During this APM webinar, Carolyn Limbert from Harmonic Limited explored the complex landscape of programmes and projects and focussed in on potential strategies to manage this ever changing environment.

1. Making Progress in an Uncertain World
Carolyn Limbert, Principal Planner, Harmonic Ltd, October 2014

2. Outline
● The Realities of Delivery
● The Landscape
• Socio-Political
• Structural
• Emergent
● Proactive Decision Management
● 5 things to take away from the webinar

3. On Paper…
Adapted from; (Dombkins, 1997)
Scope: WHAT
Objectives are to be
achieved
Concept
Mobilisation
Delivery: HOW
To implement objectives
Low
Uncertainty
High
Uncertainty
Low
Uncertainty
Initiation
Definition
Closure
Implementation

4. The Reality…
Adapted from; (Dombkins, 1997)
Scope: WHAT
Objectives are to be
achieved
Delivery: HOW
To implement objectives
Low
Uncertainty
High
Mobilisation
Definition
Concept
Uncertainty
Low
Uncertainty
Closure
Initiation

5. Complex Projects - Back to Basics
New view on PM
Performance
Time Cost
Performance
Time Cost
Context Financing
(Strategic Highway Research Program, 2012)
“The intrinsic complexity of projects, in part, is driven by political, social,
technological and environmental issues, as well as tight fiscal pressures, end
user expectations which may change dramatically during the life of a project,
and government instability.” (ICCPM, 2012)

6. The Landscape
Behaviours
6
Requirements
What are the common
challenges present in a complex
project landscape?
Funding /
Finance
Uncertainty Culture
Assumptions Trades
Change
Length of Time
Decision Making
Optimism
Unrealistic
Solutions
Lack of
Maturity
Geography
Systems of
Interests
Regulatory
Organisational
Capability
Ambiguity
Risk Stakeholders Dependencies
Utilising concepts from (Maylor, Turner, Murray-Webster, 2013)

7. Socio-Political Complexity
Behaviours
7
Requirements
What are the common
challenges present in a complex
project landscape?
Funding /
Finance
Uncertainty Culture
Assumptions Trades
Change
Length of Time
Decision Making
Optimism
Unrealistic
Solutions
Lack of
Maturity
Geography
Systems of
Interests
Regulatory
Organisational
Capability
Ambiguity
Risk Stakeholders Dependencies
Utilising concepts from (Maylor, Turner, Murray-Webster, 2013)

8. Perception

9. Structural Complexity
Behaviours
9
Requirements
What are the common
challenges present in a complex
project landscape?
Funding /
Finance
Uncertainty Culture
Assumptions Trades
Change
Length of Time
Decision Making
Optimism
Unrealistic
Solutions
Lack of
Maturity
Geography
Systems of
Interests
Regulatory
Organisational
Capability
Ambiguity
Risk Stakeholders Dependencies
Utilising concepts from (Maylor, Turner, Murray-Webster, 2013)

10. Systems Thinking
System Engineering
Enterprise Processes
Enterprise Environment
Management
Investment
Management
System Life Cycle
Process Management
Resource Management
Quality Management
Project Processes
Planning Assessment Control
Decision
Making
Risk
Management
Configuration
Management
Information
Management
Technical Processes
Stakeholder
Requirements
Definition
Requirements
Analysis
Architectural
Design
Implementation Integration
Verification Transition Validation
Operation Maintenance
Disposal
Agreement Processes
Enterprise Environment
Management
Investment
Management
Process
Guidelines

11. Systems Thinking
● You cannot optimise a system by separately optimising its
components
● Focus on defining customer needs and required functionality
early in the development cycle
● Understand the whole problem before you try to solve it

12. Requirements Prioritisation
Agile DSDM – MoSCoW Prioritisation
Must
have
•The Project cannot deliver on the target date without this
•There is no point deploying the solution without this requirement
• The solution will not be legal / safe / fit for purpose
Should
have
•The requirement is important but not vital
•The requirement may be painful to leave out but the solution is still viable
•The requirement may need some form of workaround
Could
have
•The requirement is wanted or desirable but less important
• If the requirement is left out, the impact is minimal
Wont
have*
•Project team has agreed it will not deliver this requirement
•Requirement is not needed for the solution, and is a low priority
* This time…

13. Emergent Complexity
Behaviours
13
Requirements
What are the common
challenges present in a complex
project landscape?
Funding /
Finance
Uncertainty Culture
Assumptions Trades
Change
Length of Time
Decision Making
Optimism
Unrealistic
Solutions
Lack of
Maturity
Geography
Systems of
Interests
Regulatory
Organisational
Capability
Ambiguity
Risk Stakeholders Dependencies
Utilising concepts from (Maylor, Turner, Murray-Webster, 2013)

14. Influence vs. Control
(INCOSE UK Capability Working Group)
Influence
Control
Uncertainty
Scope: WHAT
Objectives are to be
achieved
Influence – Control Spectrum
Implementation
Delivery: HOW
To implement objectives
Closure
Mobilisation
Definition
Concept
Initiation
Influence
Low
Uncertainty
Control
Closure
Implementation
Mobilisation
Definition
Concept
Delivery: HOW
To implement objectives
Low
Uncertainty
Influence
Control
Influence
Low
High
Uncertainty
Initiation
Scope: WHAT
Objectives are to be
achieved
High
Uncertainty
Value Solution
Purpose
Focus
Enterprise Capability Service Product

15. Now What?

16. Facilitating Proactive Decisions
Level of Business Impact
Skill Levels
Required
What
Happened?
Why Did it
Happen?
What is Likely
to Happen?
What Should I
Do About It?
Descriptive
Analytics
Diagnostic
Analytics
Predictive
Analytics
Prescriptive
Analytics
Forward Looking
Indicators
Actuals vs. Forecast
Actuals vs. Baseline
Scenario
Planning

17. Making Progress

18. Objective Criteria / Steps
Issue
Create & Review Document
Issue
Objective Criteria / Steps;
50% Draft Document Complete
20% Peer Review Complete
20% Update Document Complete
10% Sign-off Loop Complete
Draft
Document
Peer
Review
Update
Document
Sign-off
Document
Issue
Draft
Document
Peer
Review
Update
Document
Sign-off
Document
Issue
Infeed Infeed
Suitable for roll-up utilising
Steps / Objective Criteria
Unsuitable for roll-up utilising
Steps / Objective Criteria

19. Summary
5 things to do as a result of this webinar…
● Map your Environment and validate perceptions
● Understand your priorities
● Change happens – Influence / Control
● Do things right and do the right things
● Subjectively measure progress

20. Any Questions?
Carolyn Limbert
Principal Planner
Carolyn.limbert@harmonicltd.co.uk

21. This presentation was delivered at an
APM event
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events please visit our website
www.apm.org.uk/events