​

Project Restart

​

When projects hit a crisis moment, or project portfolios face delivery challenges across the board, it is time to call in a project turn-around specialist. If you answer the following questions in the affirmative, Claverton are in a position to help you right now.

​

• Are your projects constantly hitting obstacles, failing to deliver and causing chaos?

• Do your projects spend too much, finish too late and disrupt your business?

• Are the project team reporting that everything is on track but their delivery track record is poor?

• Do you have a project that you think is failing but no-one seems to either want to or know how to act?

 

Sometimes there is nothing for it but to call in the turn-around team to rescue a failing program or project. An injection of a fresh perspective is invaluable if a collaborative turn-around is to be achieved; independent sets of eyes who can work with your team to rectify major challenges.

 

The diagram below summarises our Project Restart and Turn-Around approach. We typically use this model following a Program or Project Fitness Test which identifies significant threats to the success of an initiative. If no remedial action is taken quickly, the initiative is likely to fail materially or entirely.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

As we troubleshoot the initiative using the Claverton Fitness Test Methodology the reasons for current difficulties will become manifest. As we compile the turn-around drivers, i.e. the motivations and needs which dictate that the initiative must be recovered, expectations are reset to align stakeholders to the revised proposition. Turn-arounds often involve tough decision-making if the initiative is to succeed. These tough decisions commonly include:

​

• A re-baseline of the objectives and critical success factors of the initiative

• Emboldening the team, dealing with some of the cultural norms and behaviours which may have built up over time 

• A refresh of the program or project governance to ensure that it is truly effective in supporting the initiative achieve its objectives

• Taking a realistic view of what has been achieved versus what is actually now required 

• Holding a new ‘Kick-Off Event’ which sets everyone off on a refreshed path towards successful delivery

​

Claverton's Turn-around approach has been developed using many years of real-life experiences taken from a wide range of programs and projects from industry sectors as diverse as Investment Banking and Healthcare. The tools and techniques we use on a turn-around reflect proven good practices coupled with a degree of pragmatism, enabling you to get back on the right track quickly, effectively and with an appropriate level of executive management commitment.

​

When troubleshooting a project and undertaking the subsequent Turn-around, it is crucial to get a project back on track and doing the right things as quickly as possible. To achieve this quickly, our Turn-Around methodology includes:

​

• Turn-Around Drivers: it is important to establish the turn-around drivers (bearing in mind that these may be very different to those which were in place with the project originally started). Consideration must be given to: 

  • The definition of "success" that must now apply to the project, identifying the outcomes that we must achieve

  • It is important to reconsider the viability of the Business Case whilst turning round the project. If it is no longer viable in its current form, is the right thing to do to re-constitute the project with a new suite of business benefits?

  • Base-lining all delivery, launch and deployment plans

• Performance Management: it is important to recognise how the success of the project, and everyone involved, is to be measured. Performance Management baselines need to be established in order to build confidence that the turn-around path clearly delivers the required outcomes

• Governance Refresh: at the same time, it is critical to assess the existing governance. The mere fact that the initiative requires turning around suggests that governance to this point has been ineffective. An absence of clear leadership and direction is a commonly cited cause of project failure; governance cannot therefore be ignored.

​

​

​

​