PROJECT GEORGE LOOKING BACK
Addresses: Physical Address: Brickfield Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1401 Postal Address: PO Box 1547, Bedfordview, 2008
EMB PMO Newsletter Issue Customer Care Number: 08600 7 192 783
Email: clientservices@enviroserv.co.za Web: www.enviroserv.co.za
EMB PMO Newsletter Issue 7 May 2014
PROJECT GEORGE: LOOKING BACK T
en months ago project George was initiated. The brief was to create an environment that is conducive for project success at EMB. During the implementation objective was:
process
the
to create a visible project register.
“THe brief was to create an environment that is conducive for project success at EMB.” Looking back we ask ourselves the following questions:
Develop project management standards Support project managers adapt to the new way of managing projects, and enable management in creating a project portfolio that supports the business unit’s growth objectives.
1. DID PROJECT GEORGE ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES?
P
roject George achieved its objectives and was completed on time, as per scope and within budget. The biggest success of Project George has been the creation of a visible and focused project portfolio. For the first time, there is consensus on what projects are in the EMB project portfolio, which projects are a priority and what is the expected value of each project.
Addresses: Physical Address: Brickfield Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1401 Postal Address: PO Box 1547, Bedfordview, 2008
During the implementation process the EMB project register was reduced systematically from over 100 projects to 15. As a result resources were freed to focus on priority projects.
f s o the s e c n suc s bee nd t s a a e igg rge h isible olio. b The t Geo f a v ortf tp jec n o Pro reatio rojec p c sed u c fo
Customer Care Number: 08600 192 783 Email: clientservices@enviroserv.co.za Web: www.enviroserv.co.za
PMO IN NUMBERS
R16 Million SAVED
6 PROJECTS COMPLETED
since Project George implementation
R16 MILLION SAVING in CAPEX budget for future use because of better project prioritisation.
R197K SAVED (APRIL 2014) from cost saving initiatives at Richards Bay operation.
OF THE 15 ACTIVE PROJECTS ON THE PMO,
4 projects are classified as high value projects (> R1.5 million)
2. CAN WE IMPROVE ON PROJECT GEORGE OBJECTIVES?
P
roject George has been closed and there is no project activity, however, it is in benefit realisation stage. This is the time to reflect and track actual project benefits.
The PMO was initially designed with high value long term projects in mind however there are opportunities to manage our day to day business goals. These include:
Managing and tracking our marketing efforts. Managing and tracking small business improvements activities across EMB branches. Improving environmental compliance across branches. Managing and tracking our strategy implementation process.
3.
WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNT FROM PROJECT GEORGE IMPLEMENTATION?
Keep it simple, start small and grow big. The PMO was implemented using a ‘vanilla’ approach with very little enhancements and customisation. Take people along the growth path, Project George had a detailed change management plan Refine and improve as you go along.
Addresses: Physical Address: Brickfield Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1401 Postal Address: PO Box 1547, Bedfordview, 2008
Customer Care Number: 08600 192 783 Email: clientservices@enviroserv.co.za Web: www.enviroserv.co.za
LET’S GET ‘INTERCULTURAL FIT’ DIRK SOEKOE PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR CO-LAB
D
irk Soekoe, a project administrator from our implementation partner Co- lab has been instrumental in assisting our project managers adapt to the new project management environment. In this article, he describes the importance of understanding and adapting to the organisational culture that you are working with. 1) So how do you adapt to different cultures when working with different organisations? Being in the Project Management space I have realised just how important it is to adapt and fit in with your various clients. The very reason that you are invited into a company is to assist in a certain need, but if you cannot fit in your might do more harm than good. It is imperative then that you fit in as quickly as possible so that your expertise could be used to the maximum.
Educate yourself. Read up on organisations and their cultures. Inside Coca-Cola gives many examples of how to conduct business in different countries, how to “get the local culture” and sell successfully to that culture. LEMON Leadership focuses on how to “read people” both in pressurised situations and their normal day-to-day life.
Keep the bigger picture in mind. Collaboration is about working together effectively, not about proving that your own 2) How then can we train ourselves to be way is the right way. Keeping the bigger “interculturally fit”? picture in mind helps when small issues crop up; do not allow the little things to destroy Observe others. How does management long term relationships. behave? How do the directors behave? Look for a common denominator in their As Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General behaviour. Patterns should emerge in says: “Tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and how management treat staff. Look at respect for diversity are more essential than the company values and find those who ever in a world where peoples are becoming actually live them. These are the people that more and more closely interconnected.” understand their own companies’ culture; they have influence and strong relationships with the people around them. They are the ones to focus your attention on, learn from and build relationships with. Know your own values. It is important to know your own values. Being secure in who you are liberates you to focus on who other people are and what their values are.
Addresses: Physical Address: Brickfield Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1401 Postal Address: PO Box 1547, Bedfordview, 2008
Dirk Soekoe Project administrator Co-lab
Customer Care Number: 08600 192 783 Email: clientservices@enviroserv.co.za Web: www.enviroserv.co.za
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY
Projects thrive in healthy project management communities. These are made up of project managers, project owners, project sponsors, the PMO and other project stakeholders. The success of these communities is often characterised by the factors below: 1. Project changes are communicated at all times. The PMO is the central source of project information. Project scopes and baselines are set so that progress and value is monitored. Any changes in the project are formally logged through the PMO either as a decision or a scope change.
3. Project owners and sponsors are highly involved. Project sponsors champion projects to executive management; owners make sure that projects are adequately resourced. Project managers are aware of how sponsors like to receive information and often ask the following question: What is the information telling me?
4. Disciplined adherence to project life cycles and standards. These are: Initiation, Planning, Execution and Benefit realisation. Project managers understand the minimum requirements for moving from one life cycle stage to the next and adhere to 2. Project Managers reports are on them. time, accurate and informative. This is enabled by standards which govern project management. Project “Project Managers reports are on owners and sponsors are updated at time, accurate and informative. least once in two weeks through simple dashboards that are generated when This is enabled by standards which project information is updated. The govern project management.� information in the report is used for discussions and decisions making. These are: Initiation, Planning, Execution and Benefit realisation. Project managers understand the minimum requirements for moving from one life cycle stage to the next and adhere to them.
Addresses: Physical Address: Brickfield Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1401 Postal Address: PO Box 1547, Bedfordview, 2008
Customer Care Number: 08600 192 783 Email: clientservices@enviroserv.co.za Web: www.enviroserv.co.za
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is a project risk? A: A project risk is an uncertain event that may have an impact on project objectives. Q: What is a risk assessment? A: The overall process of risk identification, risk analysis and risk evaluation. Q: When do I do a risk assessment? A: Risk assessment is done throughout the project life cycle. It is done in the context of the projects and should be reviewed and monitored to determine if the trigger has occurred and mitigation strategies were effective. Q: What is an issue? A: an issue may be a problem, a gap, an inconsistency or a conflict that a project manager wants communicated and addressed in a project. It might affect the project meeting its objectives. Q: What is the difference between an issue and a risk? A: Risks have a probability of happening and plans can be developed to manage them proactively. Issues on the other hand are dealt with as they happen or have already happened, they do not have a probability but will have an impact , for example being unable to find qualified staff is an identifiable risk, however if one of the staff is in a car accident and hospitalised for 3 weeks, it becomes an issue. Proactive risk management was crucial for the success of Project George .Plans were put in place to manage foreseeable risks (lack of executive buy in and support, availability of key staff members, availability of project related information and customised configuration). Issues were resolved as they happened.
Addresses: Physical Address: Brickfield Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1401 Postal Address: PO Box 1547, Bedfordview, 2008
Customer Care Number: 08600 192 783 Email: clientservices@enviroserv.co.za Web: www.enviroserv.co.za