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Turnaround PMOs \ PMO Conference 2023
In this session, you will find out what Turnaround means in the Public sector, how it is linked to Special Measures and why a PMO is a critical part of getting ‘out of Turnaround’.
Whilst the term Turnaround is not limited to the Public sector, you will find out what the triggers are for a Public Sector organisation to be ‘put into Special Measures’, how Turnaround is involved, common themes and practical experience from 4 organisations who have gone through the ‘Turnaround journey’.
Learn from someone who, after leaving the Private sector, has worked across the UK in the NHS, Local government, Not for Profit and the Police; setting up, refreshing and maturing PMOs.
After two decades Paul Fenton has set up a consultancy – PMO Data and Psychology Ltd to share his PMO knowledge and experience. He works with organisations to set up, refresh or mature their PMOs to maximise the successful delivery of projects and programmes and ensure alignment to corporate strategy.
In this session you’ll learn about what Turnaround and Special Measure is and how a PMO is involved; lessons learned from setting up a PMO in Turnaround organisations and how Psychology plays a part.
Recorded Session
Presentation Deck
Download the Presentation DeckSession Summary
- Introduction: Paul begins by addressing the audience and briefly mentioning his background, which includes extensive experience in various NHS organisations and local governments. He highlight the importance of understanding how projects are run in these type of organisations.
- Special Measures in the Public Sector: The concept of “special measures” in the public sector is explained, with a focus on the healthcare sector. The process involves inspections, reports, and assessments by regulatory bodies like the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and others.
- Lessons Learned: The presentation delves into lessons learned from past experiences in organisations placed in special measures. The following stages are outlined:
- Stabilize: The need for a turnaround team and the establishment of governance and reporting mechanisms.
- Develop: The importance of internal assessments and using standardized project management tools.
- Sustain: Splitting projects into quality and cost improvement plans, and producing a portfolio view for better management.
- Engaging Staff: Paul emphasises the significance of encouraging staff to report issues without fear of consequences. This includes the concept of “stop the line,” inspired by Toyota’s approach to empowering staff to address problems directly.
- Quality Impact Assessment (QIA): The need for QIA in the NHS is discussed, with a focus on how the process was revised to make it more efficient and less cumbersome.
- Staff Engagement: Paul highlights the importance of listening to staff and addressing their frustrations and issues to improve engagement.
- Portfolio Management: Paul discusses the benefits of portfolio management, including a single portfolio view, roadmap, benefits, and risks. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of project dependencies and overall progress.
Case Study
Paul shares insights from real experiences, here are the top ten:
- The organisation achieved a significant improvement in turnaround time within the NHS (National Health Service) and received approval from regulators that the improvements were sustainable.
- Paul used project workbooks to streamline project management, including defining problem statements, solutions, deliverables, project plans, risks, issues, change logs, and quality impact assessments. These workbooks automatically generated summary reports, reducing administrative work.
- Paul implemented a pyramid reporting system to manage and monitor project information, starting from detailed logs and escalating up to executive-level reports. This system aimed to ensure that executives could focus on critical issues efficiently.
- The concept of subsidiarity was emphasised, with decisions made at the most appropriate local level. The project teams played a crucial role in assessing and addressing concerns, with PMO serving as a critical friend for project leads.
- Quality impact assessments were automated and followed a scoring system, allowing for more efficient data collection and reducing the administrative burden.
- An intranet site (SharePoint) was used to centralise project information, templates, FAQs, and news, providing easy access to resources.
- The lessons learned from these initiatives included the importance of reducing firefighting, capturing data once and reusing it, promoting psychological safety for staff to raise concerns, and leveraging technology to automate processes and free up time for more meaningful tasks.
- Paul also mentions the consolidation of improvement plans to avoid duplication and align efforts with patient safety and quality of care outcomes.
- A working group was formed to address new requests and problem-solving, and horizon scanning was introduced to plan for the future proactively.
- The organisation engaged with staff to identify pain points and involve them in the improvement process, which contributed to making the changes sustainable.
Ten Lessons Learnt
- Different Adoption Rates: Paul emphasised that not everyone in an organisation will respond the same way to PMO initiatives. Some individuals eagerly embrace PMO support, while others may be hesitant or resistant.
- Importance of Giving People Time: He shared an example where a programme manager initially didn’t see the need for PMO support. However, as challenges arose, the PMO became a valuable resource. This highlights the importance of allowing people time to understand and adapt to new processes.
- Forward Planning: Paul stressed the significance of forward planning in PMO activities. It’s essential to anticipate challenges and opportunities and be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances.
- Collaboration with Stakeholders: Collaborating with different stakeholders, such as HR, finance, and senior officers, is crucial to streamline project and programme requests and avoid unnecessary duplication.
- Building a PMO Team: In one example, Paul mentioned rebuilding a PMO team to improve consistency and productivity. This involved addressing vacancies, roles, and career progression within the team.
- Managing the Pipeline: The importance of effectively managing project and programme requests to prioritise and sequence the portfolio of initiatives.
- Lessons Learned: The value of capturing and categorising lessons learned. These lessons can be prioritised based on the needs and interests of different stakeholders, making them more relevant and impactful.
- Stakeholder Mapping: Understanding the perspectives, interests, and influence of different stakeholders is vital for effectively prioritising and communicating lessons learned.
- Sharing Knowledge: The importance of sharing lessons learned through a PMO hub, awareness sessions, and recorded sessions, making this valuable information accessible to a wider audience.
- Adaptability and Technology: The importance of being adaptable to new technologies and methods, particularly in the context of remote working and collaboration.
Overall, the key message is that successful PMO implementation involves understanding the diverse needs and preferences of stakeholders, capturing and sharing valuable lessons learned, and remaining adaptable to changes in the business environment.
