Project management is a collective term that can describe many different ways of working. For example, in sales and marketing there are often routine projects for new and existing customers to introduce new products, for example, translation agencies speak of projects to indicate that they are translating a book or film, and even reintegration processes for a sick employee can sometimes be be regarded as a project.
Program management can also be interpreted in different ways. For example, there are programs that are aimed at managing different individual projects in parallel where the overlap between the projects is minimal and where the focus is on the most efficient use of people and resources. However, there are also programs in which the program objectives are more central and projects are constantly adapted to achieve the program objectives.
Projectmanagement
Project management is a tool for Voorneveld Consulting to realize a change in an organization. For example, the implementation of a new billing system. In such a project there will be several sub-projects, ‘streams’ or teams that are responsible for a specific sub-problem, for example ‘ICT’, ‘Legal’, ‘Accounting’ and ‘Business’. The project management ensures that the project goals are achieved and supports the members of the project team to deliver his/her work for the project on time, with the right quality and within budget.
Voorneveld Consulting is very experienced in project management and is familiar with both Waterfall and Agile ways of working. More often than not these approaches are now combined, so the choice between waterfall and Agile is not one or the other, but rather a good balance between the two so that customers can combine the benefits of both ways of working.
Sample Projects
Implement EMEA Invoicing System
Project management to implement centralised invoicing system in Financial Shared Services Centre in London. This new invoicing system serves 10 different countries in Europe for invoicing of local and pan-European services. Assignment included design of new invoicing models and process, training of staff, data migration and development of interface with Microsoft Dynamics. Both PRINCE-II as SCRUM methods were used to complete the project.
Implement EMEA Content Management System
Project management for an external developed content management (Rights information) that needed to get implemented in all European and some middle-East countries. Activities included requirements gathering and contract management of the external vendor as well as training and data-migration activities.
Merge NL Advertisement Sales Systems
Project management for the merger of different advertisement sales systems into one new system. Project included crafting a new contract with the new sales system vendor , the termination of the contracts with the other vendors and an overhaul to the new system to accommodate all new requirements as well as training of staff and migration of historical data before go-live.
Program management
For Voorneveld Consulting, program management is a way of permanently influencing the way in which an organization works. A program is aimed at achieving a number of clearly defined program objectives for which it is not yet clear in advance which activities/projects will be carried out. Projects and other initiatives are initiated by the program management because they contribute to the achievement of the program goals. If a project or initiative does not, or no longer contributes enough, to achieving the program objectives, it will be stopped by the program management. Subsequently, alternative interventions and/or projects are set up that do contribute effectively to the program goals.
Voorneveld Consulting has set up and managed several programs, especially in the field of acquisitions and mergers of organizations. A characteristic of the approach is always a clear definition of the goals to be achieved in combination with a realistic timeline containing a number of intermediate ‘plateaus’ to which a clearly measurable result can always be attached. This enables the organization(s) involved to have test moments during the program at which it can be objectively assessed whether the program is on the right track.
An effective program will spend a lot of time formulating the program goals before the program is started, the better these are defined, the greater the chance of success of the program. When the program is then designed, it is important to define the most important ‘drivers’ of the program. This should preferably be a limited set, for example effectiveness, cost and acceptance. This makes the program easy to manage. As soon as too many ‘drivers’ are named, the program can get bogged down in collecting and reporting information instead of effectively managing the program goals.
Sample Programs
Merger of two Facilities organisations
Program management for the merger of two facilities organisations into one new organisation (NEP). Activities included defining the overall roadmap for integration and facilitating the steering committee as well as helping defining the new product-market combinations. Together with the existing COO separate synergy projects were defined and executed to realise the synergies that were identified as part of the merger planning.
Merger of three Broadcasting organisations
Three different public broadcasters were summoned to merge into one new broadcaster (NTR). This assigment included setting up an overall programma planning including all political, union and legislative milestones in conjunction with the internal planning to establish timely transition into the various new departments for HR, ICT, legal, facilities and all business (production) functions. Weekly meetings with former/new CEO’s of old/new organisation to steer on the overall objectives as well as many individual sessions with future managers to help them setup their new departments.
Merger of four Educational organisations
Three organisations for primary education and one organisation for children day-care had the ambition to join forces to create one organisation that puts the development of the child central (in The Netherlands this is referred to as ‘Integral Child Centre’). To achieve this a new organisational form needed to be found and a shared vision on the future of this organisation needed to be developed. Once this was establised, a transition plan was developed and put into action. This plan included all organisational, ICT, facilities, HR, didactic approach, legal and tax aspected needed to establish the new organisation (SCIO Groep).