“Project and Program Health Check (PH-Check) Delivers · PDF fileCheck (PH-Check) Delivers Results ... University of Sydney, 2003 Practical Implications . 2005 Prof. A. Jaafari Asia

. 2005 Prof. A. JaafariAsia Pacific International College

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Professor A. Jaafari, Professor A. Jaafari, ME, MSc, PhD, CPEng, FIEAustME, MSc, PhD, CPEng, FIEAust

President, Asia Pacific International CollegePresident, Asia Pacific International CollegeHonorary Research Professor, The University of SydneyHonorary Research Professor, The University of Sydney

““Project and Program Health Project and Program Health Check (PH-Check) Delivers Check (PH-Check) Delivers

Results”Results”Keynote Address to the Second International Conference Keynote Address to the Second International Conference on Project Management, 5 - 6 March 2006, Tehran, Iran.on Project Management, 5 - 6 March 2006, Tehran, Iran.


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“You don’t hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask.”

-- Thomas J. Watson (1874-1956)


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Theoretical construct Practical implications Assessment framework PH-Check software Conclusions

Presentation addresses:Presentation addresses:

TheoreticalTheoreticalconstructconstruct

PracticalPractical ImplicationsImplications

AssessmentAssessment FrameworkFramework

PH-CheckPH-CheckSoftwareSoftware


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What is the Theory of Project Management?What is the Theory of Project Management?

“A construct that aids successful conceptualisation, planning, implementation & commercial realisation of projects, programs & organisations”


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Are current PM theories working?Are current PM theories working? Major projects & programs fail frequently Current theoretical construct = normative thinking Projects/programs as emergent systems, better

studied as phenomena Risk, complexity, uncertainty and indeterminacy

prevalent Many methodologies gloss over the unknowns Risk management process is mechanistic


We tend to force dynamic phenomenaWe tend to force dynamic phenomenainto rigid normative structures!into rigid normative structures!


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What is normative model?What is normative model?

Assumes universality of order, rational choice and intent

Objective, rational, technical, best practice…. Based on Taylor’s Scientific Management approach Nearly one century old; still dominant management

mindset The entire QA movement based on scientific

management In conditions of instability and chaos the application

of ‘best practice’ may cause failure!



www.apicollege.comThe Cynefin* model – see The Cynefin* model – see www.cynefin.netwww.cynefin.net

(Kurtz & Snowden, 2003)(Kurtz & Snowden, 2003)

*. Pronounced kun-ev’in*. Pronounced kun-ev’in

OrderOrderUnorderUnorder

DisorderDisorder


http://www.cynefin.net/


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Thesis advancedThesis advanced A complex project/program experiences all of the

states identified in the Cynfin model, e.g.- Plans aims to introduce order- As the project gets underway it descends into unorder

(uncertainties, complexities, indeterminacy kick in)- The PM team begins to intervene- Some learning takes place- New state emerges but not complete order- The PM team intervenes again and the cycle continues - With poor capability & incompetence, it may fall into disorder or

failure!



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Influence Project Systemthrough Management of

Enabling Factors

Critical Success Factors/ Managerial Principles

Project as a DynamicSystem, time t1

Project as aDynamicSystem, time t2

Project as aDynamicSystem, time t3

Change Management ofEnabling Factors

Assess Project, t2

Assess Project, t3

Assess Project, t4

Project as a DynamicSystem, time t4

Influ

ence

Pro

ject

by

Cha

ngin

g M

anag

emen

t of

Ena

blin

g Fa

ctor

s

Asse

ss P

roje

ct, t

1 1

2

3

4

Projects as phenomena



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What is the good of normative model?What is the good of normative model?

Gives newcomers a framework to relate to projects A set of tools that work in areas of “known” and

“knowable” Humans need organised rational models to get their

minds trained (lets call them idealised states)



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many agents acting in parallel in an environment produced by its interactions with other agents in the system; because the agent is constantly acting and reacting to the other agents' actions, nothing in its environment is fixed

TheoreticalTheoreticalconstructconstruct Projects/programs as emergent systemsProjects/programs as emergent systems

((Holland, 2000)Holland, 2000)


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control is highly dispersed, therefore any coherent behaviour there might be in the system has to arise from competition and co-operation among the agents themselves


(Holland, 2000)(Holland, 2000)


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many levels of organization, agents at one level serving as building blocks for the next level up




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constant rearrangement of the building blocks as a result of learning, experience, evolution, adaptation




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all anticipate the future to some degree, making attempts at prediction on the basis of models of their environment




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all have niches they can exploit, filling up one niche often opening up new ones that can be exploited

they never reach equilibrium




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they can improve on some dimensions, but never optimize




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the richness of the interactions within the system allows the system as a whole to undergo spontaneous self-organization




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What is the use of all of these?What is the use of all of these?

Enables us to learn & re-engineer our approaches Actors to positively influence the project/program’s

(emergent system’s) state while recognising its changing nature

Success depends on the system’s state, actors’ insights & competence, time, and ability to receive feedback

System may experience a mixture of states Need tools to provide correct readings of the state of

the project

PracticalPracticalImplicationsImplications


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Chief Success FactorChief Success Factor

Capability to understand & intervene in project, includes management of:- Complexity- Uncertainty - Risks

It needs:- Creative-reflective managers- Smart tools- Tailored practices



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Empirical Evidence, Global PM Studies, Empirical Evidence, Global PM Studies, University of Sydney, 2003University of Sydney, 2003



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Capabilities and toolsCapabilities and tools

Managers must have:- transformative competencies to steer the project in real time- need tools for immediate feedback

Questions to ask: - Do we know which state the project is in?- Do we have the right capability in place?- Are we managing the project variables correctly?- Are any areas lagging behind?



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Project Health Check (PH-Check)Project Health Check (PH-Check)

• Applies tools to answer the above questions, using a set of indicators

• Generates reports on actual capability, approach & distance to desired state



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Focus of project health checkFocus of project health checkPracticalPractical

ImplicationsImplications

Project SuccessInfluenced by

Project Resources

Capabilities andManagerial Approach

Commercial & PhysicalEnvironment

Focus ofProject Health

Check


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Projectstatus

at time t1

Projectstatus

at time t3Projectstatus

at time t4

Project statusat time t5

Health of the Projectassessed at time t1by Project Health

Check

PH-Check ReportCard

(enabling factors)

Project progressestimated at time

t1 by projectmanager

Project ProgressReport (Cost,

Time, Quality,...)

Correlateenabling factors

& measuredresults

Interventionrequired?

Applyintervention Next

Assessment

Projectstatus

at time t2

Project Life Cycle

Yes No

Projectstatus

at time t0


Assessment points vs. project life cycle


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Project health check assessment frameworkProject health check assessment framework

Two sets of interrelated criteria:o For assessing the project’s performance on business &

strategic fronto For assessing the project implementation efficiency and

effectiveness during delivery phase Measure how well project performs relative to its

class



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Criteria for business and strategic assessment of projectsCriteria for business and strategic assessment of projects

Customers and markets Financials Stakeholders Internal efficiency Technology Learning and Innovation Risks and Due Diligence



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Business assessment frameworkBusiness assessment frameworkAssessment Criteria Indicators

Level 1 (below average performance, within top 65% of its class)

Level 2 (average performance targets, within top 50% of its class)

Level 3 (above average performance, within top 30% of its class)

Level 4 (good to excellent performance within top 15% of its class)

Level 5 (outstanding performance, top 5% of its class)

Customers & Market

I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7

Stakeholders I8 I9 I10 I11

Internal Efficiency

I12

I13 I14 I15 I16

Technology I17 I18

Learning & Innovation

I19 I20 I21 I22 I23 I24

Risks & Due Diligence

I25 I26 I27 I28 I29 I30

Financials I31 I32 I33 I34 I35 I36



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Governance and leadership Stakeholders management Business case Planning and control Team performance Management of change Management of risks

Criteria for implementation assessment of projectsCriteria for implementation assessment of projects AssessmentAssessment FrameworkFramework


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Implementation assessment frameworkImplementation assessment framework

Assessment Criteria Indicators

Level 1 (below average performance, within top 65% of its class)

Level 2 (average performance targets, within top 50% of its class)

Level 3 (above average performance, within top 30% of its class)

Level 4 (good to excellent performance within top 15% of its class)

Level 5 (outstanding performance, top 5% of its class)

Governance & Leadership

I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7

Stakeholders I8 I9 I10 I11 I12

Business Case

I13 I14 I15

Planning and Control

I16 I17 I18

I19

I20

Teamwork Performance

I21 I22 I23 I24

I25

Management of Change

I26 I27 I28

I29

Management of Risks

I30

I31

I32



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Evaluating actual to target capability/approach Evaluating actual to target capability/approach

Customers and marketsFinancialsStakeholdersInternal efficiencyTechnologyLearning and InnovationRisks and Due Diligence

Governance and leadershipStakeholders managementBusiness casePlanning and controlTeam performanceManagement of changeManagement of risks

0 54321 Outsta

nding

(with

in to

p 5% )

Good

to E

xcell

ent

(with

in to

p 15%

)

Above

Ave

rage

(with

in to

p 30%

)

Near A

verag

e

(with

in top 50

%)

Below Ave

rage

(with

in top 65

%)

xx

xx

x

xx

xx

x

xx

x

Assessed Performance

TargetPerformance

TargetPerformance

Business & Strategic Criteria

Project Implementation Criteria



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Project/Program at

Time ti

Business & Strategic Assessment Project Implementation Assessment

IM6

IM5

IM4

IM3

IM2

IM1

BS6

BS5

BS4

BS3

BS2

BS1

BS7

IM7

BS35

BS34

BS33

BS32

BS31

BS36

IM45

IM44

IM43

IM42

IM41

IM46

Level of Practice

Met

rics

for L

evel

1

Met

rics

for L

evel

5

Met

rics

for L

evel

4

Met

rics

for L

evel

3

Met

rics

for L

evel

2

1 5432

Project Health Check

Criteria for Assessment

Enabling FactorsRepresented by Indicators

Managerial Process(applicable to eachfactor)

Met

rics

for

Leve

l 1

Met

rics

for

Leve

l 5

Met

rics

for

Leve

l 4

Met

rics

for

Leve

l 3

Met

rics

for

Leve

l 2

1 5432

Step 1 Step 6Step 5Step 4Step 3Step 2 Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6

Metrics to assess thematurity of the actualpractice applied tomanage each factor ateach process step

Level of Practice

Project HealthCheck Report at

Time ti

Primary Variables for Assessment

PH-CheckPH-Check SoftwareSoftware


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Process to assess approach to each enabling factorProcess to assess approach to each enabling factor

Goals andTargets

Implementationand Monitoring Response

Planning

Identification

Statutory &Operational

Due DiligencePerformance

Analysis

1

5

6

2

4

3



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The Assessment hierarchyThe Assessment hierarchy

Pro je c t /P ro g ra mA s s e s s me n t , t i

Crite ria

In d ic a to r

Pro c e s s S te p

M e tric s

A g g re g a t io n o fA s s e s s me n t

Re s u lt s

A s s es s me n tD ire c t io n



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PH-Check ToolPH-Check Tool PH-CheckPH-Check SoftwareSoftware


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Conclusions Conclusions

Major projects/programs are emergent systems Approach these as phenomena Success depends on capability & state of practice Tools needed to provide fast feedback PH-Check applies 68 indicators under 14 major

criteria Fast assessment enables intervention to steer the

project towards its goals It shows areas of weakness in capability & actual

practice


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?Q&AQ&A

“Project and Program Health Check (PH-Check) Delivers · PDF fileCheck (PH-Check) Delivers Results ... University of Sydney, 2003 Practical Implications . 2005 Prof. A. Jaafari Asia

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