improving programme and project delivery -...

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Increasing the Civil Service’s capacity and capability to deliver

Improving Programme and Project Delivery

IPPD Report_Cover 2/6/03 1:51 PM


Contents

Page

Foreword 3

Executive Summary 4

1 Introduction 6

2 Improving Programme and Project Delivery (IPPD) 8– What is Programme and Project Management? 8– The Benefits of PPM 8– The IPPD Project 10– Maintaining the Momentum After 2002 10

3 Implementing a Programme Approach to Delivery – The IPPD Offer 11The IPPD Offer Part 1: Structure and Culture 11– Centres of Excellence 12– Programme Governance 15– Improving Structures and Culture to Deliver Policy 17

The IPPD Offer Part 2: Toolkits and Processes 19

The IPPD Offer Part 3: People and Skills 21– Removing Barriers to Effective PPM 21– Training Needs Analysis 23– Skills Development 25

4 Common Problems and Overcoming Them 28– Using Programme and Project Management in the Policy 28

Environment– Managing Programmes Across the Line 29

IPPD Report_contents_pp05 10/02/03 17:54 pm Page 1

3

Improving public services is the Government’stop priority. Achieving this requires clearleadership from the top and better delivery on the ground.

Better programme and project management(PPM) in the Civil Service has a key role toplay in meeting this challenge. Acrossdepartments, our commitments require theambitious delivery of innovative cross-cuttingsolutions, including major capital projects fornew GP premises, hospitals, schools, andmodern IT systems that support professionalsin serving customers better. These are thepractical programmes that are critical to givingthe public confidence in better public services.As Sir Andrew Turnbull has said, we need aCivil Service that is as respected for itsdelivery as its policy advice.

That’s why the implementation of this report isso important. I am pleased that one of its keyrecommendations – establishing PPM ‘centresof excellence’ within departments – hasalready been endorsed by the Cabinet.Permanent Secretaries have agreed how bestto execute its recommendations in theirdepartment. Ministers and officials will need to work closely together on implementingthese recommendations.

Of course these new centres must recruitthe right people, develop programmemanagement skills, and promote thedelivery culture. I welcome the commitmentto training for change and developmentopportunities on offer to civil servants to fulfilthese requirements.

Implementing the recommendations from thisproject will bridge the gap between policy anddelivery. The priority is for Ministers, the CivilService and frontline staff to work together toimprove customer-focused delivery. The Officeof Public Services Reform’s recommendationsadd impetus to the reform strategy. I hope youwill seize the opportunity they present.

Foreword



4

Executive Summary

Delivery is top of the Government’s agendaand better programme and projectmanagement (PPM) will improve the CivilService capability and capacity to deliver.Research conducted by the Office of PublicServices Reform (OPSR) and CMPS showsthat increasingly PPM techniques aresuccessfully being applied to policydevelopment and delivery, as well astraditional procurement tasks.

In response to the Prime Minister’s concernsover continuing weaknesses in projectdelivery, the Improving Programme andProject Delivery (IPPD) project wasestablished in September 2001. The project,led by OPSR and involving the Office ofGovernment Commerce (OGC), CorporateDevelopment Group (CDG) including CMPS,HM Treasury (HMT) and several departments,was charged with developing a package ofmeasures to achieve significant andsustainable improvement in programme and project delivery.

IPPD developed recommendations to assistdepartmental improvement in three areas:

● structure and culture – to support seniormanagement in implementing a programmemanagement approach to delivery, throughdeveloping a ‘centre of excellence’ in eachdepartment;

● processes and toolkits – a web-basedPPM framework – Policy to SuccessfulDelivery – for use by non-specialists that is scaleable to degrees of risk andcomplexity; and

● people and skills – a set of products fordepartments to assess, develop, deploy,recruit and reward staff with PPM skills for specific delivery roles.

Structures – Centre of ExcellenceTop team oversight of major programmes iscritical to success. IPPD recommends thatdepartments establish a centre of excellence,combining the roles of programme office anddepartmental capacity/capability building. Thecentre of excellence will ensure ManagementBoards and Ministers have the systems anddata they need to prioritise, monitor delivery,and balance risk against departmentalcapability. This concept has won widesupport from departments and the Cabinetand is supported by independent researchfrom KPMG1 (see page 13).

Processes and Tools Departments with a standardised PPMprocess and tools can manage theirprogrammes with greater rigour andconsistency, facilitating effective top teamoversight and enabling staff to move betweenprojects without starting from scratch. Fordepartments who currently have no suchstandard framework, IPPD has developed thePolicy to Successful Delivery website withadvice and templates on project planning,management, scrutiny and closure. This islinked to delivery guidance from HMT and the Delivery Unit and to OGC’s SuccessfulDelivery Toolkit (see pages 19–21).

1 Private and public sector organisations from around the world took part in the Survey. An executive summary and full

report are available from the KPMG website www.kpmg.co.uk


People and SkillsDepartments need to take measures to alignPPM skills with business needs. Historicdifficulties in finding and recruiting skilled staffare being addressed by the wider HR reformsunderway from CDG. Much can be done toimprove skills from within at all levels. OGCand CDG have agreed a twin track strategy to:

● develop a cadre of PPM expertise; and

● bring PPM into the core SCS delivery skills(complementing OCG’s Successful DeliverySkills programme for staff at Grade 6 andbelow).

In addition, improved PPM training anddevelopment is now available for staff at all levels from CMPS and other providers (see pages 25–26).

Maintaining MomentumDifferent elements of IPPD’s recommendationswere implemented in five ‘early adopter’departments over the latter stages of IPPDand departments retain primary responsibilityfor building their own PMM capacity. Now thatthe IPPD project has been completed, OGCwill take on leadership in promulgating itsrecommendations, assisting departments indeveloping centres of excellence, supportingthe cross-Whitehall centre of excellencenetwork founded by IPPD, and establishing the PPM specialist cadre.

For further information contact Neil Glover, OGC, 01603 704816 or Richard Williams, CDG, 020 7276 1360


5


6

Greater accountability isbeing placed on Ministersand top officials to implementpolicy objectives andstrengthen departmentalcapacity and capability todeliver. The 2002 SpendingReview reinforced the needfor increased investment tobe matched by reform.

Weaknesses in the CivilService’s ability to deliverprogrammes and projectswere highlighted in 2001 by results from Office ofGovernment Commerce(OGC) Gateway reviews,National Audit Office reports,and by the Public ServicesProductivity Panel’s (PSPP)review of Public ServiceAgreement (PSA)implementation.

In response to theseconcerns, Wendy Thomson,Peter Gershon and MichaelBarber proposed a project toImprove Programme andProject Delivery (IPPD)which was endorsed by theCivil Service ManagementBoard in September 2001.The cross-departmentalproject, led by the Office of Public Services Reform(OPSR) and sponsored byLord Macdonald, was taskedwith developing a package of measures to achievesignificant and sustainableimprovement in programmeand project delivery.

Sir Andrew Turnbull hasreinforced the importance ofskills such as programme andproject management (PPM)as key drivers to achieving a Civil Service respected as much for its delivery as for its policy skills.

This report documentsIPPD’s main findings andrecommendations for action.It outlines ways to improveprogramme and projectdelivery across departments,to help Senior Civil Servantsand others understand whata PPM approach means forthem and their organisations.

It addresses practicalquestions about implementingthis approach and we hope it will ensure consistency andcoherence when central unitsadvise departments on how to improve their delivery. Mostimportantly it should reducethe risks and improve theoutcomes of delivery.

1 Introduction

“No plan … a vague chain

of command …

interdependencies not

mapped … no holistic view

of process.”

(PSPP review of progress towards

meeting the PSA targets,

Sep 2001)“... continues to indicate

very serious weaknesses

across a broad range of

projects.”

(OGC Gateway Review,

Jun 2001)

IPPD Report_pp06_07 10/02/03 17:55 pm Page 6


For more information on OPSR’s wider work programme seewww.pm.gov.uk/output/Page465.asp

Connecting PPM to BetterPolicy Delivery andDepartmental Capacity PPM is one of many toolsavailable to help ensure policydelivers the desired benefits.IPPD’s recommendationshave been developedalongside guidance providedon PSA Delivery Plans, andthe Prime Minister’s DeliveryUnit’s and OGC’s Toolkits.Challenging public policyproblems increasingly requirecross-cutting solutions. In thisenvironment, PPM is a usefuldevice for executing suchcomplex and exacting plans,not only where they involvelarge capital and ITprogrammes but also for morepolicy oriented objectives.

So improving PPM is animportant step towardsincreasing departmentalcapability for highperformance. It is a key

operational component ofthe Departmental ChangeProgramme, devised andpiloted by OPSR over thepast year, in whichdepartments are expected tohave a consistent frameworkfor managing programmesand projects, aligned withtheir systems for performancemanagement and PSAdelivery.

As most departments’ work on change moves fromdiagnosis and developmentto execution and sustainableimprovement, progress will be monitored and targetedsupport provided through a ‘Performance Partnership’being developed betweendepartments and the CabinetOffice/HM Treasury. WherePPM is identified as a keyissue for a department,IPPD’s recommendations willprovide an important tool.

OPSR’s work on ReducingBureaucracy, with theRegulatory Impact Unit, hasdeveloped a blueprint forpolicy development reflectingthe requirements of the frontline, incorporating smarterdelivery planning, effectivePPM and reducing the flow of administrative burdens on the frontline.

Our Thanks

IPPD is grateful to everyone who providedinput to the project:

● The project User Group comprising35 practitioners from 22 governmentorganisations.

● Department for Education and Skills(DfES), Department for Work andPensions (DWP) and Ministry ofDefence (MoD) for enabling IPPD to learn from many years’ combinedexperience of managing programmesand projects.

● The Office of Government Commerce(OGC), DfES, Department of Trade andIndustry, HM Customs and Excise andMoD who helped us produce the Policyto Successful Delivery website.

● Our five ‘early adopter’ departmentswho worked with IPPD to improve theirPPM capability and shared knowledgeand experience – Department of Health,Home Office, Department for Culture,Media and Sport, DfES and DWP.

● Departments which seconded staff tothe project team – MoD, Home Office,Inland Revenue, National Assembly for Wales, Cabinet Office CorporateDevelopment Group (CDG), OGC andStrategy Unit.

● The members of the IPPD SteeringGroup, chaired by Wendy Thomson:Michael Barber, Peter Gershon, JohnGieve, Rachel Lomax, David Omand,Alice Perkins, Andrew Pinder, AdamSharples, Kevin Tebbit and expertadvisers Gordon East and TimGbedemah.

“... A Civil Service

respected as much

for its capability

to deliver as for its policy

skills … enablers to

achieve these goals …

key skills such as project

management.”

(Sir Andrew Turnbull,

Jun 2002)

7


8

What is Programme andProject Management?Programme and projectmanagement (PPM) is a wayof organising to deliver. It canhelp to improve outcomesthrough:

● setting agreed goals andmilestones, and regularlyassessing progress;

● clarity of accountability,roles and responsibilitiesat all levels;

● transparent reporting ofprogress and problems –including to Ministers – sothat remedial action canbe taken in good time; and

● offering a framework withinwhich to balance risk anddepartmental capability.

PPM does not have to meanthe rigid application of acomplex methodology: thebest results come from anintelligent application ofprinciples to suit the natureand scale of the task in hand.

TerminologyA project is a set of activities,with definite starting andfinishing points, to producespecific outputs within defined time, cost and quality parameters.

Programme managementprovides a framework forimplementing businessstrategies and initiativesthrough the co-ordinatedmanagement of a portfolio of projects to achieve benefits of strategic importance.2

Projects are about deliveringoutputs; programmes focuson achieving the resultantoutcomes. The keyrequirements for better PPM are:

● at the organisationallevel, the top team beingclear about strategic goalsand actively overseeingthe portfolio of majorprogrammes, managingrisk against capability;

● at the programme level,understanding strategicdepartmental priorities,identifying and managingrisk and interdependencieswith regular independentscrutiny of progress. Asingle named individual –a Senior ResponsibleOwner (SRO) orequivalent – needs to beaccountable for eachmajor programme; and

● at the project level, theteam needs clear rolesand responsibilities and a vision translated into a plan with milestones,regular reporting andreview, and stakeholderinvolvement from the start.

The Benefits of PPMPPM can improveperformance across a rangeof government business, bothtraditional project work andthe delivery of Public ServiceAgreement (PSA)/policyoutcomes. PPM will improvedelivery by providing:

● a clear focus onobjectives, with clearaccountability fordelivering results torequired time, cost andquality;

● a framework for prioritisingand managing resources;

● for cross-boundaryworking which is almostalways needed to deliveroutcomes for government’scustomers;

● for transparent reportinginternally and externally;

2 Improving Programme andProject Delivery (IPPD)

2 Both summarised from the OGC Successful Delivery Toolkit.


● a robust factual basis onwhich to advise Ministersand Management Boards,giving them the data theyneed to make informeddecisions; and

● a medium for identifyingrisk and uncertainty,assessing and managingthem to focusmanagement resourceswhere they will providemost benefit.

Research commissioned byIPPD and CMPS shows thatdepartments are increasinglyrealising the benefits ofapplying PPM to policydevelopment andimplementation, be it a Bill,White Paper or flagship

government policy. Theresearch gathered casestudies from five departments,identifying lessons andcommon features of success.The full report is available atwww.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp


9

IPPD Early Adopter Achievements

Five ‘early adopter’ departments tested andimplemented elements of the IPPD Offerthrough summer and autumn 2002, tosupport them in improving their programmeand project delivery. Their input providedexcellent opportunities to cross-fertiliseideas, sharing experience and goodpractice across all interested departments.

IPPD’s input in early adopters included:

● In the Home Office supporting theestablishment of its Programme andProject Management Support Unit(PPMSU), assisting with the businesscase development and Project InitiationDocument (PID), enabling the HomeOffice to introduce a common PPMframework by adopting and adapting the IPPD Policy to Successful Delivery website.

● Helping the Department of Health todevelop its Supporting ProgrammeDelivery project to improve PPMcapability through establishing a PPMcentre of excellence and recruiting andinducting external programmemanagement expertise for the Delivery Priority programme to support PSA targets.

● Supporting the Department forCulture, Media and Sport indeveloping its plans for programmesupport infrastructure as part of its widerTouchstone change programme whichwill, amongst other things, move theDepartment to project-based working.The Policy to Successful Deliveryframework informed the Department’sown model for a project lifecycle.

● Learning from the Department forEducation and Skills about usingprogramme management in a policyenvironment. IPPD has been helpingDfES to develop a comprehensiveorganisational capability assessmenttool to help measure the impact of PPMand its Supporting Better Deliverychange programme.

● Also learning from the Department forWork and Pensions . OPSR helpedDWP to establish proposals for reducingbureaucracy in the development andimplementation of new policy whichhave been agreed and are beingimplemented.


10

The IPPD ProjectIn September 2001, IPPDwas established under theleadership of OPSR andCabinet Office Minister LordMacdonald. The project,which ended December 2002,was charged to deliversolutions for departments in three areas:

● structure and culture –what organisationalsupport do departmentsand senior officials need to deliver programmes andprojects successfully?

● processes and toolkits –what is the projectlifecycle, what should be done at each stage and what tools should be used?

● people and skills – howshould departmentsdevelop, deploy, recruitand reward PPM skills to enhance capability and capacity?

Based on eight months’ workwith departments and centralunits, IPPD developed an‘Offer’ to departments which is detailed in Chapter 3. Theelements of the Offer, tailoredas appropriate, should helpdepartments to achievesignificant and sustainedimprovement in delivery ofprogrammes and projects: not just IT or procurement but policy outcomes too.

Maintaining the MomentumAfter 2002Momentum will be ensuredthrough OGC’s ongoingresponsibility for helpingdepartments to align their

programme and projectcommitments with theircapacity and capability. OGCwill facilitate the development,networking and assessmentof PPM centres of excellencein central departments. Thiswork will be supported byprofessional accreditationschemes e.g. the CharteredManagement Institute and by partnership with CorporateDevelopment Group (CDG) to inculcate PPM skills acrossthe Senior Civil Service (SCS).

CDG is also engaged withdepartments to ModernisePeople Managementfunctions to ensure the rightPPM skills are beingdeveloped, recruited,rewarded and deployed tomeet departments’ businessneeds, both within the SCSand below.

For more information contact: Neil Glover, OGC, 01603 704816, [email protected] or Richard Williams, CDG, 020 7276 1360, [email protected]



11

The IPPD Offer provides a menu of solutions fordepartments to adoptaccording to their prioritiesand areas of greatestchallenge. It is important forany programme and projectmanagement (PPM) solutionto fit the size, complexity andrisk of the task in hand.Departments can use a toolsuch as the Office ofGovernment Commerce (OGC)Project Profile Model to helpthem assess project complexityand understand how ‘heavy’or ‘light’ touch PPM needs tobe in each case.

The IPPD Offer emphasisesthe importance ofdepartments:

● establishing the rightstructures and culturewith active topmanagement andministerial oversight of keyprogrammes and risks. APPM ‘centre of excellence’in each department willfacilitate this approach;

● using an appropriate PPMframework and tools toimprove rigour andconsistency e.g. the Policyto Successful Deliveryframework developed byIPPD; and

● actively developing HumanResources (HR) so thatthe supply of people andskills matches PPMdemand at all levels in theorganisation.

The remainder of this sectionsets out the IPPD Offer inmore detail, providingpractical advice andsignposting further sources of guidance and support.

The IPPD Offer Part 1:Structure and Culture A department’s ability todeliver programmes andprojects is dependent ongetting it right at the top and having the right capacityand capability throughout the department. The keycomponents are:

● top team oversight of keyprogrammes: ManagementBoards and Ministers needto set strategic priorities.The top team must thenmanage the risks andinterdependencies on their major programmes,informed by a fullunderstanding of thedepartment’s currentchallenges and capacity;

● accountable leaders –Senior ResponsibleOwners (SROs) – need to be appointed for eachmajor programme,accountable for ensuring it delivers; and

● a PPM ‘centre ofexcellence’ needs to report upwards to theManagement Board,providing the necessaryinformation on progressand risks to facilitatedecision making.

Figure 1 provides an overviewof how these roles fit together.

3 Implementing a ProgrammeApproach to Delivery – The IPPD Offer

• Overview of P&P landscape• Report on PPM capacity• Scrutiny

Assurance to Ministers

• Strategic oversight• Priority Setting• Risk Management• Model PPM behaviour

• Resource allocation and development requirements to meet business needs

• Match PPM skills requirements

• Identify competence/capacity issues

Network with other Centres of Excellence

PPMCentre of Excellence

• Toolkit• Process• Best Practice

Project/ProgrammeLandscape

SROsProgrammes

Projects

ManagementBoard

HumanResources

Figure 1

The Offer Part 1: StructureAn overview ofroles and responsibilities


12

Centres of ExcellenceThe departmental PPM centreof excellence has a pivotalrole in enhancing capacityand capability. As a ‘superprogramme office’ it willsupport the top team in itsstrategic oversight of high-riskprogrammes, including thosefor delivering Public ServiceAgreement (PSA) targets. As a centre of excellence itsupports programme andproject teams, offers advice,ensures appropriate tools areused and disseminateslessons learned.

As shown in Figure 1, acentre of excellence providessupport in all directions withina department. It providessupport upwards to theManagement Board to enablethem to give assurance toMinisters. In practice this may involve:

● identifying and agreeingthe delivery programmescritical to success andadvising on implications forthe department’s financialand HR planning;

● ensuring the ManagementBoard and Ministersunderstand the cumulativerisks andinterdependencies of theirmajor programmes,especially cross-departmental ones, andcan make the right choicesabout prioritisation;

● ensuring governance,staged approvals andfinancial control; and

● carrying out regularassessments for Ministersand the ManagementBoard to provide highlightreports on progress andrisks (where appropriate in partnership with OGCand/or the Prime Minister’sDelivery Unit (PMDU)).

The centre of excellenceprovides support into thedepartment by promoting aconsistent departmental PPMmethodology and commonstandards. It will shareexpertise, lessons learnedand good practice from withinand across government. It may give targeted trainingor workshop assistance toprogramme and projectteams, provide an interventionservice for SROs and evenparachute in skilled resourceto projects in need.

Finally, the centre ofexcellence can act as a singlepoint of contact outwardsbeyond Whitehall to otherdelivery partners in the publicand private sector, and tocentral units such as HMTreasury (HMT), PMDU andOGC. This can help streamlinedemands for information andensure the department isaware and making use of thehelp on offer from the centre,in line with its own priorities.

In some departments it might be sensible to movetowards a single centre ofexcellence/programme officein stages. In some cases,departments have decided to separate the programmeoffice scrutiny function fromthe advisory/support function.Most departments will not bein a ‘green field’ situation, butall the key functions need tobe in place and co-ordinated.Whatever structural solution is adopted it is crucial that a Board level sponsor isidentified to champion thecentre of excellence.

Departments will also need to consider the scope of thecentre of excellence activityi.e. the volume of work andwhat type and scale ofprogrammes it will beengaged with. Whatever itsscope, a centre of excellenceshould not take on the role of directly managingprogrammes and projects. It should not disrupt the clear chain of accountabilityand decision-making fromMinisters through to individualSROs and programme/projectleaders.


13

The survey examined the impact of a Programme Office (PO) on projectperformance. Its findings support IPPD’srecommendation to establish a PPM‘centre of excellence’ in all departments. It found that 98 per cent of participants with a mature PO reported 100 per centsuccessful project delivery. This projectdelivery success rate reduced to 76 percent for those with grown-up POs and to 53 per cent for those with established, butimmature, POs. Eighty-seven per cent ofrespondents said their senior managementvalued the PO as integral to success.Other key findings are identified below.

There is a strong correlation between POeffectiveness/maturity and project success. The £8m average cost of project failureindicates a strong business case forbuilding an effective PO.

Important elements of maturity are:

● developing processes, standards,methodologies and templates;

● showing the ‘big picture’ of workunderway;

● discipline and executive buy-in;

● profile and acceptance and executivesponsorship;

● experienced project managers;

● right combination of skills in the PO; and

● education.

Ninety per cent of POs said their mostimportant job was tracking and reporting,followed by communication and co-ordination.

Costs of running mature POs averaged 2 per cent of total project value managedby the PO whereas less mature POs cost 3 per cent.

Improvement areas identified for the future,detailed below, are in line with the centre of excellence recommendations:

● disseminating and using commonstandards and processes;

● increasing the use of tools; and

● streamlining reporting and improvingperformance metrics.

One hundred and thirty-four private andpublic sector organisations from around the world took part in the survey.

KPMG Programme Management Survey 2002

An executive summary and full report are available from the KPMG website www.kpmg.co.uk



14

The Department of Health acknowledgesthe need to enhance its PPM capabilitiesand, following discussions with IPPD,established the Supporting ProgrammeDelivery project.

Running until March 2003, the projectmaps onto the components of the ‘IPPDOffer’, having the broad objectives ofenhancing PPM skills, delivering a PPMtoolkit based on the IPPD framework,identifying suitable PPM IT support, and making recommendations tailored to the Department on establishing a centre of excellence.

The first steps have been taken to set upprogramme office support for each of theDelivery Priority programmes established to meet the Department’s PSA targets. This includes recruitment of external PPMexpertise to sit alongside each DeliveryPriority Programme Manager, plus theestablishment of a central programmesupport function within the Planning & Programmes Unit. It will ensurecommonality of standards/methodology and provide support and guidance –initially to the Delivery Priority programmes, and subsequently to the wider remit of the Department.

The vision for the Programme and ProjectManagement Unit (PPMU) is to make PPMthe natural way of working within DfES. The aim of the PPMU is to enable DfES to deliver its policies successfully througheffective PPM. The PPMU provides thefollowing services targeted to theDepartment’s key policy delivery areas:

● bespoke PPM training for SROs,programme and project managers andothers using PPM in the policyenvironment;

● advice to programmes and projects onall aspects of PPM including structuring,scoping, planning and managingprogrammes;

● matching service for DfES colleaguesrequiring project managementconsultancy assistance; and

● test and challenge for programmes.

It also works with others in the Departmentto ensure that PPM is embedded within thedepartmental culture and PPM skills areconsidered as core management skills.

The PPMU does not directly manage the work of the departmental deliveryprogrammes. Reporting on these deliveryprogrammes is done through corporateplanning systems supporting the DfES Board.

Case Study – Department for Education and Skills (DfES)

Case Study – Department of Health

Management Board

Youth Schools LifelongLearning

Finance andAnalyticalServices

CorporateServices andDevelopment

Strategy andCommuni-

cations

PPMU


15

The focus of the Home Office Programmeand Project Management Support Unit(PPMSU) will be:

● establishing and promoting programmemanagement to underpin wider work oninternal change, planning and corporatemanagement;

● providing consultancy-style support to project teams and boards;

● creating and establishing a mentoringprogramme for SROs;

● standardisation of PPM across theHome Office; and

● developing and managing a skillsdatabase establishing internalprogramme management resource.

GroupSecretariat

Senior Adviseron Corporate

Change

PPMSU

Programme GovernanceGovernance structures arecrucial to enabling the rightdecisions to be taken atcritical stages so thatprogrammes and projectsdeliver strategic priorities anddo not exceed the capacityand capability of thedepartment. The detailedgovernance structure willdepend on the particularcircumstances of each case,but IPPD has identified simplegenerally applicableprinciples:

● for critical high riskprogrammes, theProgramme Board shouldbe at Management Boardlevel, probably chaired bythe Permanent Secretary;

● Programme Boards needto be sufficiently small tobe effective executivebodies while ensuring thatusers/customers arerepresented; and

● SROs and sponsorMinisters need to beappointed for majorprogrammes. Therelationship between theSRO and Minister iscrucial: SROs have animportant role in holdingfrank and informeddiscussions on the healthof major programmes withresponsible Ministers.

Case Study – Home Office


Group Executive Board

Motivate andEnthuse theOrganisation

ARCHITECTURE OF CHANGE STEERING GROUP

(including Permanent Secretary and a Minister)

ModerniseCorporateServices(Director,Corporate

Development)

Embed theDelivery

Approach


16

Formalising the governancearrangements betweenMinisters, Programme Boardsand SROs will preventinitiatives being announced

before risks andimplementation options havebeen analysed. Ministersneed to be assured that theyhave a direct line of

communication to the SROaccountable for each of theirmajor programmes.

Within DWP, the Directorate for ProjectManagement (DPM) was established as a centre of expertise to support the largestmodernisation programme ever undertakenin Europe – 17 projects costing over£200bn, plus around 165 other projectsemploying 3,500 staff in total. It is part of the Programme and Systems Delivery(PSD) Group which also focuses expertiseon projects in Technology and IT Contractsand Commercials.

To improve delivery capability, the PSDGroup Director/CIO (externally recruited)established new governance and approvalarrangements. Governance is achieved

through Project Steering Committees withescalation to Programme Boards and a DWPChange Board, all of which meet monthlywith senior accountable managers presentand all decisions visible, all overseen by aPSD secretariat. A Gated Approval Processensures that approval to proceed to the nextstage can only be given with the consent ofthe SRO, Financial Director and PSD GroupDirector/CIO at key stages of the projectlifecycle. It was essential that theseprocesses were underpinned by professionalPPM structures and common PPMstandards/methodologies. Figure 2 showsthe governance and approval process.

PSD

PSD

PSD

PSD

• Interdependencies

• Risk

• Cost

• Schedule

• Progress

Programme and Systems Delivery Group

Gated Review Process

DWP Programme Governance and Control

Project

ProjectSteering

Committee

DWPChangeBoard

PermanentSecretary

LiveRunning

BusinessExecutive

BusinessSponsor

ProgrammeBoard

ProjectManagement

Contracts andCommercials

TechnologyOffice

Figure 2

Case Study – Programme Governance in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)


17

Standardsand

targets

Fundingallocations

Plan approvaland interim

targets

Directives,Codes of Practice

and Guidance

Monitoring andintervention

PSAtargets

Multipleobjectives

Multipleobjectives

InitialPolicyPledge

Mandatedgovernancestructure,

implementationrules and/or

delivery vehicles

Plan approvaland multiple

interim targets


interim targets



delivery vehicles

Regular daily,weekly, monthly,

quarterly andannual financial

and performancemonitoring


interim targets



delivery vehicles









delivery vehicles


interim targets




Ring-fencedbudget

Biddingprocesses

Ring-fencedbudget

Governancerequirements

Aud

it, i

nsp

ecti

on

and

inte

rven

tio

n re

gim

es

Figure 3

Improving Structures andCulture to Deliver PolicyPPM is part of the answerto improving the ‘end to end’delivery of policy to achieveresults on the ground. The fullpicture includes:

● ensuring delivery planninghappens at an earlierstage in the policyprocess, so Ministerialcommitments areunderpinned by anunderstanding of the risksand challenges of delivery;

● measuring and reducingthe administrative burdenson frontline staff, so moretime is spent deliveringoutcomes, not servicing‘the machine’. Figure 3shows the cascade oftargets, funding streams,planning and monitoringprocedures that canimpact upon the frontlineas a result of policytargets; and

● using earned autonomyand making smarter use of levers such as targets,ring-fenced budgets,mandated partnershipvehicles or requirementsto produce plans, so asto give local managersscope to implementpolicy innovatively andin line with individualcustomer needs.

IPPD was set the challenge of ensuring more effectivedelivery planning took placeat an earlier stage in thepolicy development process.Progress has been made on a number of fronts.

First, research commissionedby IPPD from PA Consultinghighlighted the need anddesire for better informeddecisions on risk andcost/benefit before policyannouncements are cleared.This is already happeningthrough a combination of

changed culture andincentives; with Ministers andofficials knowing that deliverywins more plaudits than newannouncements; injectingfrontline experience intopolicy development; and morerigorous use of planning tools(e.g. trajectories as promotedby PMDU and riskassessment championed by OGC).

Second, the requirementunder the 2002 SpendingReview for all PSA targets tohave delivery plans has led toa step change in the volume –and the quality – of planning.PPM can help ensure thatbetter planning is matched by improved implementation.

Third, OGC has been moreactively supporting thoseresponsible for theGovernment’s most significantprogrammes and projects,ensuring for example thatexperienced high calibre


Leversand ExcessBureaucracy


18

● What programmes and projects do youcurrently have in the department?

● Is there effective integration of policyand implementation?

● Is there the project and programmecapability to meet current and planneddelivery commitments?

● Do you perform risk assessment toidentify the right level of Ministerial andManagement Board oversight andgovernance? Do you have anexperienced SRO for each high-riskprogramme?

● Are there additional policy/PSA deliveryareas that you should manage asprogrammes?

● Where will the centre of excellence sit in the organisation and how will it relateto other internal functions? Which Boardmember will take responsibility for itsestablishment?

● What skills will you need within thecentre of excellence? Do you haveaccess to the right expertise from withinor will you need external recruitment?

● How will the centre of excellence be implemented and its purposecommunicated to the department,including details of support available?

● How will its impact be measured?

3 Using a tool such as the OPSR/RIU Policy Effects Framework. Contact OPSR for more information.

SROs are in place for keyprogrammes.

Finally, the Office of PublicServices Reform (OPSR),working with the RegulatoryImpact Unit (RIU) anddepartments, has built on theIPPD work to develop a set of measures to reduceunnecessary bureaucracy on the frontline. In the HomeOffice, Department of Health,DfES, Department forTransport and Office of theDeputy Prime Minister,

departmental policydevelopment processes arebeing reformed to include:

● smart delivery planningapplying appropriate PPM;

● a frontline ‘gateway’to control the flow ofadministrativerequirements andterminate or combineexisting requirements,supported by quantifiedimpact assessment ofcosts and benefits;3 and

● an effective frontlinefeedback mechanismappropriate to specificdelivery.

Key Questions for Implementing PPM Support Structures and Culture


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Other Sources of IPPD Documentation and Support

Creating Departmental Centres of Excellencewww.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp

Centres of Excellence – Core Functions Departmental Assessmentwww.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp

Example Business Case www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp

Further guidance on Business Case developmentwww.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/workbooks/businesscase/buscase.html

SRO Briefing – see ‘Key Issues’ section on the OGC Successful Delivery Toolkitwww.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/keyissues.html

OGC Successful Delivery Skills www.sds.ogc.gov.uk

The IPPD Offer Part 2:Toolkits and Processes Departments need a clear setof tools to deliver programmesand projects. A morestandardised approach within a department helps to:

● reduce misunderstandingsas there is consistent useof language;

● ensure Ministers and topmanagement receiveconsistent, useable data;and

● enable staff to movebetween projects withouthaving to start fromscratch.

The IPPD Policy toSuccessful Deliveryframework (Figure 4 overleaf)offers a simple way into PPMtechniques to help improvedelivery. It takes usersthrough each stage of a high-level delivery cycle, includingGetting Started, DeliveryPlanning, Delivering andCompleting.

Policy to Successful Deliveryoffers guidance on theactivities needed during eachphase. It provides advice,templates, practical examplesand essential productsthroughout and challengesusers with options to adopt as appropriate to their owncircumstances. A style sheetis incorporated so theframework can be branded for different departments.

The value of the framework todepartments will be enhancedenormously if it is integratedwith departmental PPM

Policy to Successful Delivery is available at:

www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp orwww.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/keyissues/getting/delivery.html

It can also be obtained on the Successful Delivery Toolkit CD-ROM through the OGCService Desk: 0845 000 4999, e-mail [email protected]



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Figure 4

training. In addition, theframework is being used as the basis for a number of CMPS training anddevelopment courses on improving delivery, in particular ProgrammeManagement for Policy Staffand Programme Management

for Fast Streamers. Seewww.cmps.gov.uk.

Individual skill assessmenttools e.g. those availablethrough the OGC’sSuccessful Delivery Skillsframework,www.sds.ogc.gov.uk, can be

used by line managers andindividuals to identify PPMtraining and developmentneeds and ensuredevelopment activities are used effectively.

IPPD recognised that central units weredeveloping a number of sources of deliveryguidance and took steps to ensure thatthey are complementary and notcontradictory. The Policy to SuccessfulDelivery framework is aligned with theDelivery Planning Guidance issued by HMTand PMDU in August 2002. It is integratedwith the OGC Pocketbook, drawing onmany of its tools and techniques. It provides the links from the policy arenato the tools and techniques in OGC’sSuccessful Delivery Toolkit. Finally, it

complements the PMDU Toolbox byproviding a PPM lifecycle approach to implementing delivery plans.

The OGC Successful Delivery Toolkitand Pocketbook are available viawww.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit

The PMDU Toolbox is available viawww.pmdutoolbox.gsi.gov.uk (only forthose with access to the GovernmentSecure Intranet).

Co-ordinating with Other Guidance


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● Who should use the framework? Shouldit be made mandatory?

● How will the purpose of the frameworkbe communicated to staff?

● What training will they require?

● How will you ensure the ‘lightnessof touch’ is appropriate to programme/project risk?

● Will your department’s centre of excellence adapt the framework to your needs e.g. by including its own procedures and models on the framework?

● How will the framework’s usefulnessbe monitored?

Key Questions for Implementing a PPM Framework

The IPPD Offer Part 3:People and SkillsTo get the most out of PPMstructures and toolkits youneed a culture that supportsdelivery and the right skills atall levels of the organisation.Changing the culture of largeand complex organisations isa major undertaking: thesteps outlined here are ofcourse just one part of thewhole transformation.

Ministers and ManagementBoards will want to bereassured that thedepartment’s HumanResource (HR) strategy willgenerate the right PPM skillsto meet their business needsboth within the Senior CivilService (SCS) and below.Cabinet Office CorporateDevelopment Group (CDG) is supporting departments tomodernise their HR functions.

CMPS, part of CDG, hasestablished a centre ofexpertise to provide tailoredadvice to help departmentsimprove their HR strategies.

Removing Barriers toEffective PPMDuring 2002 CDG pursued a number of initiatives whichare helpful in promoting allskills, including for PPM.

First, in July 2002, therecruitment rules werechanged so that departmentsno longer need to involve theCivil Service Commissionersdirectly in the majority of SCSrecruitment and additionalflexibilities have beenintroduced. CDG has alsomade available todepartments expert support in recruitment, for examplethrough call-off contracts withhead-hunters.

To improve data held onpeople and skills CDG hasgathered skills/experienceprofiles, for the top 150 SCSin the first instance. These arebeing analysed in early 2003with a view to collectingsimilar information aboutpeople at Director levelafterwards. Somedepartments are collectingand using data for their own

staff. As part of its move to project-based working, the Department for Culture,Media and Sport (DCMS) isdeveloping a database of staffskills, knowledge, experienceand interest.

At the macro level, with thehelp of HMT and OPSR,departments are preparingPay and WorkforceStrategies to ensure theyhave the right capabilities –including PPM skills – andcapacity in place to reformpublic services and deliver thePSA targets. CDG is leadingon the workforce strategy forthe Civil Service.

Research commissioned fromTowers Perrin by OPSR andCDG examined perceived HRbarriers to recruiting,rewarding and deploying staffto generate the right PPMskills to meet businessdemands. The findings –some of which werediscussed with PersonnelDirectors in October 2002 –were broadly that:



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● flexibilities already existwithin the current rules –e.g. over pay and bonuses,and promotion in post –the key is to exploit them;

● there is room for greaterprofessionalism in ourrecruitment approach e.g. pooling resources and improved candidatehandling;

● there is a serious shortageof data about individuals’skills and insufficientconnection betweenpredicted business needsand workforce strategies,both in departments andcentrally; and

● delivery is still notsufficiently valued in theCivil Service culture incomparison with policy-based work. There isinsufficient careermanagement for PPMexperts and too few seniorrole models.

CDG, OPSR and OGC haveresponded to the new issueshighlighted by this IPPDresearch. To provide HRsupport to PPM specialistsand relate performancemanagement and associateddirect and indirect rewardsattached to delivery roles,OGC and CDG aredeveloping parallel strategies to:

● establish a PPMspecialism under PeterGershon, Chief Executive,OGC. This will providefocused help, advice andsupport for PPM experts to develop their skills andcareers, with theexpectation that PPMbecomes second nature to the Civil Service and thattalented programme andproject managers advanceto the highest ranks of theSCS. Collating informationcentrally on specialistscould facilitate betterexchange of people andlearning betweendepartments. Thespecialism will be takenforward from April 2003;

● inculcate PPM skillsacross the wider SCSas part of mainstreamdelivery competences. As a foundation, a matrixof PPM roles andcorresponding SCSbehaviours and key skillshas been developed. It isintended to guidemembers of the SCSentering the PPMenvironment and will formpart of the informationrequired to establishparameters to help in therecruitment (internally orexternally) of people withthese valuable skill setsand inform performancemanagement and pay.

For example, CDG’sreview of the JobEvaluation for SeniorPosts system, to becompleted by March 2003,will help to ensure PPMroles and responsibilitiesare reflected in SCS jobweights. Depending on the nature and scale of the programme orproject in question, theseroles and skills maysometimes apply to staff at grades 6 and 7.

The roles are:

● Investment DecisionMaker (IDM);

● Senior ResponsibleOwner (SRO);

● Project Sponsor;

● Project Manager; and

● Project Reviewer.

The framework will helpdepartments build their SCSskills base and can be usedto underpin development,performance management,recruitment and deployment.


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Training Needs AnalysisTo understand the gapbetween existing deliveryskills and those needed tomeet business needs,departments may need toconduct a Training NeedsAnalysis. This should result in

an integrated plan to fill skillsgaps and meet developmentneeds. Development planscan be drawn up forindividuals, project teams, key staff groups or the wholedepartment, helping to buildcapacity.

CMPS can help withdesigning and conducting a needs analysis, as well as designing tailored trainingsolutions and helping youensure the training is appliedand evaluated.

Further Information

CMPS Centre of [email protected], or [email protected]

Towers Perrin reports www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp

PPM Specialism [email protected]

SCS Roles and [email protected] or [email protected] or visit www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp

For more information on Training Needs Analysis contact [email protected]



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In Autumn 2002, the Home Office andCMPS undertook a high level analysis of itsPPM skills needs and related issues, in twoDirectorates – Immigration and Nationality,and Anti-Drugs Strategy.

Findings recognise that there is widevariation in PPM-related activity, awarenessand understanding and whilst much hasbeen achieved there is a need for:

● a dedicated PPM strategy to supportdirectorate business plans;

● PPM seminars for all staff to raiseawareness, focused on priority businesstargets;

● targeted in-depth PPM training andsupport for project teams, priority groupsand SROs, improving learning andcommon understanding through debateand the application of PPM concepts,tools and techniques to work issues;

● development of in-house capability to provide PPM consultancy expertise;

● a detailed skills audit of priority postswithin directorates and theestablishment of a PPM skills register to identify levels of knowledge, skillsand expertise for key groups;

● the development of stronger links withthe Home Office’s PPM Support Unit,Opportunities, Training andDevelopment Unit, HR and IT; and

● the development and maintenance of links and networks with othergovernment departments.

Under the banner of its Touchstone changeprogramme, DCMS is implementingchanges to embed a project-based workingculture across the Department.

CMPS was commissioned to equip all staffwith the PPM skills required to work in aproject-based culture. The trainingprogramme includes a specially designedcourse Think:Project! that CMPSdeveloped to cover the application of end-to-end PPM from policy through to deliveryand includes strategic commissioning withthe DCMS-sponsored bodies.

As a part of the commission, CMPS hasadapted the IPPD Policy to Successful

Delivery framework specifically for DCMS.The model applies PPM principles for eachstage of the project lifecycle, askinggeneric and specific PPM questionstailored to DCMS’s work. It also provideslinks to the DCMS intranet enabling usersto pull down templates for project planning,monitoring, reporting etc. and will beaccessible to the whole department.

In addition to the CMPS commission,DCMS is also developing a database ofstaff skills, knowledge, experience andinterest, implementing DCMS-specificPPM training and effecting the necessaryculture change.

Further information on this work can be obtained frommartin.o’[email protected] and [email protected]

Further information on this work can be obtained [email protected] and [email protected]

Case Study – Home Office Training Needs Analysis

Case Study – Department for Culture, Media and Sport


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Following on from its key role piloting anddeveloping the SRO Masterclass with OGCand CMPS in 2002, the Home Office iscreating bespoke workshops on:

● risk management;

● stakeholders and communication; and

● business cases and benefits realisation.

Workshops are for individual SROs andproject teams. As well as being educationalthey help project teams to produce uniqueproject management regimes.

Skills DevelopmentTraining and development areuseful building blocks but it isthe experience of doing thingsthat transforms capability. So,for example, PPM deliveryroles are now a required partof fast streamers’ postings.The thrust of training anddevelopment is changing: toprovide more on-site, projectspecific workshops andevents to solve real businessproblems, not just givetheoretical grounding.

Improved delivery requiresenhanced skills at all levels indepartments. Leadership fromthe top is crucial but so is the availability of skilled andconfident PPM staff outsidethe SCS. The remainder ofthis section outlines some ofthe training and developmentofferings currently available.

SCS Training andDevelopmentA ‘menu’ of existing andplanned training anddevelopment opportunities,matched to the roles andskills, will be available insummer 2003. Programmes

are being constantlydeveloped and updated.Examples include:

● Leading for Delivery –five-day programmefocused on a delivery casestudy investigating bestpractice in deliveryleadership;

● Introduction to CorporateLeadership – five-dayleadership programme fornew members of the SCSwith a strong emphasis onthe use of PPM and otherdelivery techniques;

● Developing TopManagement – ten-dayleadership programmecovering all the aspectsrequired of leaders in thedelivery environmentincluding a strongprogramme leadershipmodule; and

● SRO Masterclass events –developed and piloted withthe Home Office to allowyou to explore the issueswith an experienced SROand build a peer network.

Many of the CorporateProgrammes utilise simulationexercises, for example theProject ManagementChallenge; SRO simulationmodules on the CorporateProgrammes; and variousmodules in the Delivery Skillssuite of training which will beavailable for SCS in 2003.

Improved PPM Training fornon-SCSMany of the crucial postsand roles in programme andproject delivery are non-SCS.Departments need toencourage delivery skills atall levels of the organisation.

OGC’s Successful DeliverySkills FrameworkDepartments should adoptthe benchmark standards forPPM skill levels set out inOGC’s Successful DeliverySkills (SDS) programme. The programme, designed to improve delivery skills forstaff below SCS, has beendeveloped incorporatingfeedback from the lessonslearned through the OGCGateway process. It aimsto help departments to plan

Case Study – Innovation – Home Office PPM workshops

For more information contact [email protected]



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skills development moreeffectively and individuals toidentify development needsand build their skills in anorganised manner. Training is available through the SDSscheme run by ASTUTE andmanaged by OGC.

Those emerging through theSDS programme will receivea Skills Passport which willaccredit individuals to thebenchmark PPM roles andresponsibility levels. The SDSbenchmark skills levels willeventually be incorporatedinto PPM job specificationsand recruitment requirements.

The components of SDS are:

● The Skills Framework –detailing the 26 skill areasand their detailed subjectcontent consideredessential as the minimumbenchmark standard;

● The Maturity Matrix –setting out a benchmarklevel for each skill area setagainst a range ofcommon project roles;

● A Skills Analysis Tool –enabling departments toestablish the current skilllevels of their staff andidentify whereimprovements could be made;

● A Supporting Training andDevelopment Scheme –using best-in-class trainingsuppliers, available fordepartments to accessvia a framework contract;

● The Successful DeliverySkills Passport Scheme –enabling participants tomaintain a record of theirachievements anddepartments to identifyexpertise; and

● A Programme ofContinuous ProfessionalDevelopment – ensuringparticipants’ skills are keptup to date and/orextended.

CMPS Training on PPMThe improved supply of PPMtraining from the CMPS CivilService College includes:

● Programme Managementfor Policy Staff: designedfor policy staff involved in managing thedevelopment and deliveryof complex policyinitiatives;

● Programme and ProjectSupport Office: for thoselooking to establish a new,or re-align an existing,support office;

● Programme Managementfor Fast Streamers:designed to give anappreciation of the toolsand techniques involved inprogramme management,as applied to the deliveryof complex policyinitiatives;

● Managing SuccessfulProgrammes (MSP): for programme owners,managers and teammembers wishing todemonstrate their ability to apply OGC’s MSPguidance by sitting aprofessional examination;and

● the SRO Masterclass,which may also berelevant where aprogramme’s SRO is below SCS.

Other Sources of TrainingPPM training is available from other sources. TheAssociation of ProjectManagement Group Limited(APMG) has worked inpartnership with OGC todeliver practitioner trainingthrough Accredited TrainingOrganisations and approvedtrainers, based on OGC bestpractice and operationalguidance in PRINCE2,Managing SuccessfulProgrammes and theManagement of Risk.

APMG also providesRegistered Consultantsqualified to assistorganisations in theintroduction of this guidance.These schemes are beingexpanded by OGC to provideincreased support for theestablishment of centres ofexcellence in departments.For example, the CharteredManagement Institutequalification will provide aframework of qualificationsfor centre of excellence staff.


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Further Information

CMPS training and development opportunities for [email protected]

CMPS SRO and PPM simulation [email protected]

Support for Successful Programme and Project Management booklet for SCSwww.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp

Successful Delivery [email protected] www.managed-l.com/ogc.htm – training from ASTUTE

CMPS PPM training for all staffwww.cmps.gov.uk

● Do you understand your currentdepartmental PPM skills base and theskills required to deliver your business?

● What measures does your departmenttake to ensure staff have access toexperiental learning and developmenton the job?

● Have you got the right people assignedto your most important projects?

● Are you using the benchmark standardfor PPM skills assessment as specifiedin the SDS Programme?

● Does your department’s training provisioncover PPM sufficiently? Could you makemore use of the tailored products CMPScan provide?


Key Questions for Improving Skills and Capacity


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Project success can bepredicted on the basis of riskagainst capability tocommission and manage theproject. With low capabilityand high risk, the chances ofsuccess are less than 10 percent. The KPMG ProgrammeManagement Survey 2002shows that where there is a strong programme officefunction the project failurerate reduces from 80 per centto 20 per cent. The Office of Government Commerce(OGC) is pushing to reduceproject risk through anapproach to commissioningand managing projects thatscales back size andcomplexity and avoids ‘big bang’ approaches.

Reducing risk also involveslearning from past mistakes.This section describes somecommonly encounteredproblems and possiblesolutions.

Using Programme andProject Management in thePolicy Environment

What is the Problem?In the past, policy making hasbeen seen as too inward-looking, with more emphasison policy advice and

legislation than onimplementation, and littleor no link between policydevelopment andimplementation. This view isalready long out of date: thereis near universal pressure toimprove policy making anddeliver high quality services to make a material differenceto people’s lives. Programmeand project management(PPM) is a proven means of increasing your chances of effective delivery. Butsometimes there can bereluctance to adopt PPMbecause it is stereotyped as difficult, unnecessarilybureaucratic, a constraint oninnovation and insufficientlyflexible to cope with the realityof a political environment.

What is the Solution?Research commissioned byImproving Programme andProject Delivery (IPPD) andCMPS in 2002 shows thatthere are many examplesacross government wherePPM is being used tofacilitate effective policymaking and implementation.The research examined fivecase studies and drew outgood practice as identified bythe practitioners themselves.

An overriding message fromthe research was that therigid application of PPM willnot work. Rather, the key tosuccess is to apply theguiding principles of PPMintelligently to avoid excessbureaucracy. As a generalrule, the more complex thepolicy and larger the scaleof the task, the greater thedegree of formal PPM was applied.

According to people indepartments already usingthis approach, the benefitsof PPM are that it:

● helps to managecomplexity and uncertainty– two commoncharacteristics of thepolicy-making process. For example, the disciplineof compiling a risk registerand recording key risks in a Project InitiationDocument can provide a well-informed basis forearly discussions withMinisters about risks and benefits of differentpolicy options;

4 Common Problems andOvercoming Them

The full report and summary findings are available at www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page5625.asp


● means planning andcommunication arestronger, decisions arerecorded, roles arearticulated; stakeholdersand their interests areidentified, risks aremanaged anddependencies are made explicit;

● provides a better evidencebase for submissions toMinisters – especially forrisk assessment, resourceallocation and timetablesfor delivery;

● contributes toorganisational change, tothe motivation, job contentand career paths ofindividuals and to thelearning and intelligenceof the organisation; and

● forces foresight into thepolicy process, ensuringend-to-end policymaking,where implementation anddelivery are consideredfrom the start withstakeholder and frontlineinvolvement.

Managing ProgrammesAcross the Line

What is the Problem?Government departmentsare traditionally structured‘vertically’, with each line-management chain ofcommand having directcontrol over staff andbudgets. But almost withoutexception, programmes andprojects require ‘horizontal’work across internal andexternal departmentalboundaries.

What is the Solution?Effective cross boundaryproject working enablescomplex interdependent tasksto be broken down intomanageable elements. Keyprinciples of effectivemanagement across the linewere discussed at an IPPDworkshop, with senior stafffrom 12 departments, inSeptember 2002. They are set out below.

Governance – Programmesneed formal governancestructures that work for allparties involved, consideringaccountability, roles andresponsibilities,communication/reportinglines, guidelines for decision-making and conflictresolution.

Practical steps that havehelped in departmentsinclude:

● securing leadership fromthe top;

● piloting formal governancesystems in one or twoprojects;

● getting buy-in to theprinciples of PPM ratherthan issuing over-prescriptive guidance; and

● communicating clearstructures foraccountability, resourceallocation and foridentifying, escalating and resolving differencesof view.

Accountability and resourceallocation – Horizontalmanagement requiresstrategic decisions to be made at a higher levelbased on overalldepartmental priorities. For example, divisional or unit heads may be required to free up their ‘own’resources to contribute to a cross-cutting outcome.Getting the incentives right and agreeingcollaborative objectives are important to ensuremanagers and teams workfruitfully together.

Practical steps include:

● recognising and rewardingcollaborative behavioure.g. sharing resources andresponsibility; and

● engaging partners from thedelivery chain in planningto ensure that plans arerobust and that focus isalways on delivering theoutcome, not just writingthe plan.

Roles and responsibilities –need to be clearly delineatedto enable individuals andteams to understand howtheir day-to-day outputscontribute to the achievementof a larger, more complexoutcome. Clarity on desiredoutcomes and individual teamroles also highlightsinterdependencies thatrequire effective co-ordinationwith others to achievetheir aims.


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Practical steps that havehelped in departmentsinclude:

● robust action plans,agreed and owned by allparticipating units/departments to crystalliseorganisational objectivesand individualresponsibilities; and

● early communicationbetween the frontline anddepartments to mobiliseenthusiasm and ensureengagement.

Performance management –In a formal matrix structure,individuals have twomanagers: a ‘line manager’responsible for theirdevelopment, appraisal andcareer development; and aproject/programme manager,who manages their day-to-day workload.

A practical step that hashelped departments run thesearrangements effectively is:

● a robust appraisal systemto ensure that individuals’contributions to a rangeof projects are captured,with recognition for co-operative behavioursthat enable delivery.

Further information on managing programmes across the line is available on the OPSR GSI website www.cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk/opsr/progdelivery.htm


Office of Public Services Reform22 WhitehallLondon SW1A 2WH

Tel: 020 7276 3600Email: [email protected]: www.pm.gov.uk/opsr

© Crown copyright 2003

The material used in this publication is constituted from 75 per cent postconsumer waste and 25 per cent virgin fibre.

Publication date: February 2003

The text in this document may bereproduced free of charge in any format ormedia without requiring specific permission.This is subject to the material not being usedin a derogatory manner or in a misleadingcontext. The source of the material must beacknowledged as Crown copyright and thetitle of the document must be included whenbeing reproduced as part of anotherpublication or service.

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