Presentation given at the MIdlands branch on 1st March 2016

1. TURNING PROJECTS ROUND
FROM RED TO BLACK
APM
March 2016

2. © 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 years
experience
working with and
for the Public
Sector main
responsibilities
now are Education
and Regeneration
Programmes and
Projects
11 March 2016 2

3. © Arcadis 2015
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 client
side or are contracted onto / into projects will depend on your
viewpoint this evening.
One aspect will remain as consistent – meeting with what seem
impossible time scales
11 March 2016 3

4. © Arcadis 2015
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
11 March 2016 4

5. © Arcadis 2015
Scenario
• You are the project manager for a
technology roll-out project
• You have been asked to demonstrate how
you will better the timescales set out in the
Strategic Business Case and projects’
background information
• You don’t want to point out / caveat that the
client is already behind bringing the
opportunity forward and by the time you start
you will be a further three months behind
• You comment that the “timescales are
challenging”
• Now you have to deliver and the sponsor and
your commercial director are holding you to
account
10 minute discussion in groups of 3-6 about the
approach, tools and techniques available for you
to use to map out the issues
Please use examples of where you have
experienced something similar previously
So what are your options?
11 March 2016 5

6. © Arcadis 2015
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
11 March 2016 6

7. © Arcadis 2015
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 with
the Sponsors expectations
• Inevitably there will be aspects that are outstanding or incomplete that are dependencies and
critical to delivering project outcomes
• As Prog M’s/PM’s we have a duty to understand in totality the position we are inheriting and what
actions 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
11 March 2016 7

8. © Arcadis 2015
Mapping Techniques
11 March 2016 8
Project / Elemental Strand
Delivery Confidence
High Med Low Unclear
StrategicDirection
1. Strategic priority within the context of
PEOPLE
2. Robustness of business benefits and
customer outcomes
3. Robust cost / budget forecast, cost to charge
and MTFS Confidence
13 / 14 14 / 15 15 / 16
4. Governance
5. Clarity of Overall Operating Model (service
area and transition states)

9. © Arcadis 2015
Project Health Check
• A 'Health-check' is a snapshot of the status of a project or programme in order to
identify what is going well and what areas need improvement.
• Project managers, sponsors and the project team are often so involved
in the day-to- day activities that they can sometimes fail to
recognise the true status of a project
• The same tools and techniques are used in initiation with an
Inheritance Review to that of a Health Check
The same mapping techniques can be used to health check a
project or programme
11 March 2016 9

10. © Arcadis 2015
The 100 Day Plan
March 1933: Franklin D Roosevelt committed to turn the American Economy around from the
Great Depression allegedly caused by the policies of Herbert Hoover
Quick show of hands: who has used a 100 Day Plan before?
11 March 2016 10
“PRO-ACTIVELY
MANAGE
EXPECTATIONS”

11. © Arcadis 2015
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
11 March 2016 11
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 1.2.1with 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 PMSIG 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

12. © Arcadis 2015
Project Planning
And now start to agree the baseline profile across
the 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
11 March 2016 12

13. © Arcadis 2015
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
11 March 2016 13
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)
By
When?
Corrective Actions / Recommendations (timings tbc)In
Service
TSU
Support
Resource
2. Business Case
Alignment
LH PC SA VH 11 Jul
A. 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 of
budget and
forecast
CB PC SA H 31 Jul
C. MTFS targets require alignment to the service redesigns & work plans & activities associated
with efficiency savings for FYE 13/14 and 14/15, confidence & ratings will improve as designs
are firmed up with costed options
4. Governance Team PC AC M 04 Jul See Footnote #1 below
5. Transition
States
CB AF M 30 Sept
D. A refresh of the transition states is recommended to look at the timing if decisions & the
implications associated with the review and how reputation issues to both the service & the
Council can be managed effectively
A. Day Nursery
Closures
LH AC
CH
(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 be
managed around key dates
B. Childcare to
Market
LH PC
ME. DW.
AP
H 01 Oct
G. Recommend that a video to support Bidders Day is filmed almost immediately to entice the
market & promote the Council & service H. risk assessment recommended to be undertaken
post bidders day on market response & confidence of delivery through PVI sector J. Dave
Williams to be engaged to undertake a commercial peer review over the proposals. K. Alan
Percox 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. M
Sponsor to be briefed ref; preferred option. N. Business Design to consider interventions to be
put in place to collect empirical evidence for medium & long term. O. Work plan to be developed
& enacted as soon as possible
x
x
x

14. © Arcadis 2015
Project Planning
And further agree the baseline profile across
the 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
11 March 2016 14

15. © Arcadis 2015
Communications
• It will be no surprise to learn that
Communications can make or break even the
most simplistic of programmes / projects
• Being able to use tools and techniques is great
but being a good orator is also important to
recover projects that have fallen behind
Break into groups
of between 3 and 6
to discuss how
you would
feedback and
manage
stakeholders given
the issues and
early warnings you
have identified in
order to recover
and get back on
track
11 March 2016 15

16. © Arcadis 2015
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 found
solutions, unless there is a major change, deliver to the plan you
have agreed
11 March 2016 16

17. 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

18. © Arcadis 2015
Wash-Up
What we shared on the evening…Initiation
11 March 2016 18
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 as
you can
A project Charter at the outset helps cement commitment
PESTLE techniques can be utilised
Define the Critical Success Factors

19. © Arcadis 2015
Wash-Up
11 March 2016 19
…Initiation
Challenge 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!

20. © Arcadis 2015
Wash-Up
What we shared on the evening…Planning
11 March 2016 20
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 and
audience
Weekly updates are vital so the hot buttons are known
about
Trackers can be a very useful tool if trust exist between the team and updates can
be managed by each and everyone

21. © Arcadis 2015
Wash-Up
What we shared on the evening…
Communications
11 March 2016 21
Stakeholder Tools and analysis
should be done as quickly as
possible
RACI Tools
Power and Infuence
Mapping Techniques
will clarify who to
communicate with
Understand your sponsor/SRO
communications style
Pro-active approaches (push) tend to be favoured by project
members
Comms Plan are
essential –
including
ownership
Don’t overlook the basics,
Maintain the project
directory
Confirm Capital AND Revenue Authorities if your
project involves significant expenditure
Confirm Distribution lists are
up to date and responses