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Framework™ Project Lifecycle

Do the right things, and do things right

Projects continue to fail at an alarming and unacceptable level. 60% of projects fail, they:

  • Overrun time estimates by 84%

  • Overrun cost estimates by 43%

  • Substantially fail to support business processes

  • Substantially fail to deliver benefits

CHAOS Report, The Standish Group, 2004

Adopting a recognised project management methodology will help to mitigate some of these failures, but that is only half the story. Project management methods specify the right things to do but they don’t explain how to deliver the actual products of the project. To do things right, you need a product delivery methodology.

Based on 18 years experience of working with our customers to deliver projects, CEC has developed a unique model that integrates project management and product delivery methods to provide an end-to-end project lifecycle, known as Framework™. Framework™ can be integrated with the leading project management methodologies to provide organisations with a complete Project Lifecycle.


Benefits of a Project Lifecycle

The benefits of having a defined, repeatable project process are well documented and include:

  •  A business-wide standard for all projects using common terminology

  • Increased teamworking and easier communications

  • A repeatable process and deliverables with pre-defined templates and examples

  • Increased project productivity through re-use and shared experience

  • Increased levels of transferable skills between projects

  • Improved delivery of promised performance, cost and schedule

  • Easier collaboration with external stakeholders and suppliers

  • An integrated business, IT and engineering perspective

  • A key enabler for greater process and capability maturity in projects.

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Bringing Project Management and Product Delivery Together

Project management methods such as PRINCE2 and PMBOK have been in use for a number of years and are suitable for use on any type of project.  However, these methods only cover the management and control of the project, not the delivery of the products themselves.  For this, delivery methods such as SSADM, DSDM and RUP have evolved.  Both project management and product delivery lifecycles are needed on projects.

The key to successful deployment of a project lifecycle is the selection, tailoring and integration of project management and product delivery methodology within an organisation. CEC’s Framework™ Project Lifecycle is written in business terminology and incorporates business standards, policies, techniques, templates, tools, and checklists.  It provides practical guidance for executing projects through defined processes, or paths, for example small project, RAD, eBusiness, Agile.

Framework™ integrates project management and product delivery methods to provide an end-to-end project lifecycle.  This is facilitated through change domains and supporting disciplines – key components of the Framework™ method.  The result is a pragmatic, consistent and proven approach to more successful project delivery.


Approach

CEC Europe understands that “one size” does not fit all when it comes to methodologies.  Successful deployment is predicated on selecting and tailoring the appropriate method content and providing clear and unambiguous processes for each key type of project.

To deliver a tailored full Project Lifecycle Methodology (along with supporting education and training) to an organisation, we follow a well-proven process management and improvement approach.

Step One:Scoping

Establish the business objectives and goals to be addressed, the key performance indicators to be achieved and the business benefits to be delivered. Involve the Executive Sponsor and a Scoping Team of senior business.

Step Two:Requirements

Gather the requirements for the scoped project lifecycle and supporting components from the business community.  A maturity assessment is also undertaken to determine the current position of the whole organisation.

Step Three:Design

The scoped requirements are developed into a design for the delivered project lifecycle including changes in the supporting domains (information, process, technology, application, location, organisation, education & training, testing, operations & maintenance and security).  The requirements are also mapped to existing methodologies and frameworks to facilitate re-use of best-practice.

Step Four:Develop

The components are developed or sourced and tested by the development team.

Step Five:Test

The delivered lifecycle and supporting components are acceptance tested by the business prior to roll-out.  Amendments and updates are made.

Step Five:Implement

All developed components are rolled-out to the business, typically as a phased deployment.  Supporting education & training is provided, including training of the operations & maintenance function, prior to formal handover.

Step Six:Improve

The loop is closed so that the lifecycle is continuously developed and improved based on feedback and lessons learned.

see example of Framework

For more information please e-mail  consulting@ceceurope.com
us or call Consulting on 44 (0) 20 7251-4646