Community Consulting Club Training #1: Foundations September 25, 2007.

Community Consulting ClubTraining #1: FoundationsSeptember 25, 2007

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Training #1: Foundations

Project Initiation 101 Project Scope Developing a Workplan Data Gathering Q&A

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Develop the Project Scope

How to get started? Define the scope of the project Utilize key tools to refine and develop into work

steps Develop engagement letter to formalize project

signed by team and client to formalize commitment from both sides

Impact/benefit of the project to the client Basic Work plan/approach to the project Prerequisites for successful project (assumptions

and constraints) Team members (client/consultant)

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First Meeting with the Client

Be prepared If possible, know who you are meeting and their position Research the industry and potential issues Develop an interview guide to ensure no topics are

missed Take notes

If multiple people are at the interview, can designate one person to focus on taking notes

Have an easy tool to consolidate answers and feedback Ask questions

Minimize the need to follow up

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Project Definition

When meeting with the client: Define Issue / Problem

Context: Why is this an issue at this time? Are there other issues bearing on the problem?

Constraints: What is not in scope? What solutions are not acceptable?

Client: Who is the real client? To whom will we make the presentation? Who will make the decision?

Define Deliverables Form: What type of deliverable will be the most

beneficial to the client? What type of deliverable will NOT be useful to the client?

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The Red Cross does not know what its educational courses are costing

What costing systems can the Red Cross put in place to find cost of courses?

Build a simple and quick system that the Red Cross can put in place in order to better price its courses and manage its course mix

Refining the Issue

Fact

Too General

Specific,Focused on

Action

After the meeting, begin refining the issues

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Scope Definition

Develop accurate estimates of project activities by breaking them down into smaller sub-tasks Costs Time Resources Example: In designing a new car, it is much easier to develop

accurate plans for the components (drive train, suspension) than the entire car

Develop a baseline for project measurement Clarifies performance expectations

What is expected from the consulting team What is expected from the client What are the roles of the team members

Identifies areas where additional oversight / resources / time will be required

Example: Manufacturing Plant Evaluation – how much data will be provided by the company will determine the number of resources and required time visiting the site

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Completing the Engagement Letter

Documented basis for making future project decisions Develops a common understanding among project

stakeholders Includes:

Project Justification: Why is this happening? Project Objectives: What is the goal? Project Deliverables: What will the outputs/results be? Project Assumptions: What is expected from all parties? Project Constraints: What are the limitations to the

teams? Project Resources: Who will be the team members from

the client side and which consultants will be utilized?

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Things to Remember

1. You don’t have the answer yet2. Set the tone of a good partner3. Revisit, revisit, revisit the engagement letter

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Breaking down deliverables into work elements

Collect all deliverables and goals from the engagement letter

Identify detailed work steps for each major activity

Determine the time and cost for all the work elements

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Verifying the Work Element Breakdown

Determine if the lower level items are sufficient for completing the task

Ensuring each item is clearly defined Too vague: Does everyone understand what

the activity requires? Too broad: Are there too many tasks with

diverging work streams that need to be separated?

Verifying each item can be scheduled and budgeted

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Developing a Workplan

Collect all of the major work elements into a single document (i.e. Microsoft Project, Excel) Develop time, cost, and resources required for

each task Identify key dependencies and linkages

between tasks Ensure time required for completion is in line

with both the client and team’s availability Verify completion date is in line with scope

definition and timing in the engagement letter This becomes a living document, revise the

timeline and activities as they are completed

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Sample Timeline

Initial Meeting with Client, Letter of Engagement

Week of September 24th

Develop Detailed Work Plan, Begin Initial “Industry” Research

Week of October 1st

Begin Analysis, Prepare Interview Guides,Start Client Interviews

Week of October 8th

Finish Client Interviews, Continue Analysis,Check-In Meeting with Client

Week of October 29th

Draft Deck, Meet with Mentor Week of November 6th

Submit Deck to Exec Board, Conduct Dry-Run of Presentation

Week of November 23rd

Final Presentation with Client Week of December 7th

Every project will have its own distinct timeline Do what makes sense for your client

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Example Workplan

World Federation for Mental Health Legend: Press:2004 IMAP Workplan Step Completed B

Step in Progress GTeam Members: Ryan Fulton, Hemal Gada, Courtney Grey, Wendy King Step Not Started WPrimary Advisor: Len Middleton

Scope #1:Review fundraising ability of health-related international membership organizationsto identify successful strategies for capital improvement.

Week of:March 1st March 8th March 15th March 22nd March 29th April 5 April 12 April 19 April 26

Workstep # Workstep Owner MTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSu

1 Identify health realted non-profit organizations Team g g g g g2 Meet with librarian to discuss research Team ww3 Research: Alzheimer's International Hemal g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g4 Research: World Fellowship for Schiz. & Allied Disorders Hemal g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g5 Research: Global Health Councils Courtney g g g g g g g g g g g g6 Research: International Red Cross Wendy g g g g g g g g g g g g7 Research: Landmine Survivors Network Ryan g g g g g g g g g g g g8 Identify and research other org. (WFMH recs.) Team wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww9 Review fundraising abilities of selected organizations Team wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

10 Identify successful strategies used for cap. Improvement Team wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww11 Take findings and map against WFMH strategy wwwwwwwwwwwwww12 Draft findings for final recommendations wwwwwwwwwwwwww

Scope #2:Conduct segmentation analysis of potential fundraising sources for WFMH.

Week of:

March 1st March 8th March 15th March 22nd March 29th April 5 April 12 April 19 April 26

Workstep # Workstep Owner MTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSuMTuWTh F SaSu

1 Draft initial fundraising segments for WFMH Team b b2 Incorporate research from Scope #1 re: segmentation Team g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g3 Review of fundraising segments with WFMH Team wwwwwww4 Assemble list of fundraising contacts for each segment wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww5 Take findings and map against WFMH strategy wwwwwwwwwwwwww6 Draft findings for final recommendations wwwwwwwwwwwwww

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Data Gathering Framework

Define the problem Are we trying to solve a problem or prove a hypothesis?

Brainstorm Ideas Design Structure

Mutually Exclusive / Collectively Exhaustive Create Research Plan

Identify the data you will require to prove or disprove your hypothesis

Conduct Analysis Based on your data gathering, determine if you need to

refine the structure, identify gaps, and support the plan Communicate Findings

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Brainstorm Ideas

Identify key analyses What is our initial hypothesis for a solution? What analysis do we need to perform to test the

hypothesis? What data is available? What data is required? How can

we fill the data gaps? What are the end products for each analysis?

Create an Issue Tree: Two types of Issue trees:

Data Driven: Starts with a problem/issue and try to find the cause

Hypothesis Driven: starts with a solution and develops sufficient rational to validate or disprove it

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Analyzing the Issues

Data Driven Issue Tree Example

Increase attendanceat given pricing

level?

Change pricing?

How can the Art Center

increase revenues?

Explore alternaterevenue streams?

Change nature ofcollection?

Explore alternatemarketing channels to broaden audience

Sub-idea 3

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Prioritize and focus on issues based on impact, team interests, ease of analysis

Increase attendanceat given pricing

level?

Change pricing?

How can the Art Center

increase revenues?

Explore alternaterevenue streams?

Change nature ofcollection?

Explore alternatemarketing channels to broaden audience

Sub-idea 3

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Why bother with the darn tree? Helps divide project Road map for analysis and data collection Ensures completeness (prevents blindsiding) Will help you with case interviews

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Data Gathering

Identify potential data sources Client Public Data Customers

Determine preferred collection methods Direct Interviews Data collection of process / output results

Estimate collection timeline Create a tracking mechanism

Keep it simple and flexible because the data requirements may change

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Other Tools for Data Gathering

Voice of the Customer Analysis Gather information through direct interviews, focus

groups, observations, customer surveys, etc… Benchmark analysis

Identify best practices within the industry or similar field to identify performance gaps of the client

Provides a standard for the solution to be measured against

Process Map (See Example) Understanding the existing process will help identify

areas for improvement Becomes the baseline and starting point for developing

a solution

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Process Map

Identify MRPRequirements

Identify Non-MRPRequirements

Determine if ItemExists as a Material

Master

Is Material aPlant-to Plant

transfer?

Is Material on aScheduling or

AgreementContract?

Is Material anMRP

Requirement?

Was a RequisitionAlready Created?

Does RequisitionRequire

Approval?

Assign Requisition toSupplier

Release PurchaseRequisitions

Is RequisitionApproved?

Notify AppropriateParties

Perform RequisitionApproval Process

Convert From PlannedOrders to Requisitions

Is PurchaseRequisitionRequired?

Create Requisition

Create RequisitionPerformed by PlantMaintenance Work

Order Process

P-080PurchaseMaterials andServices



P-050ManageProcurementContracts andRequests forQuotation

P-060ManageProcurementContracts andRequests forQuotation (Non-ProductionMaterial)

Does RequisitionRequire RFQ?

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

YesP-080PurchaseMaterials andServices

Determine if Item isAlready Ordered/

Requested

Process –

Decision –

Outcome –

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But once you get the data . . .

Rule #1: Always distrust the data: It was developed for a different purpose than

you will use it Don’t assume you know what the data is until

you discuss it with somebody that put it together

Unless you can confirm the data from another source, always be careful

Rule #2: If you get data from two different sources and they tie exactly, they’re actually from the same source, and rule #1 applies.

Rule #3: If you get data from different sources and they don’t tie, then you have the ability to learn something and create insight

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But once you get the data . . .

Rule #4: Once you receive the data, look at it immediately. You’ll normally have questions about it: If you call whoever sent you the data

immediately, they will feel valuable and glad they hustled to get the data to you

If you call the person a week later, they will wonder why they took time out of their busy schedule to get it to you. You will have trouble gaining additional data.

Rule #5: Information from interviews is also data – but also must be confirmed from other sources.

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Having Trouble?

Revisit engagement letter to verify level of support from the client

Ensure data being collected will address the hypothesis being tested

More data is not necessarily better

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Community Consulting Club Training #1: Foundations September 25, 2007.

Documents

project scope

project resources

project constraints

project definition

project deliverables

project prerequisites

project measurement

project stakeholders