Developing a Project
Management System
Using Project Agency Template
Approach
Developing your own Project Management System.
Project Agency has worked with many organisations helping develop project management capability of their staff.
This has included developing project management systems (PMS) for staff to use on projects. A PMS is a written document which gives guidance (some mandatory) to staff on how to manage and deliver projects within their organisations.
Project Agency has reviewed many of these PMS’s and has developed a quick and practical method – The Template Approach – to producing a customised project management system. Firstly though what are the benefits of having a PMS? These include:
° providing guidance for staff at all levels of the organisation on how to manage and deliver projects effectively
° greater project success - research from KPMG shows that those
organisations that “keep to the rules” have a higher project success rate than those who have no such system
° providing a common language for all staff to use ensuring there are no misinterpretations
° providing common forms (templates) for use across projects ° ensuring risks are identified and clearly acted upon
° better estimating and assessment of project resources
° providing tools with wide application – across projects as well as with business as usual activities
Developing a PMS involves a change in the way people operate – at the project management level, the senior management level at the stakeholder level and at the strategic level. It is imperative therefore that you take these (and other) groups along with you. Project Agency Template Approach does just this.
Project Agency has developed a simple process for organisations to own and manage its own PMS. It can be modified to fit your unique circumstances. Developing your own PMS will provide you with the basis for ensuring that current and future projects are delivered consistently and to an agreed standard.
Stages in the development of a PMS for your organisation
Stage 1 Agree with chosen project sponsor the project objectives and outcomes required by the organisation. Document and put onto a PID, obtaining formal sign off
Stage 2 Internal action; identify stakeholders from within the business to help create your own unique PMS. We suggest around 20 key people
Stage 3 Hold 1st stakeholder workshop (2 hours) where we explain the role of those selected
Stage 4 Individuals answer questions based around the written PMS – focussing on the appropriateness to your business
Stage 5 Project Agency collate all the answers to questionnaires
Stage 6 Project Agency distribute the answers from the questionnaires to stakeholders
Stage 7 2nd stakeholder workshop (2 hours) where we identify priorities which will contribute to Version 1 of the written PMS
Stage 8 Project Agency produce agreed Version 1 of the PMS including project management templates
Stage 9 ・ Project Agency design training for the PMS
・ Internal activity; you identify those people who need to be trained – focus here are those people engaged in key organisational projects
・
Stage 10 Roll out project management training
See flowchart on page 5 for what each stage means.
NOTE: we can customise the above process to fit your needs. Call us to
discuss these in more detail on 020 8446 7766
Benefits of Project Agency Template Approach
it saves you reinventing the wheel; by building on Project Agency experience and that of other organisations. This will avoid you in making mistakes and building on what has worked.
this approach overcomes a key problem; taking stakeholders along
with you. Introducing your own PMS is a change project. This means
you will need to engage with stakeholders in your organisation. Project Agency’s methodology ensures you engage with stakeholders and using their skills to help in the introduction of the change.
informing the training I; if you have a PMS you will need to spend some time training people in its use. A written PMS will help identify the content for a project management event or series of events. It will help you target key organisational issues e.g. your company may have an issue around say risk management. The course can emphasise this once it is clear it needs to do so
informing the training II; as well as identifying what you should train people to do the written PMS will help you to target your training budget. How? It will help you to target the right people -ensuring the right people attend the right programmes. We have seen people on project
management training events that are not involved in a project and will not be in the foreseeable future. Our PMS approach will help you overcome this problem
the PMS is purpose built for you and your company. It will help you to have something that is fit for purpose for you and which will be owned by you alongside changed by you and your staff
the overall process will be owned by you and run by you and
your staff. Through some simple train the trainer sessions we can train
your staff to run the courses, deal with the PMS and it’s future, help you to set up a project office. Project Agency will step aside and let you own and run the overall process
* The approach can be customised to meet any specific needs you have
Project Agency designs training to support PMS
Roll out project management training
Identify
stakeholders with sponsor send out PMS & check sheet
(2) 1st stakeholder workshop [2 hours] (3) Collation of check sheets by Project Agency (5) Individuals answer questions based on PMS. Send to Project Agency (4) Distribute outcomes from check sheets (6)
2nd stakeholder work shop.
Version 2 of PMS produced (7)
Agree project definition, budget, deliverables, plan etc with sponsor
(1)
Produce final version of PMS alongside blank and sample templates (8)
