Accelerate Quick start guide

February 2016

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IntroductionAccelerate brings together tools from the disciplines of service design, architecture and agile project delivery.

This guide is designed to get project managers and sponsors (senior responsible officers) up and running as quickly as possible, and describes one possible path through Prepare.

This guide covers:

Starting (page 2) Tailoring Accelerate (page 7) Hot tips (page 10).

Intended use Accelerate is intended to support experienced project team members in delivering benefits faster. Existing delegated authority, responsibilities and accountabilities continue to apply, including the Treasury investment management processes.

Who this guide is for

This quick start guide provides guidance for:

sponsors, and project leaders

as they:

start an Accelerate project tailor the Accelerate tools, likely resources and approach.

It is strongly recommended that people who are new to Accelerate read the Accelerate Overview as well as this guide.

Tailoring Accelerate

The goal of tailoring Accelerate is to apply a level of project management and control that:

does not overburden the project, and provides an appropriate level of oversight given the risk,

complexity and significance of the project.

Follow the phases, choose your tools

All the Accelerate phases and stages are considered in every project.

However, the effort and formality for each stage needs to reflect the project’s size, complexity and uncertainty.

Effective use of Accelerate relies on the sponsor and project manager using their judgement to decide which tools will best benefit the project, and to what depth to complete the stages.

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StartingGet a coach and/or navigator

All sponsors and project managers of Accelerate need to start by asking the Accelerate team at accelerate@dia.govt.nz for a navigator and or an Accelerate coach.

Starting Once the project has a navigator, start Prepare by:

1. Confirming your starting point in Table 2 on page 3 (A, B, or C).2. Following the instructions from that point.3. Using the Accelerate toolkit to clarify any stages as required.

Roles for Prepare

Prepare involves a small number of people (typically 3 - 7) who form an ad-hoc team for 4-6 weeks to explore the proposed plan of action, and to develop the concept brief and the business case A3 summary. For a small business-as-usual project Prepare may be as short as 2-3 weeks.

The team typically involves a project lead, an enterprise architect, a business architect, a service designer and business subject matter experts.

Contact your Accelerate navigator in GCIO to discuss your team for Prepare.

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Figure 1: Possible roles during Prepare

Engaging future critical roles

The following resources need to be identified by the end of Prepare so they can be engaged for subsequent work:

the core team (when practicable, this team will include the members of the Prepare team):○ product owner○ architecture owner○ project manager

key personnel (the larger or more complex the project, the greater level of experience required – see Table 1 below):○ Accelerate navigator○ assurance contact○ EPMO contact.

Table 1: Requirements for personnel

Factor Response

Complex stakeholder landscape More experienced project manager and sponsor

Complex business change More experienced project manager and sponsor

Complex technical landscape More experienced architecture owner and technical leads

Complex operations and product

More experienced product owner

Larger team More experienced project manager

Inexperienced team More experienced project managerMore engagement with navigator and subject matter coaches

Contact people for communication in supporting teams also need to be established, for example in EPMO, Assurance, SDLC groups, Security, ICT review boards.

Table 2: Summary of steps in Prepare

A Start here if you:

are starting to investigate the strategic rationale for a proposal.

Objective Why How

1. Clarify the strategies and objectives that guide this work.

To understand the strategic environment that surrounds this project along with the key reasons for the investment.

Conduct an ecosystem scan.Review the strategic objectives of the participating agencies to create a strategic objectives map.Map the proposal to the strategic objectives of

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Objective Why How

This is the base of the conversations with stakeholders and participating organisations.

participating organisations identifying main value contributions.Output: strategic value map.

B Start here if you: understand why the proposal is important

are starting to investigate the details of the opportunity.

Objective Why How

2. Understand the problem or opportunity

To start researching the basic facts of the problem or opportunity to test the evidence and create the initial fact base for subsequent work.This helps the project understand the Customer, their pain points and the opportunities and constraints for the stakeholders.

Review the relevant strategy and investment objectives in the strategic value map.Conduct a problem definition (such as an investment logic map (ILM) or problem trajectory) workshop.Listen to the voice of the customer (service design research).Create a cause and effect diagram (aka fishbone diagram), or a root cause analysis for the proposal.Output: problem trajectory, cause and effect diagram, or ILM diagram.

C Start here if:

the opportunity is already understood (e.g. ILM workshops have been completed).

Objective Why How

3. Create a clear description of the problem or opportunity

To understand and present the “problem”, its root causes and the associated symptoms.This forms the core of the case for change and identifies the potential benefits that could be realised by the proposal.

Research previous ILM materials if available.Interview staff and customers for key facts about the current state situation.Output: A problem trajectory diagram.

4. Understand the business environment

To understand the business ecosystem, the customers, providers and the interactions and relationships between them.This reveals the business “landscape” and allows us to understand the drivers for each of the parties, their perspective and

Conduct an ecosystem scan of the participating organisations.Review information from the previously created investment logic map or project trajectory diagram.Conduct workshop with subject matter experts to understand the business environment.Output: Business context, collaboration, and interaction diagrams.

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Objective Why How

involvement.

5. Share the concept brief with participating organisations to validate and update the material.

To validate with stakeholders and customers the initial thinking about the problem and options.Provides an early opportunity to understand the view of the participating organisations regarding their priorities and constraints.

Create a concept brief from the information created in the previous steps.Create a summary business case on a page to act as an early draft of the concept brief materials.Present to stakeholders the business case on a page as “initial thoughts” to seek early reactions and corrections.Refine the concept brief and business case on a page in light of feedback.Output: Initial version of the concept brief and business case on a page.

6. Start tailored communications with stakeholders and customer.

To tailor stakeholder and customer engagement activities to their current attitudes towards the proposal.This is to engage customers and stakeholders early in the design phase, shape their attitude to the proposal and identify areas of highest value.

Review business context.Review stakeholder attitudes to the concept brief (from step 5).Categorise the influence and interest of stakeholders.Update business context diagram with feedback on current and desired viewpoints of stakeholders.Develop a customer and stakeholder communication plan.Output: Initial stakeholder communications plan.

7. Identify the proposal’s investment priority and value for the participating organisations.

To provide a view of how the proposal supports the investment objectives and priorities for participating organisations.This is a key part of the “what’s in it for me” for each organisation and forms the base of the engagement conversations with stakeholders and any agreement about participating in the “coalition of the willing”.

Research investment priorities and strategic goals for each of the participating agencies.Conduct an ILM benefits workshop; orConduct a workshop with subject matter experts from the business to understand Investment objectives and strategic priorities and map the proposal to those.Conduct a ‘5 Whats’ workshop with subject matter experts to understand the value proposition for each participant.Write a WIIFM for each of the stakeholders and share with the relevant organisation.Output: Initial investment objectives map for the proposal and a completed WIIFM document.

8. Identify a range of feasible approaches to fulfil the proposal.

To identify the initial range of feasible strategic interventions along with assessment of the relative merits and drawbacks.

Project workshop to identify and assess feasible solutions and identify the preferred approach.Output: Options analysis table

9. Identify the To identify how much Review the problem and business context

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Objective Why How

service design needed for the proposal.

service design input is needed for during Discover.

material with a service designer to identify the service design opportunity in Discover.Output: A service design proposal and resourcing plan for Discover.

10.Identify the solution concept for the preferred option.

To describe the conceptual solution identifying key building blocks and areas of business change for customer and agencies.This identifies the capabilities required by the preferred option and any major areas of business and technical complexity. This provides material to help procurement.

Project workshop to review problem statement and business context diagram and develop technically feasible approaches for the preferred option.Output: A description of the conceptual solution.

11.Create an initial approach for procurement of necessary components.

To develop procurement, market engagement and negotiation strategies (if required) and plan for procurement activities during Discover.This allows early engagement with the market, identification of new approaches and possible supply options.

Engage the procurement team and review the problem statement, conceptual solution description, and business context diagram.Output: Procurement, market engagement, and negotiation strategies documented (if required), and a procurement schedule for Discover.

12.Seek funding and support from stakeholders for Discover.

To summarise and present the material in the project concept brief for endorsement and support by stakeholders.This forms the base of any mutual agreement to contribute resources.Includes estimated budget for Discover.

Update the concept brief and related materials.Conduct a project workshop to develop the material for the business case on a page.Create and present a summary of the concept brief and business case on a page tailored to the stakeholders for endorsement.Output: An agreement to proceed and contribute resources to Discover.

Once Discover is approved

Following approval to proceed to Discover, the lead agency engages with their EPMO to formally establish the project during Discover.

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Tailoring AccelerateGoal of tailoring

The goal of tailoring Accelerate is to apply a level of project management and control that:

does not overburden the project, and provides an appropriate level of oversight given the risk,

complexity and significance of the project.

Accelerate navigators can advise on how to tailor the project.

Considerations The sponsor or project manager tailors the approach by considering the complexity of the problem, the level of uncertainty of the outcome and approach, and the possible impact of the project. They need to bear in mind:

understanding the project is key to keeping the project manageable

extra care is required for projects with a large impact.

Possible factors to consider are given in Table 3.

Table 3: Factors to consider when tailoring Accelerate

Complexity factors Outcome uncertainty factors Effect factors

Process The degree of variability in the

process and business rulesOrganisational Change The number of agencies and

branches involved The degree to which the project

is changing attitudes and behaviours

Multi-disciplinary The number of business groups

involved in the delivery The range of resources requiredStakeholders The number of stakeholders

involved The degree of divergence

between stakeholder goalsTechnical The number of technical systems

requiring change or integration The level of legacy system

involvement in the MVP

Customer Our level of understanding of the

high value features Our level of understanding of the

customer journeys Our level of understanding of the

customer groupsOrganisation Level of understanding of the

processes involved Degree of change required for

the processProject The predictability of project and

resource costs Level of understanding of the

system componentsResources Availability of appropriate skills

and resources Availability of relevant previous

experience Availability of relevant knowledge

of the system

Organisational impact The extent of the

project impact on the operations of the branch or agency

How constrained is the project end date

Financial size Size of project

budget The level of

financial commitment post-project

Customer impact The extent of the

project impact on the customers

Political impact The political

significance of the outcome

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Considering complexity and uncertainty

The size effect The size of the project amplifies the effect of complexity and uncertainty. The larger the potential impact, the more formal the recommended approach and communication.

As a matrix Accelerate can be tailored to address varying levels of uncertainty and complexity (see Figure 2). Each of the quadrants is discussed below.

Figure 2: Accelerate’s approaches to complexity and outcome uncertainty

High complexity, high uncertainty

When the assessment shows the project and its business ecosystem will be complex, and the path forward is uncertain, consider:

separating the project into smaller, simpler components and taking more steps to build the total solution

using more rigorous and formal analysis tools to research the evidence

setting up more formal engagement and communication processes with stakeholders

engaging stakeholders in planning and benefits planning with frequent updates as more information becomes available.

The following are strongly advised:

strong governance and external assurance adherence to methodology experienced leaders and team members.

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High complexity, low uncertainty

When the assessment shows the project and its business ecosystem will be complex, and the path forward is certain:

use:○ workshop approaches with larger groups from multiple areas○ more formal documentation○ wider socialisation of the workshop output

make sure the problem statement is clear take care with stakeholder communications and commitment consider using prototypes to research areas of business and

technical complexity.

The following are recommended:

external assurance more formal project governance an experienced project team.

Low complexity, high uncertainty

When the assessment shows the project and its business ecosystem will be simple, and the path forward is uncertain, consider:

multiple smaller workshops with a variety of groups to explore the situation and share insights and materials with the team

several prototypes.

Low complexity, low uncertainty

When the assessment shows the project and its business ecosystem will be simple and the path forward is certain, consider:

an early release of the first MVP, and with quick iterations based on customer feedback

less formal methods of analysis and communication lighter governance and assurance activities simpler project documentation.

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Hot tipsGet an agile or Accelerate coach, or a navigator

Using coaches and navigators is strongly recommended in Accelerate.

In Accelerate, a ‘coach’, including an agile or Accelerate coach, is someone with experience who can mentor less experienced practitioners.

An Accelerate ‘navigator’ is someone based XXX(where) who has been specifically trained to support the sponsor, project manager and other core roles who are using (or deciding whether to use) the Accelerate framework.

Where to find a coach

To find an agile coach, approach the professional services of (in preferred order):

the lead agency other participating agencies other stakeholders.

To find an Accelerate coach or navigator:

ask the Accelerate support team at Accelerate@dia.govt.nz.

Collaboration and the business case

How to get buy-in

When multiple agencies are involved in the outcome, it is important to develop the business case with a lot of engagement with agencies’ representatives. A jointly-created business case that presents their voice and objectives along with those of the lead agency will cross the negotiation phase more quickly than one where it is developed in isolation.

The hurdles Common reactions to the urgency created by deadlines are to:

reduce the emphasis on collaboration reduce the scope of the material considered.

These actions:

bias the business case towards the concerns of the lead agency weaken the group commitment and endorsement of the

investment lengthen the negotiation period for business case approval.

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The importance of co-location

Co-location is important in Accelerate. Ideally, the whole team will all be located in the same place – not just the same office, but literally sitting side by side. This may cause some inconvenience, and require management intervention in order to achieve it, but it is worth it.

Why is co-location important?

Having co-located teams:

reduces coordination overheads speeds up communication fosters closer working relationships, creates the opportunity

for continuous collaboration enables face-to-face communication ensures progress boards are visible to the whole team strengthens team spirit increases the immediately available knowledge.

These factors, over the course of a project, can make or break it.

Co-location benefits

The benefits of co-location are:

fewer misunderstandings when people talk with each other, compared to telephone or written communication

conversations can occur immediately individuals become a team by being in the same space while

working on something together. Also any team issues become clear earlier, and can be resolved earlier.

So co-location means:

less misunderstanding fewer work blockages becoming more efficient as a team greater information sharing.

More information

See more on this and other topics at www.allaboutagile.com/5-reasons-why-agile-development-must-be-driven-from-the-top.

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