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Case Study
Programme Management Developing a Blueprint
Graham Collins
Objectives
Outline the scoping and process
modelling of a blueprint ‘strategic
project’
 Problems encountered
 Lessons learnt

The Challenge of Programme
Management
Large scale complex change
 Final result often unpredictable
 Varied interpretations of transition path

Initial objective
Ensure alignment of objectives
 Provide sound basis for transition
 without this the programme is likely to
veer off course

‘The Blueprint should be maintained and
refined throughout the programme’
Managing Successful Programmes, 1999, OGC
Blueprint
How the organisation will operate when
the programme has been completed
 Blueprint should be refined throughout
the programme
 Expression of the future, encompassing
processes operations etc linked to
operational performance to ensure
desired effects are realised

Use of blueprint
Focus for where programme is heading
 Basis for evaluation
 Basis for impact of change

Need to create a vision to work towards
Programme
Programme
Identification
Definition
Consensus on
scope
Communication
tool
concept model
learning tool
ie future state
Invitation
Programme had been running 7 months
 High level of frustration with
consultancy already under contract
 No programme definition

Initial presentation
Our approach to programme and
project management
 including iterative and incremental
approaches in real-time workshops

The Usage Pattern
Mission
Objectives
Task Object Model
Class Object Model
Consistency
Code
Follow up meeting




It was clear that a lack of progress was causing
concern
Political issues were hindering progress
The consultancy expressed concern over losing the
project management/BPR to a niche consultancy
The ‘strategic project’ had become centred on
definitions of BPR, Business Improvement etc.
Proposal
Get the strategic project on track
 Ascertain whether approach to project
management including workshops
would be useful
 Create ‘buy-in’ from all stakeholders
including consultancy already under
contract

Project far too complex
BPR projects
 Information systems
 Strategic communications

Initial workshops
Two dates were set
 First workshop covered scope
 Second workshop business modelling

Scoping workshop Day 1
Iterative and incremental approach
 ‘Buy-in’ created by careful selection of
staff and using dialogue in workshop
 Mission statements were broken down
into objectives

Modelling workshop Day 2
Objective was to create the optimal
strategic communications model
 The new structure was modelled realtime using software developed for the
workshop and consensus reached.
 Software included a metrics suite and
WBS that could be view from different
perspectives

Target date
abandoned
Oct 1998
original target date
Consultancy A under contract
Workshops
Blueprint
Programme
identification
Mar 1998
Nov 1998
Consultancy B
contacted
Programme
definition
Feb 1999
Mar 1999
Blueprint
completed
Benefits realisation
Strategic
goals
Programme
identification
Process view
conceptual models
process /organisation
cross reference
At programme definition the future state is finalised
and the tranches for programme delivery. Initial
blueprint a major deliverable in this second phase.
Benefits
Creation of natural owners
 Communication tool
 Focus, risk management, and
evaluation of alternative ideas

Benefits
Moved away from discussions of BPR v
Business Improvement
 Blueprint model created and agreed on
 ‘strategic project’ achieved within
original timescale set

Champions were created which helped the
programme spread more rapidly
‘Most often, the champion is intrigued by the
technology ‘silver bullet’….
…and may have even suggested that the project
manager use it..
Edward Yourdon, Death March - the complete
software developer’s guide to mission impossible
projects, Prentice Hall 1997
Learning Points 1
Here it was essential to gain
commitment ie ‘buy-in’ from all parties
 Workshops were the only way forward
 There were too many stakeholders with
differing objectives to have chosen any
other approach

Learning Points 2
The lack of clearly defined goals were
hindering progress
 The scope and goals of the ‘strategic
project’ needed to be defined

Learning Points 3

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The lack of tranching of the ‘strategic project’ caused
confusion
The WBS was agreed with senior staff and further
refined in the workshops that followed
This had a three fold effect, clarity of objectives,
instilling confidence in programme staff, and being
able to readily identify staff to manage individual
projects
Learning Points 4
Project managers must frame the
challenge
 The teams must be designed for
learning
 There must be an environment of
psychological safety

Harvard Business Review October 2001, Best Practice,
Speeding up team learning Amy Edmondson et al.