In this article we are going to look at the Pathway Project Management Toolkit. Every project is different, and they require different tools and activities for successful delivery. This is where the Toolkit is invaluable. Whether you are starting a project from the initiation stage or rescuing a business-critical programme, the strategies and actions in the toolkit

will increase your probability of success significantly.

The following topics are covered in the toolkit:

• Critical activities regardless of methodology.
• Project challenges and observations.
• Methodologies and frameworks.
• Overview of Agile, PRINCE2®, PRINCE2 Agile®, AgilePM® and Waterfall methodologies.
• Recommendations on the use of methodologies and frameworks.
• Project lifecycle from initiation to BAU.
• Dress rehearsals.
• Dependency management.
• Risk management.
• Estimating.
• Data quality.
• Stakeholder management and reporting.
• Quality assurance.
• Cutover management.
• Managing Go/No Go meetings.
• Post go-live support.
• Project management tips. 

The toolkit can be used with any methodology, including

hybrid methodologies, or as a standalone approach when no formal methodology is employed. It is based on lessons learnt through demanding projects.

Please find below examples that illustrate the value of the approach. 

Project example – Critical delivery dates

• On a major transformation project for a media company, the sprints were planned in detail for eighteen months, with the critical features (required for each go-live phase) aligned to sprints. 
• The project included replacing legacy applications and building new infrastructure. A high level of assurance regarding the sprint schedule was critical due to the dependencies and business requirements.
• Some features/backlog items were moved (some brought forward, and some moved to the next sprint), but the critical items were delivered in each sprint, and all cutover phases were delivered on time.  

The toolkit includes information on the importance of

planning and managing the activities across the Agile, infrastructure, data and business teams. Activities to enhance Agile were required to deliver this project, and they are detailed in the toolkit.

Project examples – Dress rehearsal benefits

On a major project for a media company, dress rehearsals highlighted 90 additional issues, and 45 were resolved before go-live. One of the issues was related to the timing of a critical BAU process. The deadline for completing all BAU activities would have been missed on the first day of go-live. The error didn’t show up in UAT because the starting point assumed timings. When the complete process was run end-to-end during a dress rehearsal, the issue was discovered. The matter was resolved, and there were no issues with the timings after go-live.

This project involved replacing legacy editorial systems and the infrastructure. It was implemented in phases, with go-lives occurring over an eighteen-month period. The project was managed using Agile methodology,

supplemented by additional governance for the infrastructure transformation.

A project for an insurance company included updating the finance system and the introduction of document scanning. The dress rehearsal activity resulted in a

very uneventful go-live, and productivity increased from day one. (On most projects, there is a period of weeks or months with reduced productivity

following go-live.)

A leading charity introduced a new system to enhance support for hundreds of remote staff. The outcome was a major cultural change that replaced manual processes. At the beginning of the project, there was considerable

concern regarding the level of transformation. Effective communications, quality training, and dress rehearsals with 95 per cent participation resulted in a smooth go-live. A senior manager called a meeting to discuss his concerns about the low level of system usage. He based this assumption on expected support calls to the help

desk. Everyone at work used the application, and there were very few calls. He was very pleased with the transition to BAU and said that the results proved the

benefits of dress rehearsals.

Dress rehearsals are the most effective risk management and cutover preparation activity a project can complete. The toolkit includes the information you need to run successful dress rehearsals. 

Project example – Work packages 

Work packages were used in the project initiation for a Year 2000 programme for a major car manufacturer. Sixty work packages were prepared to cover all known activities. This included work packages for the IT consultancy, employees, and third-party suppliers.

The work packages and the project plan were prepared during the project initiation phase, and no work

commenced until the plan and all work packages were reviewed and approved. This process provided the foundation for the very strong governance of the

programme, which started in 1997. 

The programme was delivered on time (no option on this one!) and £10,000 under the original budget. The directors were pleased

that the programme did not require an additional budget. (On average, Year 2000 programmes went back to their boards four times for more funding.)

Work packages are a valuable tool to control time and cost. They distil work into an easy-to-understand one-page document that includes resource, cost, date and deliverable information.

Common benefits across the projects

Dress rehearsals were a key factor in the successful cutovers of the projects. The business teams were able to properly practise and experience BAU activities before going live. Real-life issues were identified and corrected.

The appropriate level of documentation, refined during dress rehearsals, allowed a smooth transition to BAU. This included documents relating to security, integration, system administration, user guides, etc.

Project example – Cutover dress rehearsals

Major transformation programme for an insurance

company. 

• The cutover was from Friday at 17:00 to Sunday at 23:00.
• The window for the data load was eight hours.
• Based on previous projects, the third-party supplier estimated that the data load (that included a high volume of data) would be completed within eight hours.
• The recommendation to complete a dress rehearsal was rejected in the first instance due to assurances from the third party.
• Following additional risk assessment, it was decided that a cutover dress rehearsal would be completed.
• The data load was scheduled for eight hours, but it was aborted after eight hours with only 25 per cent of the data load completed.
• Resolving the issue required a redesign of the data migration approach. Running the cutover dress rehearsal early allowed the work to be completed, and the programme was delivered on time.

Project example - Benefits of parallel runs

An organisation implemented a new payroll system and ran parallel runs before go-live. The parallel runs required live data; using obfuscated data was not an option.

Significant issues were encountered during parallel runs

that were not identified in UAT or prior testing, for example:

• Pension calculation issues.   
• Payment issues caused by a problem with the data
• load process.        
• Application configuration issues.

By completing the parallel runs, the organisation avoided substantial BAU issues that would have caused incorrect payments or missed

payroll runs.

Project example – Use of DSDM

A major hospitality organisation used DSDM to develop a sales and marketing system. The company had previously used Waterfall for all projects. DSDM was selected after a workshop on the pros and cons of Waterfall and Agile. The project had strong

support from senior managers, business SMEs, and technical specialists. A third-party company was responsible for the development. 

Before starting the project, DSDM training was delivered to the project team. This approach was much more effective than training the team during the project. Everyone understood their role and the differences in

activities compared to waterfall projects.

The business had been considering the project for several months before it started and had a long list of features that they wanted to include. MoSCoW was used to prioritise the features.

The senior stakeholders welcomed the benefits of the DSDM structure, especially the deliverables from the timebox approach. Seeing the priority features delivered quickly instilled a high level of confidence in the project. Additionally, the project alleviated initial concerns about the risk of going over budget. The core functionality was delivered on time and to budget. Additional features were added to the backlog, and they were delivered in subsequent phases. 

The review concluded that the project delivered the required business benefits and that the use of DSDM had been successful. 

These examples are included in the toolkit with information on the associated principles and actions. 

All Pathway training courses are based on the Toolkit. 

What will you gain from Pathway training?

• Real-world advice on project management.
• Information on typical project management risks and actions you can take to prevent them from impacting your projects.
• An understanding of when to use PRINCE2, Waterfall, Agile or a hybrid methodology.
• Information on dress rehearsals. This is one of the most effective risk management activities you can complete on a project. (In addition to increasing BAU productivity from day one.)
• Knowledge of cutover planning and handover to post go-live support.
• How to manage the complexity of replacing legacy systems.
• An understanding of estimating and information about why estimates are usually so inaccurate. 
• A simple method for risk management that is objective and clear to everyone rather than, ‘This is my opinion,’ with each stakeholder holding a distinct viewpoint.

Pathway training is flexible. Courses are held at Milton

Keynes on Thursdays and Fridays but can be held at your location on dates that suit you. The training is practical and outstanding value for money.