I recently read that as our knowledge and access to information increases, our appetite for risk also increases. The more we know, the more we feel comfortable taking on. It made me think about when my nephew was young and liked to roll down a small incline on his tricycle, crashing into the fence. His parents then bought him a helmet for protection, explaining how it would keep him safe. However, according to my nephew, the helmet equipped him to not only go higher up the hill; but to also fly down the hill faster.
In organisations today, we have access to an infinite amount of information as well as efficient ways to access it. The abundance of innovation introduced within a disproportionately short amount of time, particularly within the technology field, also provides evidence of this escalating speed of change. We know more, we have greater resources, and hence want to achieve more. This, in turn, accelerates the demand for projects to be delivered within shorter timeframes, thereby creating a situation where everyone is busy.
In light of this, every team or organization should consistently look inwards and question its approach.
- How often do you step back to take stock of how your projects are performing?
- Is the project team still focused on the right deliverables?
- Are stakeholders confident they are going to get the outcomes and benefits they desire?
- Do you have the correct governance structure in place to ensure decision-making and assurance functions support your projects effectively?
Project Health Assessments provide an opportunity to review project performance, methods and planned outcomes to ensure they adhere to the original objectives and success criteria, thereby maximising benefits to the organisation.
Project status reports can often give the impression that a project is on track, while underlying issues ferment beneath the metrics and minutiae, requiring deeper analysis to uncover them. Project Health Assessment involves diving into and analysing all aspects of a project to gauge what is working and what can be improved.
Digital and Business Transformation Programs are typically complex, making them susceptible to activities going off track as priorities change and pressure to deliver quicker rises. Project Health Assessments (also known as Health Checks) can be conducted not only on individual projects but also on programs and project portfolios to assess how multiple projects are performing as an inter-related group.
Project Health Assessment can be conducted in numerous ways depending on time, resources and the peculiarities of each organisation. It may be in the form of a questionnaire sent out to key project team members and stakeholders, or performed in an interview-style where the reviewer asks questions and discusses with project team members. An alternative technique involves holding workshops with groups to gain their input and thoughts.
At Enterco, we use a range of assurance and assessment techniques, working closely with your team to determine the health of your portfolio, program or project. Findings are compiled within a detailed report that details practical solutions or recommended recovery actions. Our collaborative approach will help you get your project(s) back in line with your original objectives and plans.