time to change? how to shape the profession for tomorrow
DESCRIPTION
This was a presentation given by Amanda Clack, Fellow of the APM and PM practitioner for over 25 years. Amanda is also the Senior Vice President of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The presentation was given to the Northern Ireland membership and guests on Thursday 13th November 2014 at The Mount Conference and Business Centre in Belfast. Amanda's presentation considered the future of project management and how we all need to think differently as professionals to achieve the APM vision to "create a world in which all projects succeed" which forms part of the APM Strategy 2020. Whilst at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as a partner, Amanda led a report entitled “Portfolio and Programme Management 2014 Global Survey”. In this session Amanda will explore with us some key findings from this report and share with us her personal views on what the profession needs to do to change to start to achieve the APM Strategy 2020 vision.TRANSCRIPT
The Future of Project
Management
Amanda Clack
13th November 2014
Amanda Clack BSc MSc FAPM FRICS FCMI CMC
Tonight’s Objectives
Consider apm’s vision:
Create a world in which all projects succeed
In context of lessons we can learn from the
past (through leading research) to create a
better future…..
…. For our clients, the profession &
practitioners
How can you think differently about programme
delivery?
Agenda • Setting the context
• Data & key findings • Portfolio direction
• Project sponsorship
• Project management capability
• Disclosure and reporting
• Minds of the round table
• Group discussion
• Feedback
Directing Change
2nd edition 2011
5
Co-Directing Change
2007 – being updated
Sponsoring Change
2009
Free to APM members at www.apm.org.uk/memberdownloads
apm GovSIG – Publications to date
When will you think differently
about programme delivery? Do people who commission change
get what they want?
PwC’s 4th Global ppm survey based
on 10 years of data
3,025 respondents
from 110 countries
Respondents by type
19
39
42
Other
Company Senior Manager
Company Manager or staff
18
42
14
8
14
5
Company porfolio or programmemanager
Company project manager
Company PMO manager or teammember
Consultant/Contractor portfolio orprogramme manager
Consultant/Contractor projectmanager
Consultant/Contractor PMOmanager or team member
7%
35%
59%
C-Suite
Portfolio &
Programme
Managers
General
Employees
Base: 1,775
North America 30%
Latin America 9%
Africa 6%
Australasia 5%
Middle East 4%
Asia 18%
Europe 28%
Base: 3,008
Organisation
Number of employees (%)
14
10
7
7
18
10
34
Less than 50
50 to less than 250
250 to less than 500
500 to less than 1,000
1,000 to less than 5,000
5,000 to lesss than 10,000
10,000 or more
Type of organisation (%)
Public
15%
Not for profit
4%
Private
80%
Other
1%
Base: 3,019 Base: 3,021
PwC Report Findings:
Report highlights five themes for doing things
differently:
1. Optimising portfolios to maximise returns
2. Be flexible and responsive to change
3. Enable people to deliver
4. Connecting the organisation to programme delivery
5. Using information and insight to maintain direction
Interpreting the findings
• Portfolio direction • Project sponsorship
• Project management capability
• Disclosure and reporting
Directing Change
2nd edition 2011
Portfolio Direction
This component seeks to
ensure that all projects
are identified within the
one, sustainable
portfolio. This portfolio
should be evaluated and
directed mindful of the
organisation’s aims,
constraints, resources
and capacity for change.
When you commission change/change is commissioned in your organisation, to what
extent are business outcomes clearly defined and measurable?
2
5
19
13
27
19
15
2
3
11
10
30
19
26
Don't know
Not clearly defined
Defined but not easily measurable orunderstood by the business
Clearly defined and measurable but notwidely understood
Clearly defined, generally understood butdifficult to measure
Clearly defined, measurable andunderstood by all staff
Clearly defined, measurable andunderstood by all staff and customers
C-Suite General Employees
Most respondents believe that business outcomes are defined at
the outset of change programmes
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 1,223; C-Suite: 196; General Employees: 1,027
What has prompted your organisation to stop a large transformational change
programme?
4
8
11
15
12
12
13
20
24
31
6
5
10
2
20
17
22
21
28
42
Other
No programmes were stopped even though inhindsight it might have been a good idea
We have not needed to stop any programmesbecause they were the right thing to do
Don't know
Programme not on track to deliver
Recessionary pressures resulting inorganisational change of direction
Programme not aligned to strategy
Recessionary pressures limiting resources
External influences (e.g. Regulatory, Customerchange of behaviour, technology)
Change in strategy or corporate direction
C-Suite General Employees
C-suite respondents are clearer about the reasons for calling a
halt to large-scale change programmes
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 1,206; C-Suite: 193; General Employees: 1,013
Reflecting on change activities completed in the last 5 years and sustained visible benefits
you can see today, have the changes been worth the investment?
39
10
51
13
9
82
Don't know
No
Yes
C-Suite General Employees
The majority of respondents state that change activities completed
in the last 5 years have been worth the investment
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 1,199; C-Suite: 191; General Employees: 1,008
Interpreting the findings • Portfolio direction
• Project sponsorship • Project management capability
• Disclosure and reporting
Directing Change
2nd edition 2011
Project sponsorship This component
seeks to ensure that
project sponsorship
is the effective link
between the
organisation’s senior
executive body and
management of each
project. The sponsor
has decision making,
directing and
representational
accountabilities.
How would you describe your workload with regards to sponsoring, leading or working
on change activities?
3
17
6
9
26
39
1
5
4
10
36
45
Don't know
I have no direct involvement in change activitiescurrently
I have been seconded full time to a changeprogramme
I have delegated most of my core tasks and focuson change activities
I have delegated some of my core tasks in orderto take on project responsibilities
I have full time core task responsibilities and fitchange activity commitments in as an addition to
that workload
C-Suite General Employees
Two fifths fit change activity commitments in and around their full
time core task responsibilities
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 1,249; C-Suite: 199; General Employees: 1,050
Do you feel that the way change governance is structured provides a basis for you to
make a valuable contribution?
63
22
12
3 0 1
45
26
20
5 2 3
Yes, I feel my inputalways adds valueto the programme
Partly, my input isfocused, but I am
sent lots of detailedinformation to read
through
Sometimes, wheremy input is neededis not always clear
Sometimes, I getinvited to too many
meetings when Ijust listen
No, I often havelittle to add
Don't know
C-Suite General Employees
Two thirds of C-Suite respondents are confident that their input
always added value to the programme
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 1,064; C-Suite: 190; General Employees: 874
To what extent does ‘change the business’ activity impact your ability to effectively
deliver ‘run the business’ activities?
Minor - my business activities are not impacted 6%
Don't know 1%
Contained - the core functions are re-distributed but I have additional responsibility to oversee others doing my tasks
4%
Manageable - but I have to prioritise my time and conflicting demands
52%
Significant - the change programme takes a disproportionate amount of time
20%
Very significant - I have too much to do in the time available 18%
3%
1%
2%
49%
27%
17%
C-Suite
Half of respondents indicate that the impact of ‘change the business’
activity is manageable
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 495; C-Suite: 89; General Employees: 406
General Employees
Interpreting the findings • Portfolio direction
• Project sponsorship
• Project management
capability • Disclosure and reporting
Directing Change
2nd edition 2011
This component seeks
to ensure that the
teams responsible for
projects are capable of
achieving the
objectives that are
defined at project
approval points and
use that capability to
improve governance
and outcomes.
How is the success of change activities measured in your organisation?
C-Suite
General Employees
Financial metrics
65% 57%
58%%
C-Suite & Employees
Customer satisfaction metrics
42% 40% 40%
Time metrics
19% 24% 23%
Delivery of documented outcomes
26% 21% 22%
Employee satisfaction
23% 17% 18%
Successful embedding of change
22% 15% 16%
Don’t know
3% 9% 8%
Finance, customer satisfaction and quality are the top 3 metrics
used to measure the success of change activities
Base: C-Suite and Employees: 1,222; C-Suite: 193; General Employees: 1,029
Quality metrics
31% 33% 32%
To what extent do you agree or disagree that an appropriate baseline exists to measure
all benefits?
11%
39%
21%
40%
5% 4%
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know
Half of PPM respondents agree that an appropriate baseline exists
to measure all benefits
Base: 1,747
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
14
16
3
3
44
45
9
9
Decision making across theportfolio is supported by objectivecriteria and quality data to ensure
alignment to the organisation'spriorities
The boundaries of theorganisation's portfolio are clearly
defined
(%)
Neither/
nor
22%
23%
Don’t know
7%
7%
Only half of PPM respondents agree that the boundaries of the
organisation’s portfolio are clearly defined and decision-making is well
supported
Base: 1,701
Disagree Strongly disagree Strongly agree Agree
Interpreting the findings
• Portfolio direction
• Project sponsorship
• Project management capability
• Disclosure and
reporting
Directing Change
2nd edition 2011
This component seeks to
ensure that the content of
project reports will
provide timely, relevant
and reliable information
that supports the
organisation’s decision
making processes,
without fostering a
culture of micro-
management.
It is important for the
organisation to
distinguish between key
drivers of success and
key indicators of success.
Regular verbal updates and clear exception based status reports are
the most popular ways to brief the C-suite
Which three of the following would you choose to be kept informed of your portfolio of
change?
4
31
36
37
37
41
46
63
Other
Live 'portal' to see programme updates
A plan on a page
A 'RAIDD' log*
Financial reports
Data driven reporting
Clear exception based documentatedstatus reports
Regular verbal updates/ presentations
NB. Only C-Suite answered this question *Risk, Assumptions, Issues, Dependency log and Decision Register
Base: 193
Please identify a maximum of 7 Project/Programme/Portfolio Management Office (PMO)
services for your organisation
Base: 1,768
22
23
23
24
27
28
36
49
54
63
Identify, select and prioritise new projects
Conduct project audits
Promote project management within organisation
Implement and operate a project information system
Allocate resources between projects
Participate in strategic planning
Coordinate between projects
Develop and implement a standard methodology
Monitor and control project performance
Report project status to upper management
Reporting project status to upper management is the top PMO
service for PPM respondents,
This chart shows the top 10 Project/Programme/Portfolio Management Office (PMO) services selected by respondents. Please note that 14% of respondents state that they either do not have a PMO or didn’t know which services it provides.
Base: 1,746-1,753
Less than half of PPM’s stated that where benefits are set they are
very often or always realised
How often would you say the following reflects practice?
6
14
10
9
1
3
2
2
42
27
29
25
40
27
33
30
6
24
20
28
Where benefits are set, are benefits realised?
Where benefits are set, my organisation monitorsand measures benefits?
Tangible benefits are identified from a variety ofsources and linked to the new ways of working,
and outputs from programmes and projects
Value for money is sufficiently considered throughan options appraisal, when developing the
business case
(%)
Don’t
know
6%
6%
5%
7%
Rarely Never Always Very often Sometimes
Summary Findings
The case for doing things
differently CEO’s believe keeping up with rapid pace of
change is one of most demanding challenges
Little has changed in 10 years – familiar issues
have still not been addressed
There is often a disconnect between the
Executive Team and PM’s
Get to :Yes” : “Do people who commission
change get what they want”
Some familiar issues have not
changed: Get the basics right
– Ensure alignment with organisations strategy;
– Plan more effectively at outset of programmes;
– Resource with properly skilled professionals;
– PPM is a profession – give proper training;
– Good communication is more than top down;
– Undertake project reviews and learn from what
went wrong/right.
Some familiar issues have not
changed: Develop different ways of delivering your
portfolios
– Optimise your portfolio to maximise return;
– Be flexible change faster;
– Enable your people to deliver success;
– Connect the Executive Team to programme
delivery team to get change you want;
– Measure and address the harsh facts.
Five themes to do things differently:
Optimise your portfolio to maximise return;
Be flexible, change faster;
Enable your people to deliver success;
Connect the Executive Team to the
programme delivery teams to get the
change you want;
Measure and address the harsh facts to
maintain direction.
Top 3 reasons for project failure:
Optimise your portfolio to maximise
return
Optimise selection of programmes;
Ensure programmes support organisational
objectives – and stop those that don’t;
Have a portfolio management function –
right people, process & tools;
Build an ‘ideas pipeline’ for new
programmes.
Using a clear methodology removes ‘gaming’
from the prioritision process & selection of
change programmes
Be flexible, change faster
‘What’ is about PPM process - ‘How’ will
make real difference;
Plan for change from outset and create
right environment for change.
Being flexible to change faster requires the
right – Leadership; Strategy; Culture and
Behaviours
Be more flexible in approach – be brave, and
well informed
Enable your people to deliver
success Executive Teams need to be committed
and PM’s need to be more demanding!
Programmes must be properly resourced –
capability & capacity;
Get team dynamics right;
Train PM’s properly – PPM is a profession;
Provide right tools and software as key
enablers.
Enabled people deliver change
Connect the Executive Team to
the programme delivery teams to
get the change you want;
Show commitment and use professional PMs;
PMs:
– Be more forceful in driving change;
– Drive right behaviours;
– Bridge strategy formation and delivery;
– Take responsibility for working closely with
project sponsors.
Results will improve if there is a closer
understanding & working arrangement
Measure and address the harsh
facts to maintain direction
Get the basics right and:
– Align benefits to delivery plans;
– Invest in programme management
resource;
– ‘Stop and reflect’ – take a pause if needed
to reset;
– Know when to stop programmes.
Programmes must measure progress,
identify risks and tackle the difficult issues,
changing course where necessary
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Mark A Langley, President & CEO PMI
“This comprehensive report offers a number
of insightful highlights that affirm a great deal
of the recent research we have conducted at
PMI. Read these recommendations and
consider how they relate to your realities. But
don’t stop there. Do something with these
findings. Do it now.”
Minds of the round table – Project
Magazine (Nov 2013) apm Project round table: A world in which
all projects succeed
http://www.apm.org.uk/news/minds-round-
table-video#.VF4VRUsoprc
Group Discussion
What can we do as professionals to “create a
world in which all projects succeed?”
– Discuss: What you have learnt from the session
– Feedback: Your group’s top tip for each of the
following:
What can help make a project successful?
What should we do differently in setting up
programmes?
What can we do differently in delivery?
What are the challenges in convincing clients of what
needs to change?
Some useful links:
apm
– Governance SIG – Delivering Change
–
– Project round table: A world in which all projects
succeed: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDW35Gvg9pQ
Portfolio and programme management
2104 Global Survey PwC : http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/consulting-
services/portfolio-programme-management/global-
ppm-survey-2014.jhtml
Amanda Clack : @amanda_clack
Free to APM members at www.apm.org.uk/memberdownloads
This presentation was delivered
at an APM event
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