What kind of lifebelt do you throw a drowning project? DROWNING NOT WAVING.
-
Upload
jewel-lester -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
2
Transcript of What kind of lifebelt do you throw a drowning project? DROWNING NOT WAVING.
What kind of lifebelt do you throw a drowning project?
DROWNING NOT WAVING
Seamus O’SullivanProgramme Manager
www.acando.co.ukTel: +44 (0) 1928 796 800
ACANDOAcando is a company of programme managers, project managers and business analysts focused on raising the bar for project success.
We engage differently to create the conditions for success so that projects achieve both benefit and the best possible delivery.
Our customers tell us that our consultants achieve this better than 99% of the time (and our engagement model guarantees this).
WHY DO PEOPLE HATE PROCESSES?
• Lack of clear purpose – what problem is this process here to fix?
• Who actually uses the output of the process, if anyone?
• Might follow the process but often hinder the project
• Can encourage fear of risk rather than encouraging active management
• Often focus is on the easy to measure
• Mismatch between strategic priorities for
the business and individual projects.
• No pre-agreed measures of project success.
• Poor project management skills.
• Poor change control.
• Evaluation focused on price or timescale
rather than long-term value for money and
business benefits.
• Lack of engagement and leadership by
senior management
REASONS FOR PROJECT FAILURE
WHAT DO WE DO?
SO MANY OPTIONS…
LOTS OF STUFF TO MEASURE!
AND WHEN THINGS GO WRONG?
MORE PROCESSES!
• Exception Reports• Sunrise/ sunset
meetings• Additional metrics• Daily reporting• Project audits
• Too many processes• Can’t see the wood for the
trees• Keeping the boxes ticked• Risk averse culture
DROWNING NOT WAVING
POOR PROJECT TEAMS STRUGGLEREGARDLESS OF
PROCESSGOOD PROJECT TEAMS SUCCEED
IN SPITE OF PROCESS
TRUE OR FALSE?
WHERE DO WE REALLY WANT TO GET TO?
• The project followed each of the72 procedural steps and completedall the required templates
• The project delivered the new functionality that enabled us to generate additional revenues of £2M this year
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOUR CEO?
WHERE DO WE REALLY WANT TO GET TO?
We want to improve the success rate for projects
We want projects to deliver more of their business benefits
We want projects that align to our business strategy
WHAT PROCESSES DO WE WANT?
Legislate for success not failure
Look to capture warning signs early and clearly
If issues are found then intercede quickly and decisively
LEGISLATE FOR SUCCESS
• Clear process and guidelines - focus on the what, not the how, and make them relevant
• Leadership – aligned and effective
• Organisation – lean and focused on strategy
• Culture - supportive engagement
• Change Management – anticipate, learn and adapt
• People – confident , motivated and capable
CAPTURE FAILURE EARLY AND CLEARLY
Identify the key, meaningful triggers and have refined processes that capture these.
Don’t lose these key processes in a morass of less effective ones
Make sure the outputs of the processes are actively used by someone who is knowledgeable, pragmatic and respected.
Assess;
Have the team got it under control?
If not, can you help them get it under
control?
If that seems unlikely, then change.
If you do change, give that a chance to
succeed.
INTERCEDE QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY
If people see processes that are actively used, reviewed and acted on, they will follow them, and are much more likely to respect them.
CONCLUSIONS Good processes good. Bad processes bad.
Choose your processes with care and do not blanket adopt anything without critically assessing it
The purpose of processes should be to guide teams, and to flag issues early, not drown teams in bureaucracy
Each process should have a clear purpose and it’s output actively used by the right person
Processes do not replace strong leadership and a lean supportive culture
Capture warning signs early and act on them
Intercede quickly and decisively, and with the right person
THANK YOU AND ANY QUESTIONS?www.acando.co.uk