Delivering the Tranches |
 Managing the Tranches is the combination of processes and activities which keeps the balance between the rates of potential change being delivered by projects with the ability of the organisational to absorb that change. The activities are designed to ensure that controls are in place and working. They also focus on ensuring that the programme remains aligned to the organisations strategic direction. Problems with projects and realising the benefits are managed at this level. |
Objective:
Launch projects defined within the Project Dossier in line with the programme schedule and the dependency network.
Establish the earlier governance framework for the programme.
Detail:
This activity is about bringing the Governance Strategies and plans to life. There may well be changes and additional developments to the plans and processes to actually get them to work effectively.
The schedules of governance meetings should be put into place along with the information gathering that will be required to provide the reporting.
Governance Structure
Task:
Ensure that project governance and structures are clearly aligned with the programme governance.
Establish programme reporting process.
Put in place project assurance plans.
Establish the project gate procedures in line with the framework.
Schedule programme governance boards for the Tranche.
Task:
Ensure that project governance and structures are clearly aligned with the programme governance.
Establish programme reporting process.
Put in place project assurance plans.
Establish the project gate procedures in line with the framework.
Schedule programme governance boards for the Tranche.
Guidance:
Each of the theme management strategies will now be put into place, so the programme governance theme activity is ensuring that they are established and working well, hence the independent check that it has happened can be a useful assurance review.
The programme board may now be changing structure to accommodate the different delivery model for the first tranche, or it may change as it moves into different tranches, in both cases, the terms of reference of the board and the individuals on it should be updated to reflect the change.
Project governance arrangements should be carefully monitored to ensure that they are aligned with the programme, with key project sponsors being included in the programme board when appropriate.
Project Managers should now be appointed and put into place to support the launch of the imminent projects. Training and development needs for Project Managers, boards and team members should be identified and scheduled, along with induction activities to bring them up to speed on the overarching programme.
It is important to monitor dependencies and developments on other programmes for opportunities to improve or problems that can be avoided.
Output:
Independence assurance that the governance arrangements are in place
Revised programme board
Management Control
Task:
Ensure that project definitions clearly align delivery to the programme standards.
Establish business performance reporting.
Re – baseline plans.
Update the programme issue register.
Establish the governance framework.
Mobilise theme plans and establish tracking and reporting.
Establish project reporting process.
Establish the dependency network and monitor effectiveness.
Establish the process for managing tolerances.
Task:
Ensure that project definitions clearly align delivery to the programme standards.
Establish business performance reporting.
Re – baseline plans.
Update the programme issue register.
Establish the governance framework.
Mobilise theme plans and establish tracking and reporting.
Establish project reporting process.
Establish the dependency network and monitor effectiveness.
Establish the process for managing tolerances.
Guidance:
At this point the governance framework is being mobilised for the tranche, so the management of the themes should be in line with the framework with allowances for specific needs of the programme.
This milestone is confirming that the governance is in place and that the programme is established.
There will be a number of plans to mobilise and baseline, this may be under the generic programme plan heading, but the project plans should now be aligned and integrated to show major capability step changes.
Input:
Programme governance strategies
Business performance reports
Project definition information
Project controls document
Programme Issue Register
Programme plans
Project progress reports
Dependency network
Links:
Output:
Dependency network
Programme issue register
Benefits Management
Task:
Ensure clear line of sight between the projects and the programme benefits where possible.
Establish the business performance monitoring for benefits realisation.
Ensure benefit realisation activities have been allocated.
Task:
Ensure clear line of sight between the projects and the programme benefits where possible.
Establish the business performance monitoring for benefits realisation.
Ensure benefit realisation activities have been allocated.
Guidance:
This is the point where the benefits management strategy is deployed.
The controls and reporting of progress should be put into place.
The projects should be creating outputs that can contribute to the realisation of benefits in line with the Benefit profiles and the Benefits Realisation Plan. Project documentation should explicitly explain the connection to the benefits.
The link between project progress and change control and benefits delivery needs to be established, so that project changes are approved based on an impact assessment on the benefits.
Input:
Benefits Management Strategy
Documents:
Links:
Output:
Performance reporting
Stakeholder Management
Task:
Programme launch communications should be undertaken.
Ensure that initial project communications are aligned with programme communications plans.
Establish regular communications bulletins.
Monitor and analyse stakeholder feedback.
Ensure compliance of projects to communications processes.
Task:
Programme launch communications should be undertaken.
Ensure that initial project communications are aligned with programme communications plans.
Establish regular communications bulletins.
Monitor and analyse stakeholder feedback.
Ensure compliance of projects to communications processes.
Guidance:
At this point the stakeholder management strategy is being established for the tranche, a key part of this activity is aligning the project and programme communications.
Good communication opportunities should present themselves with the launching of the projects.
Stakeholder involvement through boards and steering groups can help to enable engagement and involvement in the programme.
The monitoring and review processes should be put into place to ensure effective communications by the programme, project and business change groups.
Input:
Programme Stakeholder Management Strategy
Stakeholder profiles
Communications plan
Documents:
Communications Planning how2guide
Links:
Output:
Updated Programme communications plan
Updated stakeholder profiles
Planning
Task:
Update Programme Plan to reflect more accurate Project Plans.
Establish the programme plan and ensure that the projects understand their contribution to the blueprint is tracked.
Initiate new projects.
Migrate all projects on to the programme control framework for the Tranche.
Task:
Update Programme Plan to reflect more accurate Project Plans.
Establish the programme plan and ensure that the projects understand their contribution to the blueprint is tracked.
Initiate new projects.
Migrate all projects on to the programme control framework for the Tranche.
Guidance:
The Programme Plan and schedule will define which projects are being launched and how they will be resourced. The projects contribution to the Dependency Network should be fully defined and dates agreed between projects. The project control framework should be applied to each project and tolerances defined for the Project Manager. Projects should be launched and configured in line with the Monitoring and Control Strategy. Project filing, naming conventions and configuration standards need to be deployed to ensure the security and compliance to information management standards. Assurance arrangements to review individual project progress should be defined as part of the project initiation.
The establishment of the tranche control framework may require changes within the projects, these could include scope, quality, governance, process or just reporting regularity.
Each project should be aligned to the framework and new projects configured to work consistently, a key area of focus is dependency management, between projects and their impact on other programmes and benefits.
Projects being initiated should join the project lifecycle at the appropriate point with appropriate milestone plans being created, which will provide the basis for tracking project performance.
Output:
Risk & Issue Management
Task:
Ensure the aggregating effect of project and programme risks are tracked.
Establish the risk management framework and monitor effectiveness.
Establish regular risk identification scans.
Undertake risk effectiveness reviews.
Ensure compliance of projects to risk process.
Task:
Ensure the aggregating effect of project and programme risks are tracked.
Establish the risk management framework and monitor effectiveness.
Establish regular risk identification scans.
Undertake risk effectiveness reviews.
Ensure compliance of projects to risk process.
Guidance:
Programme risks can be cascaded down and owned by projects in some circumstances. For other programme risks, projects should be fully briefed to enable them to contribute mitigating actions where appropriate.
Input:
Programme Risk Management Strategy
Documents:
Links:
Output:
Resource Management
Task:
Undertake impact assessment of project resource requirements on programme resource plan.
Establish resource frameworks.
Establish resource reporting.
Implement performance metrics for individual teams and assets.
Implement supply chain monitoring and performance management in line with contracts.
Task:
Undertake impact assessment of project resource requirements on programme resource plan.
Establish resource frameworks.
Establish resource reporting.
Implement performance metrics for individual teams and assets.
Implement supply chain monitoring and performance management in line with contracts.
Guidance:
This is where the resource management strategy and plan come to life.
It is possible that resources may be arriving at the programme and projects in numbers, so it is really important that there are appropriate controls in place to ensure they are being utilised as soon as possible.
It is important not to forget the induction and training programmes. An induction is applicable to everyone, to ensure everybody in the programme understands the context. The training is about raising capability and performance. Once the programme moves into full swing, it may be harder to find the time to do this, so covering training during mobilisation ensures it will get done.
Input:
Resource Management Plan
Resource Management Strategy
Documents:
Links:
Output:
Resource performance monitoring established
Resources deployed
Induction training delivered
Training being delivered
Review schedule for resource management effectiveness
Finance and Business Case
Task:
Revise individual project budgets in line with revised projects.
Allocate funds to appropriate groups.
Establish expenditure tracking and monitor effectiveness.
Ensure compliance of projects to finance process.
Establish financial authorities.
Task:
Revise individual project budgets in line with revised projects.
Allocate funds to appropriate groups.
Establish expenditure tracking and monitor effectiveness.
Ensure compliance of projects to finance process.
Establish financial authorities.
Guidance:
The budgets for the projects will exist in the Business Case. The early development work for the projects will be to establish the viability of their objectives within that budget.
Output:
Commercial
Task:
Ensure supply chain requirements and impacts are reflected in contracts.
Initiate programme level procurement.
Task:
Ensure supply chain requirements and impacts are reflected in contracts.
Initiate programme level procurement.
Guidance:
The procurement team should be involved and supporting this work.
There may already be project related procurements running that will need to be considered along with the impact on current commercial contracts in the supply chain.
Organisations that may not have a long term involvement in the future may lose motivation if not well managed.
Input:
Output:
Supplier contracts
Vision & Blueprint
Task:
Ensure clear alignment between project outputs and the Programme Blueprint.
Project Requirements defined from Programme Blueprint.
Task:
Ensure clear alignment between project outputs and the Programme Blueprint.
Project Requirements defined from Programme Blueprint.
Guidance:
The Vision will be a key part of the launch communications and justification for decision. The first Tranche of projects needs to be clearly aligned to the Blueprint and the intermediate Blueprint to be delivered.
The Blueprint should be underpinning the priorities and direction of the programme. The projects that are being launched will create the intermediate Blueprint at the end of the Tranche. The Blueprint is a critical element and all projects should be defining their context by reference to the Blueprint specifically.
The governance around the Blueprint should be specific to change control to ensure that the impact assessment of changes to projects and business operations are being captured.
This will include organisational changes that are outside of the programme scope, as the Blueprint could be undermined by changes elsewhere.
Input:
Blueprint for the Programme
Programme plans
Project Dossier
Output:
Project Requirements defined
Senior Responsible Owner
Task:
Authorise new projects and any major changes.
Task:
Authorise new projects and any major changes.
Guidance:
You should be looking for assurance from the Programme Manager and the BCMs that the right projects are being launched. There are likely to be problems that you will need to intervene in or provide advice. Don't get too actively involved but beware, failure often starts here.
Input:
Output:
Theme tasks for Senior Responsible Owner:
Governance Structure
Task:
Ensure that project governance and structures are clearly aligned with the programme governance.
Establish programme reporting process.
Put in place project assurance plans.
Establish the project gate procedures in line with the framework.
Schedule programme governance boards for the Tranche.
Guidance:
Each of the theme management strategies will now be put into place, so the programme governance theme activity is ensuring that they are established and working well, hence the independent check that it has happened can be a useful assurance review.
The programme board may now be changing structure to accommodate the different delivery model for the first tranche, or it may change as it moves into different tranches, in both cases, the terms of reference of the board and the individuals on it should be updated to reflect the change.
Project governance arrangements should be carefully monitored to ensure that they are aligned with the programme, with key project sponsors being included in the programme board when appropriate.
Project Managers should now be appointed and put into place to support the launch of the imminent projects. Training and development needs for Project Managers, boards and team members should be identified and scheduled, along with induction activities to bring them up to speed on the overarching programme.
It is important to monitor dependencies and developments on other programmes for opportunities to improve or problems that can be avoided.
Inputs:
Documents:
Setting Up Governance how2guide
Links:
Outputs
Business Change Manager
Task:
Approve the requirements and ensure they deliver the capability for benefits.
Task:
Approve the requirements and ensure they deliver the capability for benefits.
Guidance:
You should be taking an active interest in the initiation of projects and signing off project design and delivery documents to ensure they meet your requirements. You should also be ensuring that you have reliable representation on the project boards and steering groups.
Input:
Output:
Theme tasks for Business Change Manager:
Benefits Management
Task:
Ensure clear line of sight between the projects and the programme benefits where possible.
Establish the business performance monitoring for benefits realisation.
Ensure benefit realisation activities have been allocated.
Guidance:
This is the point where the benefits management strategy is deployed.
The controls and reporting of progress should be put into place.
The projects should be creating outputs that can contribute to the realisation of benefits in line with the Benefit profiles and the Benefits Realisation Plan. Project documentation should explicitly explain the connection to the benefits.
The link between project progress and change control and benefits delivery needs to be established, so that project changes are approved based on an impact assessment on the benefits.
Inputs:
Documents:
Links:
Benefits Management Techniques Page
Outputs
Stakeholder Management
Task:
Programme launch communications should be undertaken.
Ensure that initial project communications are aligned with programme communications plans.
Establish regular communications bulletins.
Monitor and analyse stakeholder feedback.
Ensure compliance of projects to communications processes.
Guidance:
At this point the stakeholder management strategy is being established for the tranche, a key part of this activity is aligning the project and programme communications.
Good communication opportunities should present themselves with the launching of the projects.
Stakeholder involvement through boards and steering groups can help to enable engagement and involvement in the programme.
The monitoring and review processes should be put into place to ensure effective communications by the programme, project and business change groups.
Inputs:
Documents:
Communications Planning how2guide
Links:
Stakeholder Management Techniques Page
Outputs
Programme Manager
Task:
Appoint the Project Manager and approve the Project Plans.
Task:
Appoint the Project Manager and approve the Project Plans.
Guidance:
You should be appointing the Project Managers and actively engaging with them to ensure that you establish rapport and control of the project. Make sure they understand not only what they have to deliver but also their obligations to the programme.
Input:
Output:
Theme tasks for Programme Manager:
Management Control
Task:
Ensure that project definitions clearly align delivery to the programme standards.
Establish business performance reporting.
Re – baseline plans.
Update the programme issue register.
Establish the governance framework.
Mobilise theme plans and establish tracking and reporting.
Establish project reporting process.
Establish the dependency network and monitor effectiveness.
Establish the process for managing tolerances.
Guidance:
At this point the governance framework is being mobilised for the tranche, so the management of the themes should be in line with the framework with allowances for specific needs of the programme.
This milestone is confirming that the governance is in place and that the programme is established.
There will be a number of plans to mobilise and baseline, this may be under the generic programme plan heading, but the project plans should now be aligned and integrated to show major capability step changes.
Inputs:
Links:
Management Control Techniques Page
Outputs
Risk & Issue Management
Task:
Ensure the aggregating effect of project and programme risks are tracked.
Establish the risk management framework and monitor effectiveness.
Establish regular risk identification scans.
Undertake risk effectiveness reviews.
Ensure compliance of projects to risk process.
Guidance:
Programme risks can be cascaded down and owned by projects in some circumstances. For other programme risks, projects should be fully briefed to enable them to contribute mitigating actions where appropriate.
Inputs:
Documents:
Links:
Risk & Issue Management Techniques Page
Outputs
Resource Management
Task:
Undertake impact assessment of project resource requirements on programme resource plan.
Establish resource frameworks.
Establish resource reporting.
Implement performance metrics for individual teams and assets.
Implement supply chain monitoring and performance management in line with contracts.
Guidance:
This is where the resource management strategy and plan come to life.
It is possible that resources may be arriving at the programme and projects in numbers, so it is really important that there are appropriate controls in place to ensure they are being utilised as soon as possible.
It is important not to forget the induction and training programmes. An induction is applicable to everyone, to ensure everybody in the programme understands the context. The training is about raising capability and performance. Once the programme moves into full swing, it may be harder to find the time to do this, so covering training during mobilisation ensures it will get done.
Inputs:
Documents:
Links:
Resource Management Techniques Page
Outputs
Finance and Business Case
Task:
Revise individual project budgets in line with revised projects.
Allocate funds to appropriate groups.
Establish expenditure tracking and monitor effectiveness.
Ensure compliance of projects to finance process.
Establish financial authorities.
Guidance:
The budgets for the projects will exist in the Business Case. The early development work for the projects will be to establish the viability of their objectives within that budget.
Inputs:
Documents:
Identifying and Controlling Costs how2guide
Links:
Finance & Business Case Techniques Page
Outputs
Portfolio Office
Task:
Provide support to Project Managers and establish project tracking and controls.
Task:
Provide support to Project Managers and establish project tracking and controls.
Guidance:
You should ensure that organisational control standards are being deployed to your satisfaction. You may be in a position to help with the provision of resources or skills to support the programme and the project teams.
Input:
Output:
Theme tasks for Portfolio Office: