this is the slide deck I presented at the AIPM project controls special interest group, I talked about complexity and how complex doesn't need to be complicated. I identified 5 key themes in project controls that were needed in building a large program of work, using my experience at NBN Co as a case study and how as a team we delivered solutions to the business. Please get in contact if you have any questions on how I can help your organisation with complexity & project controls.
4. The Chartered Institute of Building –
Simple Vs Complex
CIOB: Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time in Complex Projects
5. Helmsman Complexity Scale
Helmsman Institute https://iccpm.com/sites/default/files/kcfinder/files/Guide_to_the_Complexity_Scale_v_1.2.pdf
6. PMI Categories of Complexity
Three Categories of Complexity and Associated Causes
Institute, P. M. (2014). Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide: Project Management Inst
7. Case study: National Broadband Network
5 core themes in building the NBN program
• Automation
• People and Culture
• Standardization
• Tool / Systems
• Reporting
10. Automation
Problem
• Process updates from various DP’s using different scheduling systems
• Manual updates to the NBN Co Schedules time consuming in P6
• Different data dates from delivery partners
11. Automation
Solution
• Developed CPACSS
• Fully automated system to update contractor schedules in P6
• A method for the contractor to send schedule updates to NBN Co,
updating and receipt of the transaction being sent to the contractor
• Validation of schedules using a set of defined business rules. This is
recorded with P6.
• Disseminating reports and notifications
12. Automation
Outcome
• Tool evolved and improved took on more projects
• Considerable savings in labour – approximately 500 hours per week
• Significantly improving accuracy and timeliness of data
• Tracking contractor updates, date time and the time takes to update
each contractor file.
• Providing the contractor with simplified methods of working with
NBN Co
13. People and Culture
Problem
• Build a high performing team
• Become faster at delivering value to the customer
• Fast paced environment with constant change
• Uncertainty during the transition of Government
14. People and Culture
Solution
• Develop a pipeline of work
• Build career progression and succession plan
• Cultivate personal development plans aligned to career pathways
• Empower your staff - Allow for innovation
• Clearly defined objectives with measurable outcomes
• Situational leadership – leading from the middle
• Clarity, Climate, Competence
15. People and Culture
Outcome
• Increase in staff satisfaction and productivity
• Defined $ value realized / saved
• Created shared responsibility for delivery
• Empowered people
• Elevated team awareness among stakeholders
16. Standardization
Problem
• No clear approach on how change schedule data
• Manage multiple schedule models unstable
• Poor estimation and forward planning
• 27 different categories of projects
• Undefined interdependencies controls
• Regions managing DP’s differently
17. Standardization
Solution
• Standardized end to end change processes
• Standardized activity names to avoid confusion
• Built data dictionary for consistent understanding of terms to avoid
ambiguity
• Developed schedule model review cycle with all internal and external
stakeholders
• Schedule duration analysis on historical date vs estimates
• Reviewed activity logic with stakeholders
18. Standardization
Outcome
• Continuous improvement in schedule logic
• Better understanding of areas where issues occurred
• Open communication and discussion, sharing of better ways to do
similar activities across regions
• Better estimation and forward planning
19. Tools and Systems
Problem
• Need to change data in the schedules quickly and easily
• No consistent schedule health status checks
• Regional scheduling systems for subcontractors – NT
• Capture field based data from NBN field teams
• P6 does not actualize successor activities
• Manually Baseline schedules
• No ability to complete contingency planning
• Manual Vehicle log book
20. Tools and Systems
Solution
• FSM Tool – field capture / log book (80% utilization)
• Java APIs running directly to oracle back-end database
• Overnight scheduling of all projects
• Project health check reports via reporting portal
• PM Validation of data prior to loading to database
• Duplication off national system for regional use - NT
21. Tools and Systems
Outcome
• Easy manipulate data within P6 outside of Client
• Ability to manage large schedule data changes quickly
• Manage by exception on schedule data quality
• PM’s control quality at front end of reporting cycle
• Regional DP - NT used to test systems prior to external release
• What if analysis database replication
22. Reporting
Problem
• Data alignment issues in meetings
• Hard to access data
• Multiple ineffective unused reports by different areas
• Unable to influence decisions by reports due to inaccurate data
• No defined reporting cycles
23. Reporting
Solution
• Define the reporting cycle across the organization, one data date for
all reports
• Created a open reports portal – single source of truth for all
• Centralize processing of updates, reporting and ownership
• Removal of duplicate reporting areas and sources
• Define clear ownership of data accuracy
• Developed a suite of reports with usage tracking
24. Reporting
Outcome
• More discussion about how to address issues than trying to
understand where the problems were
• Less time trying to fix data , more time fixing the problem in delivery
• Central open reporting portal
• Right report, correct data, right person
• Report usage tracking
25. “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to
get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in
the end because once you get there, you can move
mountains.”
Steve Jobs
Notes de l'éditeur
I have some examples that I’d like to share
CIOB Simple vs Complex (Construction based)
Helmsman Institute Scale (Defense)
PMI Categories of Complexity (Holistic)
So in the construction industry the CIOB has developed a simple vs complex matrix
CIOB Simple vs Complex (Construction based)
Helmsman Institute Scale (Defense)
PMI Categories of Complexity (Holistic)
The Helmsman Institute was commissioned by DMO to produce a complexity Scale (Defense)
In the PMI’s Practice Guide “Navigating Complexity” there is this notion of Categories of Complexity (Holistic)
This is a more holistic view on the causes of perceived complexity
So how do we build programs around all this complexity?
Quickly learned that my team needed to untangle the web of complexity to build a successful program
We needed to be the Air traffic controller managing from above or the look out in a ships crows nest looking all around
Many in the organization were focused only on their node or circle of influence but we had the ability to stand back and identify the complexity was not complicated
Developed an approach / strategy that looked at 5 key areas which could address the complexity in building and maintaining a large program.
Delve in to these 5 key areas and understand the circles of influence they had within the org
Some of these problems are intertwined, fixing one may impact others positive or negative so strategy is important to get the best value for the effort exerted
“Kaizen approach” – continuous improvement
Broken in to
2 Major categories Transit/Backhaul and LN/DN
By Technology Satellite / Wireless / Fibre (now MTM) (Greenfields/brownfields)
By Geography (state by state)
Example of how network fibre build works
Solution CPACSS
Getting large number of update 37 DP’s 1000’s concurrent project
Planning Team of 3
Reporting team 3
Systems team 3
Receive Schedule updates (Excel)
Validate Contractor and Schedule Details
Update Schedule into P6
Validate updated data in P6 against data provided by DP
Report Update Status to DPs
Email sent to regional analyst
1 Del Partner Sent by Delivery Partner to dedicated mailbox
2 CPACSS Checks for authorized user, old data date. DP to fix problem and resubmit.
3 CPACSS Reads data from excel and updates into NBN P6 master schedule
4 CPACSS After update, CPACSS validates data in P6 against data provided by DP in excel
5 CPACSS Send status report to DP. DP to fix errors and resubmit.
6 CPACSS Email to delivery team that processing was complete
Used one area as a test where had largest impact Fibre, moved to other tech once solution was better
Pacman approach start with one area/technology, convert move on to next.
People quote importance
Management handbook – adopted by HR as base for
Develop pipeline that add values - keeps everyone busy doesn’t allow for rumors
Cultivate staff to personal development plans aligned to career pathways including training plan
Empower your staff - Allow for innovation (similar to the google 20% Project)
Create certainty demonstrating value delivered
Classic transition or change methodology increase pain to accelerate change
Level of certainty by staff as they could show value that was added
Empowers people
Build relationships with external and internal teams
Lots of processes, no one followed as the process changes so often – need to be agile – proactive rather than reactive
No clear approaches on how change schedule data - logic & duration
No ability to scenario plan prediction
Delivery time varied by PM and Region – need to cross pollinate learnings
That change in logic and duration with efficiencies and better understanding over time
No utopia of perfection but Kaizen continuous improvement approach
Need to understand where pain point were
Why habits had formed
Basic level of knowledge and understanding of high level approach to delivery
Allowing for regional nuances
Keeping the same activities in different technologies again to allow for potential cross pollination of efficiencies
P6 risk analysis historical data forecast vs actual to re-forecast / do what if
No utopia of perfection but Kaizen continuous improvement approach
What works today may not work next week
Consistency in areas of complexity particularly in schedule management
No ambiguity
Relationship building across organization
Issues with volume and scale
Why not just Project controls ?? Not just planning but other areas that we had abilities in help to build circle of influence
Necessity to build the capability while other were in the detail
Builds user adoption
FSM tool / app feed data to a database
Needed to change perception why data was needed
Need to build requirements by prototyping
Slow moving IT Dept lots red tape we
Build better system requirements working with business
Preempted the adoption by early engagement
Acumen Fuse trialed – not broken don’t fix it
Better experience by users in field little pain lots of gain.
Could re-build databases update changes quicker
Different data sets due to non centralized reporting
A field supervisor has different needs in terms of for requirements than a CEO for reports
Senior Management only need detail when there are issues
Reports and data used need to be consistent data set
No defined reporting cycles - Different reporting days in different areas.
Database layer – reports layer – visual layer
Create awareness of the ways data how when where arrived at org.
Data flow to senior management
Job-shadowing at different levels to understand what each area level etc, needs to complete their reporting needs
Understand who needed what data/reports
Removal of duplicate reporting areas and sources by tracking usage
Portal web based – automated uploads – mainly excel familiar format and easy for Vlookups and manipulation including with multiple reports
The right report with the right data to the right person.
Were people using the reports – where regions didn’t use schedule check reports increased number of errors over time as not fixing
Decision being made using same data – if its wrong in one report its wrong everywhere
Acceptance culture that single source data was required to identify areas of improvement not to point the finger
Complexity of scale - How to build a large program
untangle the web of complexity to build a successful program
By understanding that complex doesn’t mean complicated
Stepping back look at bigger picture
Identify circle of influence
5 areas NBN focused on
Automation
People and Culture
Standardization
Tool / Systems
Reporting
