Assurance.
Assurance. It has many definitions, but we like to think of it as providing confidence through increased certainty.
Change initiatives (programs and projects) are hard. The unfortunate truth however is that a very large majority of failed projects did not have to have that result. Most issues are foreseeable, therefore, if the program/project has the appropriate assurance measures in place (and the assurance provider has the appropriate experience and expertise), you are well armed to make informed decisions to deliver your project/program successfully. It’s that simple.
Your program/project needs an Assurance Plan. We can guide you through this. It should be commensurate with the criticality of your program/project. Government has a mechanism to determine the “Assurance Level” (utilising a 4-point scale, ranging from simple to complex). In essence, answering several fundamental questions in relation to your organisation and the initiative, provides a solid basis to inform the extent of assurance required.
The next step is creating the Assurance Plan. This is often done poorly (if done at all), and unfortunately the consequences can be significant. The Assurance Plan is an opportunity to set your initiative up for success, and is therefore worth doing right. We are able to do this quickly, and without requiring too much of your valuable time. The Assurance Plan will be designed for your specific needs. We will talk it through with you, ensuring you understand each aspect of it, and ensuring that it aligns with your requirements.
With a robust Assurance Plan in place, you’re on the right path. See below for how we can help you realise the results you’re seeking.
Gate Reviews
Assurance ‘gates’ are critical junctures in the project lifecycle. They’re valuable opportunities to get an independent perspective of whether the project is ready to proceed to the next phase of the project in a way that supports the success of the project. Government applies the Gateway Review methodology, originally developed by the UK’s Office of Government Commerce.
Whilst working for Deloitte and PwC, our Team have delivered many gate reviews for Queensland Government agencies. At DPC Australia, we apply the same quality practices we applied in the past, however the real win for our clients is that our team wholly consists of highly experienced professionals.
For non-government clients, we work with you to ensure the scope of the gate review is applicable for your needs.
Health Checks
Any good trades-person will tell you that you should use the right tool for the job, and as good as gate reviews are, they are only one tool in the kitbag.
Program/projects often suffer due to the length of time between assurance activities, and due to the wrong focus within assurance activities.
Health checks are a great way to “bridge the gap” of time between gate reviews, and providing a ‘sense check’ of the state of play.
With our highly experienced team, we can very quickly provide a snapshot of how your project/program is performing. Our health checks provide you with very specific insights and an actionable roadmap to help you prioritise your efforts.
Deep Dives
“Deep dive” reviews target a specific area of vulnerability or concern. They can also be used to provide greater levels of transparency to an area of dependent activity for other change initiatives. Typically, areas include testing, data migration, and change readiness, but there are no limits.
Our experienced team has conducted many deep dive reviews on highly complex change initiatives. Our team are adept at identifying the pertinent issues within strategies and plans that could derail your efforts. We are also able to quickly reconcile your real progress with your schedule and reporting, to provide greater comfort that you have the appropriate level of transparency to make informed decisions.
P3M Framework Reviews
If you’re having recurring issues with your change initiatives, it is likely that the framework underpinning the approach and direction of projects/programs might be a contributing factor. We can quickly assess the appropriateness of your framework in the context of your organisation and your requirements. We have extensive experience in reviewing frameworks and providing clients with specific recommendations which are easily implemented. Refreshed frameworks that address delivery and governance issues can save you considerable time and effort in avoiding issues in the future.
P3M Maturity Reviews
Portfolio, Program and Project maturity reviews are useful tools to focus your efforts in relation to refining processes and practices. They provide you with specific information required to hone in on nuances within your organisation, thereby enabling you to address the most pertinent things first in order to get “bang for buck”. We have delivered numerous maturity reviews, including for Tier 1 firms, and we understand the importance of providing you with clarity and actionable insights.
Portfolio Reviews
Whilst the focus in programs and projects is “doing things right”, within portfolios it is “doing the right things”. With rapidly evolving market conditions, changing strategic priorities and uncertain budgets, it is understandable that portfolios are often not optimised for what your organisation wants to achieve. We can bring clarity to the ambiguity, and simplicity to the complexity. We will give you the tools to make the informed decisions and increase your ability to achieve strategic objectives.