E-News
from Human Systems
Human Systems’ knowledge-sharing network proved to be an invaluable source of experience from organisations who had already achieved best practice in their key focus areas. This financial services company also found that they enjoyed helping others to learn in those areas where they themselves excelled.
“One of the best aspects of working with Human Systems,” they revealed, “Is that the relationship is such that you can always pick up the phone and say ‘What would you do in this situation?’ Human Systems is much more flexible than a normal consultancy and they are there when you need them.”
To find out
more about Human Systems’
work in the financial services area, please email teaguet@humansystems.net
All companies working regularly with Human Systems will be well versed in methods and models for running Change Improvement Programmes. However, in spite of the expertise we all share, it is too easy to overlook the basics – and these are often the elements that can make the real difference!
Human Systems’ leading tips for success are:
- Manage the improvement process as a project - ideally as a model project - under the control of a respected project or programme manager
- Remember the importance of the role of sponsor!
- Link improved delivery capability to corporate goals so that people can see why it is happening
- Identify senior 'process champions' to own the improvement and adoption of specific aspects of the delivery cycle - e.g. Start-Up
- Ensure that improvement goals are written into personal objectives and are linked to reward
-
Set timetabled milestones so that people know when the next measurement
will be
- Make the improvement process a topic at every team meeting
- Communicate regularly about what is going on and highlight successes
For a more tailored discussion on improving your corporate improvement programme, call:
| UK - +44 (0) 207 290 2766 | Australia - +61 2 9960 7005 |
| US - +1 206.284.7085 | South Africa - +27-11-463-6456 |
Or
email: info@humansystems.net
Human Systems' research shows that project metrics are an important indicator of an organisation's ability to deliver projects, including their new products and services, and that they ultimately affect success ratings in turning strategy into reality.
Recent results have shown a number of interesting conclusions:
- It is encouraging that so many organisations are seeking to find ways of collecting reliable data more efficiently
- Whilst results vary by country and by industry sector, considerable work is needed to improve the quality of project management metrics
- Lack of reliability and poor integration into mainline financial and business systems results in multiple "versions of the truth"
- It is likely that much effort and resource will be wasted in generating these multiple views
- It is also probable that they will be the cause of regular disagreement between finance managers and project managers as to what the metrics imply
- Metrics are commonly circulated to the people who need to receive them, but in view of their lack of reliability this may not be of much assistance to the quality of decision-making
- Considerable attention is paid to screening projects to check that business cases are benefits driven before approval is given, but there is a lack of reliable mechanisms to track them later, so one could be forgiven for feeling that this might be wasted effort!
To
find out more about effective use of metrics, email info@humansystems.net
The
challenge presented by estimating was the topic under discussion at the
Europe Network workshop held on March 14th. After spending a full day
focusing on what best practice comprises in this area, all attendees left
with a new perspective on how their own organisations might build on their
existing levels of success. Guest speakers David Hancock, an Executive Director for Halcrow Group Ltd and Mike Brown, Head of the Centre for Project Management at Rolls Royce, shared their own experiences and how these have influenced their particular views on estimating.
| What the attendees had to say about the workshop… “Enlightening and v.v. useful - now realise have access to an informed network with which to share experiences and learn lessons.” “Interesting to hear what others are doing and that they have similar issues.” “Impressed by the openness and willingness to share information.” “Some very practical solutions and thought provokers. |
David Hancock developed and ran the opportunity-risk process for the £3.5bn Heathrow Terminal 5 Project - a project that offered some fascinating tales that all could learn from!
Mike Brown offered invaluable advice on the positioning and process of estimating at different stages of a project life cycle, and its relationship with other project management issues such as strategy, scope, time, resource and risk.
To view both presentations, members can click here.
Non-members should contact teaguet@humansystems.net
All attendees will receive Human Systems’ white paper on planning and estimating. To request a copy, click here.
Human Systems' Asia Pacific network held a workshop at the University of Technology Sydney focusing on
-
Team building, motivation and reward - how are they inhibited?
- Coaching and Mentoring - remotely? or side by side?
- How does knowledge transfer?
- How do you measure how skills have been transferred?
The workshop included 8 presentations from members including
-
Practitioner Development – issues from Rethinking Project Management
-
Lessons learned from using a Development Centre to encourage behaviour change
-
Teambuilding and demonstrating behavioural change
-
A journey to best in class
-
Building people management capability
-
Experiences in building a coaching organisation
If you are interested in demonstrating or reviewing the business benefits offered by a Project Support Office (PSO) function, please complete this 15 minutes survey and we will send you a copy of the results.
The survey is intended for completion by people in organisations that currently have some form of project or programme support office. A similar survey was conducted in 2002 and was completed by representatives of major organisations worldwide. We have kept the majority of the questions the same so that trends can be tracked.
You will find that the questions in this survey will help you to understand the wide range of approaches that can be taken and the positioning of your own corporate PSO function. The survey has been designed to take you no more than 15 minutes to complete.
Arthur D Little used its third Global Innovation Survey to evaluate the untapped potential of innovation and identify what excellent companies do. Their analysis was focused on the most innovative companies (best 25% in each industry sector) to identify best practice in Innovation Excellence.
This research mirrors the results from Human Systems’ own research and underlines the importance and value of our work to both measure and overcome obstacles to success.
To apply for Arthur D Little’s full results click here
To
find out how Human Systems can help your organisation
identify which of these areas might be relevant to your organisation
and how to improve, contact us now at info@humansystems.net
Lynn Crawford
With a background as architect, project manager, regional planner and
policy adviser, and with qualifications in human resource management and
business administration, Lynn Crawford has considerable experience both
as a project manager and as an adviser to project based organisations
on human resources, strategic and business planning and development issues.
As Director of the postgraduate Project Management Program at the University of Technology Sydney for six years, Lynn was actively involved in its development. She has been Project Director for several major research projects funded by the Australian Research Council, in collaboration with industry, in areas of project management competence and the management of multiple, interdependent and soft projects and continues to conduct research in these areas with support of industry partners. Ongoing research includes assessment and development of project management competence.
Lynn is a world authority on project management competence. She was a member of the Steering Committee for the development of Australian National Competency Standards in Project Management and is currently leading initiatives aimed at development of global standards for project management. These initiatives involve all major project management professional associations, recognised leaders in project management and representatives of global corporations.
Ongoing research and practice includes working with leading organisations that are developing their organisational project management competence by sharing and developing knowledge and best practices as members of a global system of project management knowledge networks.
Lynn
is founder and Managing Director of Human Systems Asia Pacific, which
has been established for over 7 years.
To supplement our face-to-face workshop programme, Human Systems is now staging regular Webinars for members of all global networks.
The
Pharma and Biotech network has already held two of these; the first focusing
on Improving Project Management Competence and the second
on Organisational Project Management Maturity & Infrastructure.
If
you would like to receive summary reports from these webinars, please
email allports@humansystems.net
To
check you are listed to receive regular information from Human Systems,
including invitations to webinars, please email delsignored@humansystems.net
Project
Lessons -
|
23/24 May '06 The
Hilton |
Many organisations methodically record 'lessons learned' from projects, but few seem to re-use the learning when it comes to starting new projects! Over these two days, we will consider why this is often a weak area and the role of organisational culture in knowledge management. |
Dealing with Uncertainty and Ambiguity Asia Pacific network |
5/6 Jul '06 | This
workshop includes new ways of looking at risk management and project
trouble shooting. Workforce planning approaches/methods across projects,
programs, and portfolios will also be covered. |
5TH ANNUAL GLOBAL WORKSHOP Achieving
Superior Capability within a Global Marketplace |
6/7
Sept ‘06
Bristol,
UK. Hosted by AXA-Sun Life |
Global
issues increasingly affect even those organisations operating primarily
at a national level. At this 5th Annual Global Workshop, Human Systems
focuses on how organisations can build critical capability most
effectively at both national and international levels.
Areas to be considered may include competence; governance, monitoring and control; and managing virtual teams. We will explore each topic in depth, looking carefully at how superior capability can be achieved within a world that is increasingly ‘connected’ and where traditional boundaries are becoming blurred. |
Managing Multiple Projects – Challenges for the Organisation Pharmaceutical & Biotech Network Workshop |
10/11 Oct '06 The Villanova Conference Center Radnor PA, USA |
This workshop will focus on multiple project management, looking at
current trends, differences by sector, by type of project or by other
dimensions. |
| Earned
Value Europe
network |
28 Nov ‘06
The Hilton |
Increasingly, the use of Earned Value Management (EVM) is being mandated for appropriate projects. We look at what this means for network members, and hear from organisations that use EVM's powerful predictive qualities to demonstrate that investments are meeting planned cost, schedule and performance goals. |