out

Phil Cresswell to support

Develop Team Diagnostic

(Profiling)

Propose Programme

Branding & Marketing

Commence Performance

Conversations Cascade through teams

Commence Profiling

Agree common web &

hosting platforms - IM

Receive Feedback on 1st 60

days - Staff Reframe Comms

Organisation & Governance

Draft Governance Propose Portfolios Programme Board Initiate Librarian Function Facilitate 100 day review

PSO

Agree Capital Authorities

inc Tolerances Propose Reports Project Boards Confirm Project Assurance

Adam Bloomfield to lead Amend any LCPR's Agree Frequency Steering Groups 1.2.1 with Sponsor(s)

Arrange Initial Board(s) Enable Reporting Design User Group Receive feedback on ToRs

(support from Phil Cresswell) Propose Reporting Lines Implement Dashboard Commercial Review Group Issue Monthly HoIS Report

Communicate Decisions Induct & train colleagues Health check Filing

Systems & Processes

Receive existing process

overview

Draft overview of

Programme Lifecycle

Propose interim findings

on Capital Lifecycle

Review & Propose Stage

End Reporting i.e.

Review & Propose

Business Case Content

CTA

Benchmark durations &

map flows (ID waste)

Review Client EdSI

Statement of Priorities

Propose Reporting

Lifecycle ICW PSO

Review & Propose RIBA

Stage Reports

Review & Propose RoI

Measurement tools

Steve Dixon to lead Meet with EdSI SLT

Review Basic Need &

Maintenance Capital

Pipeline

Agree Programme Report

Formats where required

Agree type & number of

Programme & Project

Plans

Propose Capital

Handbook for Basic Need

and Maintenance

Projects

(support from Peter Lumb and

Matt Stanford)

Review current briefs

across all projects,

standardise, implement

Run & facilitate Boston

Matrix/Approach to

prioritisation

Agree approach to baseline

designs and Standardised

Specifications

Agree & Propose RAG

Definitions in association

with reports

Undertake information

sessions and training

where required

Communications

Draft Comms and

Stakeholder Plan

Finalise Comms and

Stakeholder Plan

Meet with all PM's and

distil messaging

Engage with Chair of

Planning Committee

Receive feedback from

stakeholders

Commission Manager Agree Campaign Messages

Issue out first

communications

Agree with PM's feedback

loops and protocols for

Comms Review need for microsite

Receive feedback from

portfolio holder and

members

PSO

Harmonise with Corporate

Comms

Arrange Priority School

Meetings

Map out all Statutory

Consultees

Review Programme

Marketing and Branding

with HoEdSI

Update Campaign

accordingly

CTA

Draft & agree Activity

Schedule

Meet Senior Leadership

Team

Push out new protocols to

all PM's

RACI & Stakeholder

Analysis

1.2.1 with Portfolio Holder

if approved

Initiate any required

orientation and/or training

Programme/Portfolio/Project

Management

Commission Priority

Projects Produce Draft Programme Initiate Board Meetings Chair PM SIG Health check Programme

PSO

Agree Programme Size &

Shape

Agree Portfolios, links to

SoP and how projects are

placed Initiate Steering Group

Review Progress with Ho

EdSI

Escalate Projects out of

Tolerance

Adam Bloomfield to lead

Draft out Project

Commissioning Process

Agree & Sign off

Commissioning Process Enact Project Assurance

Maintain Reporting

Lifecycle

Manage Exceptions

jointly with EdSI SLT

Agree draft principles of

Programme Management

with EdSI SLT

Link in Prioritisation

Process Initiate User Groups

Health check quality of

Reports

Agree Portfolio Approach

with EdSI SLT

Confirm and update

Capital Programme Receive Feedback on ToRs

Initiate improvement

requirements

Financial & Risk

Review Existing Project

Finance Reports Commence Benchmarking

Review and Propose Risk

Management Strategy

Draft interim Commercial

Report for review with Ho

EdSI

Health check

improvement plan

CTA

Review Finance Reporting

Cycle

Commence Market Insight

Report

Agree and Sign off

programme contingency

Initiate findings to

harmonise programme

and drive efficiencies

Steve Dixon

Review Accuracy of

Programme Information

Review Commercial

Strategy (ies)

Initiate Commercial

Review Group

Roll out immediate action

plan

(support from Matt Stanford)

Review Accuracy of

Budgets v's Outturn

Review KPI Dashboard &

Performance Management

Measures

Meet with LATCO and

Framework Contractors

Initiate Relationship

Management Strategy

100 Day Plan

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Project Planning

And now start to agree the baseline profile acrossthe deliverables

• Now that you’ve initiated the Inheritance Review and

• Set out the 100 Day Plan you will have mobilised the project

You can start to design the:

• Project Plan

• PID/PEP, and

• Outline Business Case

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Action Planning / Plans

Action Plans are a useful tool to provide the granular detail beneath over-arching plans, gantts, pert, network analysis.Sponsors tend to like and favour them as they are in Plain English and less esoteric than more complex methods

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Appendix C – Action Plan – What needs to be done by who to improve current status

Priority Action(aligned to Project /Elemental Strand)

Who to resolve Priority(L, M,H, VH)

ByWhen?

Corrective Actions / Recommendations (timings tbc)InService

TSUSupportResource

2. Business CaseAlignment

LH PC SA VH 11 JulA. Business Case to be updated to focus on Children’s Centre role in the context of transforming& delivering the Early Years offer; B. Business Case to be presented at July Project Board

3. Robustness ofbudget andforecast

CB PC SA H 31 JulC. MTFS targets require alignment to the service redesigns & work plans & activities associatedwith efficiency savings for FYE 13/14 and 14/15, confidence & ratings will improve as designsare firmed up with costed options

4. Governance Team PC AC M 04 Jul See Footnote #1 below

5. TransitionStates

CB AF M 30 SeptD. A refresh of the transition states is recommended to look at the timing if decisions & theimplications associated with the review and how reputation issues to both the service & theCouncil can be managed effectively

A. Day NurseryClosures

LH ACCH

(comms)M 01 Aug

E. Forward plan of activity to be put into place of key decisions to be made be officers &members that will be aligned to comms & engagement plans, represented in work plan F.stakeholder engagement & mapping to consider reputation issues & how comms will bemanaged around key dates

B. Childcare toMarket

LH PCME. DW.

APH 01 Oct

G. Recommend that a video to support Bidders Day is filmed almost immediately to entice themarket & promote the Council & service H. risk assessment recommended to be undertakenpost bidders day on market response & confidence of delivery through PVI sector J. DaveWilliams to be engaged to undertake a commercial peer review over the proposals. K. AlanPercox to be given a briefing re; key message to Unions & staff cohort size effected

C. Outreach LH PC SA H 31 Jul

L. Options paper to be updated with refinement over preferred option after scrutiny by CB. MSponsor to be briefed ref; preferred option. N. Business Design to consider interventions to beput in place to collect empirical evidence for medium & long term. O. Work plan to be developed& enacted as soon as possible

x

x

x

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Project Planning

And further agree the baseline profile acrossthe deliverables

• Now that you’ve initiated the Inheritance Review and

• Set out the 100 Day Plan you will have mobilised the project

You can start to design the:

• Project Plan

• PID/PEP, and

• Outline Business Case

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Communications

• It will be no surprise to learn thatCommunications can make or break even themost simplistic of programmes / projects

• Being able to use tools and techniques is greatbut being a good orator is also important torecover projects that have fallen behind

Break into groupsof between 3 and 6to discuss howyou wouldfeedback andmanagestakeholders giventhe issues andearly warnings youhave identified inorder to recoverand get back ontrack

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Managing Conversations• Ordering messages in conversations is essential

• Relaying the right message in the right order to confirm understanding is an art in itself

• Often sponsors aren’t aware of all of the issues, so tune in to how they receive information

• Your No.1 priority is to find solutions not problems, so always

• Couch issues with options to deliver, agree preferences

• Explain the strengths and weaknesses

• Utilise a consensus style of management where appropriate

• Obtain buy-in to an agreed delivery timeframe

• Re-baseline plans where appropriate once agreement is made

• Above all else once you have made recommendations and foundsolutions, unless there is a major change, deliver to the plan youhave agreed

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In Summary• Beware of your inheritance

• Agree what good looks like

• Spot and eradicate underperformance quickly

• Use health checks to determine overall performance

• 100 day plans can help build the overall plan

• Don’t commit a baseline too early

• Consensus styles really do work

• Use positive proactive communications

• Tune into your sponsor

• Most of all once you have recovered deliver to your milestones

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Wash-UpWhat we shared on the evening…Initiation

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Secure an undertake a formal hand-over

Produce comprehensive check lists

Communications are essential

Look to review any available “lessons-learned” from other similar projects

Map the interdependencies as soon asyou can

A project Charter at the outset helps cement commitment

PESTLE techniques can be utilised

Define the Critical Success Factors

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Wash-Up

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…InitiationChallenge any pre-conceived options

Always re-evaluate options

Sign-off and authorise what you need to

Rolling Wave Planning Techniques can be used

Never too early to start risk management

Ensure your governance, roles and responsibilities are agreed

Manage any bad news as soon as you can!

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Wash-UpWhat we shared on the evening…Planning

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Utilise Planning Action Logs

Use SMART techniques

Sharepoint and other collaboration tools are becoming the norm! Use them

Filter and Manage information so it is relevant to the date andaudience

Weekly updates are vital so the hot buttons are knownabout

Trackers can be a very useful tool if trust exist between the team and updates canbe managed by each and everyone

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Wash-Up

What we shared on the evening…

Communications

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Stakeholder Tools and analysisshould be done as quickly aspossible

RACI Tools

Power and InfuenceMapping Techniqueswill clarify who tocommunicate with

Understand your sponsor/SROcommunications style

Pro-active approaches (push) tend to be favoured by projectmembers

Comms Plan areessential –includingownership

Don’t overlook the basics,Maintain the projectdirectory

Confirm Capital AND Revenue Authorities if yourproject involves significant expenditure

Confirm Distribution lists areup to date and responses