The Opsimath

Going beyond PRINCE2

"What comes next?"

This is often a question that people ask once they have got to grips with the project management method PRINCE2. Perhaps they have successfully achieved their Practitioner qualification, and been using it for real for a while. They then want to know what else there is 'around' PRINCE2 that can help them become better at what they do.

Here are a few thoughts:

Programme Management
Often something that is not properly understood by many, programme management offers us a different, yet complementary view to project management. Programmes are about the coordination of a set of related projects, and are focused on transformational change, outcome delivery and benefit realisation. The framework called MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) is widely recognised as the best practice method for programme management. There are qualifications in MSP at Foundation, Practitioner and Advanced Practitioner levels.

Change Management
It can be extremely useful (some would argue vital) to the Project or Programme Manager to consider how individuals, teams and organisations go through change. After all, change is what projects and programmes deliver! A qualification in change management enables you to understand some of the key models, approaches and ideas for taking people successfully through change. Foundation and Practitioner qualifications are available in this fascinating subject.

Risk Management
If you would like to specialise a little, perhaps the Management of Risk (MoR) is for you. MoR goes beyond managing risk at project level and also includes programme, strategic and operational risk management too. Qualifications are available in MoR too.

Programme and Project Offices
Many organisations are seeing the benefits of setting up corporate programme and project offices - sometimes called PMOs. Now there is a set of guidance to help with this too. Referred to as P3O, the Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices guide helps organisations to plan, set up and run just such an office. Is this is an area you are involved with then this is a must for you.

Developing specific skills
Taking a 5-day course in PRINCE2 or MSP only gives you chance to touch lightly on some subjects - things like Business Case management, risk management, stakeholder engagement. You may feel that you would like to know more and to go deeper into this subject. At pearcemayfield we have designed a set of specific skills workshops for just such a purpose. Normally delivered in-house for clients these have been incredibly well-received. Other subjects include facilitation skills, product-based planning, presentation skills, estimating and scheduling, decision-making and finance for project managers.

Want to go 'beyond' PRINCE2? There's plenty of choice for you.

Facilitation - vital skills for a Project Manager

At pearcemayfield we have recently been delivering some really interesting workshops for one of our valued clients around the subject of facilitation skills.

For many project managers (and of course programme and change managers) this is a crucial area. We have to attend many meetings and work with many different groups and teams of people - so how can we ensure that we get the best out of these situations?

During the sessions we looked at many different aspects of facilitation, including a number of do's and don'ts. Here is a list of tips that one group developed. The tips are in no particular order, but I find them very useful and challenging, I hope you do too:

1. Make sure  that no-one feels they are having something done to them
2. Better still - make people in the group feel valued
3. Always begin by establishing the ground rules for the group
4. As a facilitator, always have some stock responses ready to enable you to deal with difficult situations
5. Be aware of the mode in which you are operating and be ready to change it - be self-aware
6. The need for preparation and planning cannot be over-emphasised
7. Keep reading the room and be ready to change the timing and your mode
8. Ensure the right people attend the session
9. Ensure the right person facilitates

BCM? What's a BCM...?

I recently facilitated a programme management workshop, during which we considered some of the key aspects and features of best practice programme management. And if it's best practice programme management our material just had to be based on the guidance known as 'Managing Successful Programmes (MSP).

One of the principles of MSP is that a programme must have a focus on the realisation of benefits, and one of the ways in which MSP helps us to do that is through the role of the Business Change Manager (BCM).

As is often the case on our MSP Practitioner courses, this topic generated a lot of debate. Let me summarise what is often said.

We start with, "Business Change Manager - what is a Business Change Manager", as in many organisations the concept of this role is missing.

Then we move on to discuss why the role is so vital on a programme if we really want to transform the business and deliver real benefits. Delegates in our workshops often get really animated at this point, as they recognise:

1. How essential the role is, because without business involvement we will not see success
2. How we often (wrongly) expect programme managers to carry out the role
3. How, by introducing this role to their programmes, we can take our programmes to a new level of effectiveness.

It is so rewarding to witness the light bulb moments occurring as individuals and teams begin to see what has been missing in their programme organisation structure. The clarity that this discussion often brings is regularly one of the key learning points of this type of workshop.

So, if you are involved in programmes in any way, take a look at your team. Do you have any BCMs?

If not, how's it going?

Learning - it's never too late

Our final principle of programme management - #7 Learning from Experience.

This principle is one that is also found among the seven principles of the project management method PRINCE2. Both programmes and projects perform better when members of the management teams assume the attitude of being learners.

In fact, a programme can be considered to be a learning environment, where we adjust and adapt our path through the programme.

Lessons should be something that we go and actively seek out, not passively record to pass on to 'someone else'.

An organisation's ability to learn from experience speaks volumes about its level of programme management maturity - how mature is your organisation's approach...?

This is one in a series of seven programme management principles that use the programme management guide MSP (Managing Successful Programmes). If you would like to know more about MSP, why not give us a call on freephone 0800 052 1600 or go to www.pearcemayfield.com

To Be or not To Be ...

... that's not really a question for a programme, is it. We are planning to create a deliver some new or changes 'things'. We have outputs in mind, we are thinking of new and improved capabilities.

We have an idea of the 'To Be' state in our minds, don't we?

Where am I going with this?

I'm looking at another in our series of programme management principles. Now, #6 Designing and Delivering a Coherent Capability.

The essence of this principle is that we need to have a view of both our current capability (As is) and the intended future capability (To be). It is only when we have these views that we understand the capability gap that exists, which in turn helps us to determine the projects that we require to fill that capability gap.

The definition and explanation of this future capability is expressed in the programme Blueprint - a key piece of information for the programme.

Think of every project in the programme as a piece of a jigsaw. Without understanding the intended finished picture it is difficult to complete the jigsaw. The Blueprint is the picture that is on the lid of the jigsaw box.

How can we deliver a final capability that meets the needs of the organisation if we do not have a way of ensuring coherence throughout.

What is your Blueprint planning like?

What's the point of programmes?

Well, to answer that, we need to consider programme management principle #5 Adding Value.

The point that this principle is making is that to run a programme (and to run it well) costs money. Programme management teams do not come cheap (!), and the cost of them is above and beyond the cost of the various project management teams already in place.

The programme must therefore add value.

"A programme only remains valid if it adds value to the sum of its constituent projects and major activities." (MSP) Projects do not need the structure of a programme around them if that programme is simply a cost and adding no value.

How then, can a programme add value? Here's just three ideas:

• Better alignment with corporate strategy - with organisations running more and more projects it is vital that they are heading in the same direction as the business
• A programme can deliver additional benefits that any one project could not: 2 + 2 = 5
• Greater coherence across the capability being delivered by the projects. By maintaining a view of the required overall capability (the Blueprint), the programme can optimise the project mix at any one time.

Does your programme add value...?

Vision - the picture of a better future

Programme Management Principles: "Envisioning and Communicating a better future"

(This is based on a post originally made last week, but inadvertently deleted by me as I wrote this week's post on Benefits, messing up the permalinks in the process!)

Vision - it's one of the main weapons in the programme leaders armoury. Something that describes the better, more desirable future has got to be good news if we are attempting to bring about transformational change.

A good vision inspires, attracts support and indicates to the organisation that we are in line with their strategic objectives. It also provides an excellent basis for communicating to the world what this programme is about.

The clear and consistent communication of the vision is essential if we want (and we should) the engagement of stakeholders.

Programme leaders take note - a programme without a clear, well-articulated vision confuses people, and has a reduced chance of success.

Get your vision clear from the start!

Benefits - keeping the main thing the main thing

Programme Management Principles #4 Focusing on the benefits and the threats to them

One of Stephen Covey's famous sayings is, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." It's a quote that we in pearcemayfield use to explain the emphasis that good programme management approaches (such as MSP) place on the realisation of benefits.

In fact, to quote the MSP guide, "Best practice programme management aligns everything towards satisfying strategic objectives by realising the end benefits."

Ultimately, a programme should be judged by its ability to realise benefits that are relevant to the organisation sponsoring that programme. The programme will do many things during its life - plan and implement projects, manage issues, engage stakeholders, manage vast amounts of information - but unless it focuses its attention on the main thing, it will not be considered a success.

And the main thing?

Benefits!

Leadership - its role in transformational change

Programme Management Principles #2 Leading Change

"It is impossible to move to a better future without clear leadership". This statement is taken directly from the Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Guide, where it also states, "seeing through change in a programme is a leadership challenge."

In fact we need both leadership and management to deliver a successful programme - both different, yet  complementary. Let's take a look at this MSP principle, Leading Change.

The type of leadership that we need in a programme:

1. Gives clear direction - has a sense of the vision for change and communicates that vision
2. Engenders trust - by being transparent and consistent in their behaviour (high levels of emotional intelligence)
3. Engages stakeholders, and does so actively - they know that working with stakeholders is more than a mechanical 'to do' activity
4. Assembles a good team - and understands the importance of team in delivering change
5. Can live with uncertainty - not for them the need for a fixed delivery timetable. They know that the path to achieving a vision can be complex and ambiguous
6. Creative in resolving issues and developing solutions - they know there is seldom a routine answer
7. Supports and champions change beyond project delivery. They know that delivering 'stuff' to the organisation is often the beginning, not the end. They understand change management

And finally, let's remember that leadership is not something just for the programme SRO or Programme Director. Many different roles will need to display good leadership during the life of a programme.

Programme Management Principles #1 - Staying Aligned

Staying aligned might sound a little like that classic Bee Gees' number from Saturday Night Fever, but no, it's all to do with how programmes should remain aligned with the organisational or corporate strategy.

This is the first in a series looking at the key principles behind MSP - the globally recognised best practice approach to programme management called Managing Successful Programmes.

MSP gives us a common framework for leading and managing all programmes because it is principles-based. 'Remaining aligned with corporate strategy' is the first of those principles.

Organisations today are subject to almost continual change, and programme management has come to be recognised as a key tool in bringing about this change. In order for that change to be successful any programme must maintain the best possible links with the strategic direction in which the host organisation is going.

The programme environment must therefore be both robust yet flexible in order to cope with changes in that strategic direction. Furthermore, the programme must ensure that its constituent projects do not take on a life of their own and become misaligned with the direction in which the organisation is heading.

The programme management position of Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) is key to ensuring that this strategic alignment is maintained. They should have the seniority within the organisation and be able to take strategic decisions so that the programme can really contribute to, and help deliver, corporate objectives.

Our next principle: Leading Change - the role of leadership in business transformation.