Program and Project Management and Governance

In what has been referred to as the “new normal” of business, there has been an extensive growth in project-based working in organizations. This method of systemic project-based working, rather than a more ad hoc method to organizational change, has many potential benefits. Nevertheless, high rates of “failure” are seen in many projects, resulting in negative business impacts.

Based on our experience, we have been able to identify two main reasons why critical transformation projects go wrong: deficiencies in project management and deficiencies in project governance.

Our many years of experience helps us come along side organizations who are having trouble with program and project management and governance and to tackle these hurdles, so as to guarantee higher project success and greater business impact.

How We Can Help

To address your project management needs within the “new normal” of business, Schroeder & Schroeder provides a new type of project manager: one who possesses a range of “soft” skills and abilities that enable them to readily identify when projects need tweaking or redefining in order to align them with emerging business needs and evolving external environment; smoothly implement the necessary changes; and keep project sponsors, team members and other stakeholders firmly on board.

Effective project governance and project management ensure that an organization’s projects are aligned to the organization’s objectives, are delivered efficiently and are sustainable. Our expert consultants are eager to help your organization ensure it has the rights structure and measurements in place to overcome hurdles and secure timely and high quality project results.

Specifically:

  • Dealing with project staff issues, communication and/or effectiveness
  • Coping with uncertain goals and shifting priorities
  • Addressing disconnects between the project team and the rest of the organization
  • Identifying the issues that need to be changed and to understand the root causes of identified issues
  • Helping you to act on the causes of issues to eliminate the problem

We do this by:

  • Providing the capacity to help execute your strategic and operational transformation plans – using “art and science” program and project management resources
  • Facilitating sound Governance and decision maker engagement
  • Helping to develop accountability frameworks – roles and responsibilities
  • Assisting in developing the strategy and implementation approach
  • Providing input / recommendations on scope changes or policy changes required for project success
  • Helping to engage and facilitate the buy-in of key stakeholders
  • Implementing change management, communication and engagement strategies
  • Facilitating partnerships and collaborations

Key Considerations

Questions to Ask

  • Do our project manager hiring criteria take into consideration not only the necessary “science” skills but also the “art” skills for effective project management?
  • Is our organizations project portfolio aligned with its key business objectives, including those of profitability, customer service, reputation, sustainability and growth?
  • Does our organization discriminate correctly between activities that should be managed as projects and other activities that should be managed as non-projects?
  • Are our project managers encouraged to develop opportunities for improving project outcomes?
  • Is project authority delegated to the right levels, balancing efficiency and control?

Thoughts to Consider

  • Conventional approaches to project management as set out in PMBOK are often misaligned with the new economic reality, in which expected change rather than predictability in the business environment has become the norm.
  • Many Project Managers focus on tools and techniques and overlook the “art” that is so crucial to project success. They fail to recognize that different types of projects and organizations require a different mix of art and science skills.
  • In any particular project, the specific mix of art and science skills required will depend on a range of factors, particularly the complexity of the project and numbers and types of stakeholders involved.
  • The importance of Executive Sponsors should not be overlooked. Our research and experience demonstrates that the Executive Sponsor of a transformation project plays a crucial role in its success.

Our experienced consultants and project managers will come alongside your company to help you achieve a higher rate of project success, higher expected benefits, less project risk and failure, and sustainable outcomes. There are several benefits to the effective implementation of a transformation including:

  • An improved bottom line and better customer service
  • An ability to capture emerging opportunities in the marketplace
  • Increased efficiency across your organization
  • An ability to implement transformation projects with confidence, using project and program managers that are well-equipped to deliver positive outcomes
  • Achieving increased clarity about problems facing you and directions for solutions
  • Tapping into the essential resources and the support of individuals
  • Making the best decisions for your venture in order to eliminate the margin of error and costly mistakes
  • Achieving a rapid speed of execution; reducing the time it takes to launch or change your business
  • Being better equipped to develop and implement development plans that are closely aligned with business and project goals, making cost-effective use of staff to deliver maximum value
  • Helping to achieve other business benefits, such as improved team working, fewer conflicts, greater efficiency and enhanced leadership

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