Published on November 12, 2020
Data and expertise. The combination of these two elements is a powerful one; the data to inform focus and the expertise to implement that insight effectively. The balance is also a sensitive one; to solely rely on the data from previous projects to provide the key to future projects is misguided, while to disregard data and rely on one person’s acumen or hunch is equally prone to error. Effectively assessing complex change projects, then, is a dance between the two; the science of data gathered from previous projects with the art of individual expertise, acumen and people skills.
Over 20 years and more than 200 projects, Pelicam have gained experience with a smorgasbord of different client sizes and sectors. We’ve worked with companies with different budgets, different appetites for risk, different structures, cultures and approaches; in short - companies facing different challenges. In spite of these differences, or perhaps even because of them, we started to see trends and patterns emerge. In the early noughties when “big-data” was still a buzz-word, we started gathering data of our own and the Project Serial Killers were born; the 9 factors most likely to kill your project. By combining our individual expertise with this data we’ve been able to serve our clients more effectively; helping them to understand the factors which the science tells us could be most detrimental to their project and then using our approach to identify and overcome those which apply directly to them.
The Project Serial Killers
This wealth of experience, translated into data rather than anecdotal evidence, allowed us to identify the following recurring factors which we call the Project Serial Killers.
● Poor Stakeholder Engagement (84%)
● Lack of Clear Business Case/Vision (82%)
● Disjointed Planning (82%)
● Uncertain Quality Targets (78%)
● Risk Issue & Change Management (76%)
● Inconsistent Governance (68%)
● Poor Work Management (66%)
● Not Mapping Dependencies (60%)
● Compromised Test (58%)
For example, in 84% of the programmes we looked at we saw poor stakeholder engagement as being a critical issue that fundamentally jeopardised success.
The Data
As any data scientist will tell you, your algorithm is only ever as good as the data you feed it. So how have we gathered the data from which the Project Serial Killers emerged? We start each assignment with a thorough, 360’ review of the current project landscape. This gives us a ‘baseline’ against which we can measure improvements accurately, as well as predict the effectiveness of possible approaches moving forward. This means we can measure our own impact as projects mature for individual clients, while also allowing us to identify larger trends and themes across different sectors and project types. This scientific approach has also allowed us to track how the Serial Killers have changed over the years, reflecting the changes that businesses have also faced during that period. With the advent of agile workflows, dispersed teams and flat management structures has come an increased focus on stakeholder engagement (for example). As a caveat, we know that our data is only a reflection of the clients and projects we’ve been a part of; while that is diverse, it’s not all-encompassing.
How we use this data
Having this data is a great start, it helps guide our clients as to the areas in which their problems may lie. It’s by no means a one-size fits all solution though. The art comes in once the issues have been identified. How can we fix these issues with minimal disruption? Which of these solutions will have the biggest positive impact once implemented? How capable is this organisation of remedying this situation?
It’s these questions, and the approaches required to answer them, which need the bespoke, crafted approach for which Pelicam’s practitioners are known, and for which data is no substitute.
We’ve created the Project Serial Killers workshops to explain how the Serial Killers apply to your organisation or project, as well as how you can use that knowledge to overcome the challenges you’re facing. The workshops can be delivered virtually or in person, with individuals or entire teams; do get in touch if you would like to learn more.
