PHILOSOPHY / APPROACH

FUNDAMENTALS FOR SUCCESSFUL PROJECT OUTCOMES

Our Philosophy

‘Win-Win’ is essential for all stakeholders – The Management process must respect and support the diversity of business ‘drivers’ and recognize that Individual success is not mutually exclusive of Project success. Project Management must create and enforce a non-adversarial environment in which the business needs of all stakeholders are respected while aligned with and integrated into the Project’s success factors .

Success begins Early – By Creating the Conditions for Success, we initiate projects by deploying the ‘right’ resources in the ‘right’ amounts while implementing the ‘right’ processes that will help ensure success. Prevent problems rather than solve them!

You have to Measure it in order to Manage it – We believe projects must have measurable success metrics that are then compared with accomplishments and effort to indicate performance.

Coordination, Control, Communication … are the primary ‘Deliverables’ of the Project Management process. Projects seldom – if ever – fail for Technical reasons. People and teams know ‘how’ to do it – but failure in knowing ‘what’ to do, by ‘whom’, ‘when’, and/or without success criteria – are the ‘usual suspects’ in poor project performance

Coordination

Define What is to be done, Who is to do it, When it is to be done and When it is to be completed, and With what resources and tools. A Strategic Execution Plan that maps Tasks & Sequences, Roles & Responsibilities, Expectations & Deliverables.

Control

Establish Success Criteria and measurable Performance Metrics, measure progress and performance, compare Effort vs. Results, Planned vs. Actual, Analyze gaps, Trend to ‘At Completion’, and suggest mitigation measures.

Communication

Get the Right information to the Right people – at the Right time, and in the Right format. Convert Data » Information » Actionable Intelligence!

Talent

Knowledgeable, motivated, and committed to your success.

Techniques

Industry standards, Professional and Business ‘Best Practices’ for organizing, optimizing, and managing project steps and operations.

Technology

State of the art technology solutions for mapping and streamlining workflows, business processes, and determining progress while determining performance.

Our Focus and Approach

Fundamentals for Successful Project Outcomes

Organize…
Develop Work, Organizational, and Cost Breakdown Structures. Identify Deliverables, Responsibilities, and Workflows via a Strategic Execution Plan incorporating Cost, Resource, and Task integration in a CPM model

Optimize – Map and Model…
Identify tasks and decisions required for Project execution – then sequence and identify Critical Interfaces and Dependencies affecting them . Identify opportunities for streamlining, dropping redundant tasks, elimination of ‘touches’, shortening durations, and/or paralleling of tasks. Make best use of Resources through Load balancing’, Leveling, task re-sequencing, or added allocation.

Create appropriate Expectations…
Base the Execution Plan and Baseline Budget upon realistic capabilities and proven strategies. By beginning with the ‘right numbers’, you enable your team to function as managers rather than attempt to be magicians.

“The 3 C’s”: Projects seldom fail from lack of technical ability or ‘know how’; project failures are most often failures of coordination, control, or communication.

Measure and Analyze…
To Manage it you must Measure it! Set project goals using measurable success criteria; compare results to effort/cost; extrapolate effort/cost vs. results; mitigate deficiencies; replicate successes. Distinguish between progress and performance; Earned Value Management provides objective and measured simultaneous assessment ‘how much’ is getting done and ‘how well’ it is being done. Determine ‘root causes’ for performance issues.

Identify and Manage Risks/Threats…
Application of effective Risk Management processes will maximize preparedness for and minimize surprise from adverse events – or the lack of presumed/budgeted favorable conditions – that pose unfavorable consequences to project success.

Manage and Deliver Expectations…
Through rigorous enforcement of performance and contractual requirements, By monitoring performance, demanding compliance with a plan, and working proactively to mitigate or overcome difficulties met along the way Change Management protocols manage expectations and defend against Scope ‘creep’, ensuring that the Project is delivered in accordance with established quality and functionality standards.

Trend and Manage…
Show me where I’m going – not just where I’ve been! History and present position is important to know – but knowing where you are headed is imperative. Compare ‘where we are’ vs. ‘where we should be’ vs. ‘where we will be’ if current trends continue. Management – rather than ‘Tracking’ – entails applying methodologies that will influence outcomes – and determine what will happen!

Report and Recommend…
Effective management requires effective communication. Reporting must be Timely, Relevant, Accurate, and Targeted. The right information, to the right people, at the right time! Identify Alternatives with which to mitigate poor performance – or opportunities for leveraging successes.

Who We Work With

Our clients include Fortune 500 and regional companies in both the public and private sectors. Our successes include Capital and Construction, Research and Development, Information Technology, and Strategic Planning projects in several industry sectors.

Derecktor Shipyard | Sanofi-Pasteur | PSEG | Sikorsky Aviation | Kedrion BioPharma | PMA Consultants | Roche | Electric Boat | City of Birmingham, Alabama | Novartis | Alexion Pharmaceutical | PMWeb | United Technologies – Pratt & Whitney | New Line Structures

We Understand Your Challenges

We help you Select, Plan, Initiate, Execute, and Deliver your complex Programs and Projects – with successful outcomes and user satisfaction!