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Pearcemayfield

MSP®: Managing Successful

Programmes in Practice

Pearcemayfield
AXELOS.com

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MSP Overview

Sponsoring Group

Programme Management –
MSP
PMO -
P3O
Project Board

Project Management –
PRINCE2 & PRINCE2 Agile
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MSP Overview

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From in-house project…

…to MSP programme management
How using an MSP programme
approach transformed a major
transformational programme

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Background

• Major global food and

drinks company
• Significant
transformational
programme
• No organizational
understanding/capability
in programme
management
• Programme established
using in-house project
management framework

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My role

• Programme defined and

established
• Took over role of
Programme Manager
• Assessment against MSP
framework
– specifically the principles

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Envisioning and communicating a better future

• Programme of multiple projects

• Boundaries not clearly defined –
lack of clear vision
• No job descriptions for key
roles
• No plan for engagement and
communications

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Envisioning and communicating a better future

KEY MESSAGES
• Roles and responsibilities
need to be clear
• Stakeholder engagement is a
key early activity
• MSP mitigates many of these
risks

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Focus on benefits

• SRO not made fully accountable

• No Benefit Profiles or Plan
• No tranche alignment to benefits
• Focus on outputs, not outcomes –
programme duration underestimated
• Business Case requirements delayed
benefits and buy-in

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Focus on benefits

KEY MESSAGES
• Ensure real focus on benefits
• Establish clear programme roles
and responsibilities
• Have business resource in place
• Be realistic about timeframe
• Use tranches
• Build in time for benefits
reviews

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Delivering a coherent capability

• Collection of projects =
little coherence
• No Blueprint
• Ad hoc meetings and
reporting
• Poor information leading
to lack of alignment
• No review points

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Delivering a coherent capability

KEY MESSAGES
• Timely and accurate
information leads to coherent
capability
• Blueprint is key for scope
management
• Tranches aligned to step
changes in capability
• Links with Benefit Realisation
Management

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Adding Value

• Much programme
documentation missing
• Drifting scope
• No formal monitoring
and control
• Limited programme-
level guidance

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Adding Value

KEY MESSAGES
• Programme documentation
adds value!
• Tailoring is vital
• Everything aligned to the
realisation of benefits
• Programmes need
monitoring and control

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Leading Change

• Board did not own outcome

• Business team ill-equipped
• Lack of awareness of MSP
• Weak change management

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Leading Change

KEY MESSAGES
• Empowered and capable
teams
• Resource Management
Strategy
• Appropriate training for
key roles – MSP and
Change Management

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In Conclusion..
• MSP from the start
• Early Assurance audit
• Get senior management and sponsoring
group on board
• Team size, capability, capacity
• Have a strategy that focuses on
benefits

MSP rescued the programme

The programme transformed the
business

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Transforming higher education

Three lessons from a UK University’s
implementation of MSP

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Background

• Higher education facing fast-

paced change
• Change in order to survive
• Busy project environment
• Little focus or control

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The response

To implement a
portfolio and
programme
management
approach across the
organisation

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Three lessons

1. Foster Engagement
2. Build Capability
3. Equip key players

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Foster Engagement

Project
Directors Operational
70 Project Teams
Managers Academics

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Building Capabilities

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Equipping Key Players

SRO PD
PD

BCM
Bespoke, role- BCM
based learning
requirements

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Reflections

• Other universities interested

in similar approach

“…programme management
practice is at the leading edge
in higher education…”

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Thank you for listening

Any MSP questions please contact: Any questions relating to the
case studies please contact:

Michael.Acaster@AXELOS.com John.Edmonds@Pearcemayfield.com

Patrick.Mayfield@Pearcemayfield.com neil@excelcius.co.uk

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Pearcemayfield

MSP®: Managing Successful

Programmes in Practice

Pearcemayfield
AXELOS.com

PUBLIC