THE PATH TO PLANNINGA Step by Step Approach to Developing a Mature Planning Function

Presenter: Stephen Pincher

FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS

Planning Culture - The Project is the Customer

Data Quality - Garbage In, Garbage Out

Schedule Quality – it’s more important than you think

THE PROJECT IS THE CUSTOMER

Support Projects First – Planning as a Function of Project Delivery

Be the Project Satnav – get them where they need to go as quickly and efficiently as possible

Valuable Project Information will come from strong relationships

Build a Planning Culture

COLLECT AND USE GOOD DATA

Choose data to store Manage how data is recorded Consider Information

Requirements Use Information Wisely Good Business Information

Depends on Good Data Garbage In Garbage Out

SCHEDULE QUALITY

Realistic All Tasks Represented Fully Resourced Level of Detail Logic Linked Critical Path Network Minimal lags, leads and

constraints Well maintained schedules

give confidence in Project Information

THE PATH TO PLANNING: STEP BY STEP

IdentifyGather

Requirements

Prioritise & Plan Implement

Review

IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERSIDENTIFY PROCESSESIDENTIFY SYSTEMS

Identify

IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS

Planning and Project Controls Team Internal Customers – Senior Leaders, Project and Product

Managers, Resource Managers, Work Package Leaders External Customers – Clients, Main Contractors, Government,

Local Authorities Future Customers – Stakeholders who require support and

information that the business does not yet provide

IDENTIFY PROCESSES

Project Management Processes Information Flows Operating Rhythms Reporting Business Data Maturity of Existing Planning Function – Processes, Schedule

Quality

IDENTIFY SYSTEMS

Scheduling Software In Use Tools for Time Charging, Resource Planning, Estimation etc. Document Management Finance Risk & Analysis Database systems

ENSURE THAT BUSINESS NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED

Gather Requirement

s

GATHER REQUIREMENTS

Current Business Need High Level Requirements Detailed Requirements

EXISTING REQUIREMENTS

Support Project Managers Milestone Tracking Report to Clients

HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

Reduce Project Costs Decrease Time To Market Competitive bidding Manage Uncertainty Plan Resourcing Overview of Portfolio Focused Project Management Client Reporting

HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

Signalling Projects Time critical Possession Planning Subcontractors Scarce Resource Engineering Uncertainty Changes to Scope

Train Manufacture Materials / Supply Chain Plant resource efficiency Just In Time Programme Planning Delivery Strategy

HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

Depot Construction & Maintenance

Multi-disciplinary (Civils, M&E, Track, Signalling, Telecoms)

Co-ordinate Contractors Long Term Forecasting Reduce Operating Costs

Bids & Tenders Fast turnaround Limited Information Workable solutions Well presented Aligned to business plans

DETAILED REQUIREMENTS

Critical path schedules Cost Loading Possession plans Earned Value Management Resource forecasting Time-charging Tender programmes Monte Carlo

DETAILED REQUIREMENTS

Meeting Evolving Client Requirements

DETERMINE HOW TO DELIVER PLANNING MATURITY

Prioritise & Plan

PRIORITISE

Pressing Needs – Lack of Visibility, Lack of Control Available Planning Resource? Or Training/Recruitment

Required? Mature Processes? Or development required. Requirements of Existing Planning Function Demonstrate Value – Win Hearts and Minds Cost / Benefit Analysis of Requirements Take Baby Steps – Fundamentals First Projects are the First Customer

PLAN

What Resource is Available / Required? What Systems are Available? Required? What does DONE look like? What are measurement metrics / KPIs? Estimate durations Schedule Review Points Assess Training Requirements

DETERMINE HOW TO DELIVER PLANNING MATURITY

Implement

IMPLEMENT PROCESSES

Goals High level WBS Finance Aligned CBS Role & Resource Dictionaries Programme Tracker Schedule Quality Reviews Meeting Schedules / Agendas

IMPLEMENT PROCESSES

Goals Progress/ Reporting Cycle Draft Reports/ Dashboards New Bids in P6 Resource Forecasting Cost Loading

CHANGE CULTURE

Goals Teambuilding Information Flows Information Sharing – Training,

Blogs, Wikis Interactive Planning Sessions Pictures on Walls

REVIEW AND MONITOR PROGRESS

Review

REVIEW AND MONITOR PROGRESS

Regular Reviews With Stakeholders Progress against Documented Plan (of course) KPIs – eg. Resource utilisation up by x% Stagegates – achieve agreed level of maturity before

progressing to next stage

TIMING

Identify and Requirements stages minimum 8 weeks Prioritisation and Planning should not be hurried Address urgent requirements separately Visible results within 6 to 8 months

RISKS

Business as Usual Important Deadlines Resource availability – Overheads Resource availability – Skills gaps, vacancies Existing Systems and Processes – dual running Existing Systems and Processes – resistance to change Lack of Senior Leadership Support – eg. Driving all timesheets

to be complete by Friday lunchtime requires support of Leadership

FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS

Planning Culture - The Project is the Customer

Data Quality - Garbage In, Garbage Out

Schedule Quality – it’s more important than you think