Challenge

Provide an industry Best Practice Programme Management Framework to support the on-going maturation of CPM and the increased emphasis on Programme delivery across significant strategic change initiatives.

Result

PM-Partners developed a flexible, robust and AusPost community-wide endorsed Programme Management Framework supported by best practice processes, tools and templates along with a bespoke AusPost Programme Management Standard Operating Procedures Manual. The Manual provided the in-depth explanation of key programme themes and principles Programme Managers may draw upon in support of their respective programmes.

Australia Post had been experiencing challenges specifically related to Programme delivery and needed PM-Partners’ assistance in creating a Programme Management Framework based on industry best practice. A functioning Corporate PMO was in its second year of operation and based on their own maturity plan, CPM (Corporate Portfolio Management) had reasoned the next step was the formalisation of a functioning Programme Management Framework.

Analysis

PM-Partners undertook a comprehensive gap-analysis measured against industry best practice to confirm what existing tools, templates, processes and practices were in place that would form the essential building blocks of the future Programme Management Framework. Where possible, existing Intellectual Property would be used or modified. This approach enabled a much faster roll out of the Framework to “pilot” trials with selected Programmes within the organisation. PM-Partners were actively engaged, business-wide, to seek input via formalised Working Groups which acted as an internal quality assurance forum in ensuring outputs produced in support of the Programme Framework were fit-for-purpose.

Approach

Much of the emphasis was on a practical, robust and user-friendly Framework as opposed to another level of bureaucracy. The use of the Working Groups played a significant role in Framework validation and quality assurance. Throughout the assignment, active participation by selected business units allowed a more “end user” representation to occur. Ultimately,this approach to business engagement proved invaluable.

Outcome

Broadening communications beyond the AusPost PMO proved key to the success of the engagement. In support of the Programme Management Framework, PM-Partners developed a user-friendly and practical Programme Management Standard Operating Procedure Manual (SOP), containing practical AusPost specific guidance on how to manage a programme using key governance themes and principles including:

• Governance and Reporting
• Quality Assurance
• Financial Management
• Resource Management
• Risk & Issue Management
• Organisational Change Management
• Programme Change Control
• Benefits Management
• Dependency Management

PM-Partners was also called upon to make considered recommendations on logical “next steps” for the Corporate PMO in support of its continued maturation. Those recommendations were strategic in nature and focused on the future business partnering and value-add model of the Corporate PMO.