In 1986, Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikuhiro Nonaka wrote a paper for the Harvard Business Review. “The New New Product Develop Game” applied rugby terms to organizational methods in developing and delivering products. Although rugby is foreign to most Americans, terms such as “scrum” and “agile” struck a chord. More than three decades later, companies looking to create the ideal project management office still struggle to differentiate between concepts such as Scaled Agile Framework and Scrum, though. Here’s a primer.

What Is Rugby and Why Does It Relate To PMO Implementation?

What Is Scrum?

What Is Scaled Agile Framework or SAFe?

Rugby scrums that overcome rough patches are just one aspect of a team’s strategy. Ultimately, the goal is for scrum members to get the ball in the hands of more agile players who can deliver it to the opponent’s end. For this to occur, the entire team must align in a formation covering the breadth of the field, enabling it to exploit any opportunities.

Similarly, SAFe is the overarching framework of a PMO. While Scrum concentrates on a specific task, Scalable Agile Frameworks tackle the project as a whole. It aims to deliver the project in a timely and efficient manner.

Are Scrum and SAFe Structured Differently?

Scrum and Scalable Agile Frameworks usually consist of three tiers that function similarly. A Scrum team handles each task, or sprint, led by a Scrum Master who, in turn, reports to the Product Owner. The Product Owner is responsible for planning and organizing each sprint as well as liaising with company management and employees.

SAFe can be likened to an enlarged version of Scrum with three levels: the visual portfolio (information and data stream), program, and team. The significant difference between SAFe and Scrum is that the former’s overarching purview allows it to perceive and resolve problems the latter will miss in its limited scope.

Implementing your PMO relies on identifying the areas that require Scrums and installing a Scalable Agile Framework that can read and adapt to changing conditions. To avoid downtime, conflicting departmental standards, and other inefficiencies, put the right people on the job from day one. Contact Project Genetics for a consultation today.

Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, is one of the most successful strategies for businesses of all sizes. CRM focuses on improving profit per customer by improving the quality of the relationship that your company has with each of its customers. When your customers feel that they have a more personalized relationship with your business, they’ll be more likely to come back and spend more. If CRM isn’t already embedded in your company’s DNA, consider how successful CRM implementation plans work.

What Are the Most Important Steps in CRM Implementation?

Understand Your Shortcomings

Why do you want to implement CRM in the first place? What problems will CRM solve? All too often, we see companies rush into CRM without first evaluating their circumstances. Before you embark on any CRM project, gather heaps of data. Interview as many customers as you can to find out how they feel about their relationship with your business. Speak to CSRs and sales to find out what makes it difficult for them to forge strong client relationships.

Take a closer look at your internal business processes. Can you adjust them to give clients more involvement? Are unnecessary tasks or excessive exchanges between employees keeping your customer service team from focusing on the customer? A good rule of thumb is any activity that doesn’t generate value for the customer is one you can live without. Once you know your flaws, you’ll be able to address them precisely through meaningful changes.

Set Goals for CRM

How will you know whether your company implemented CRM successfully or not? Without clear objectives, you won’t be able to accurately measure the impact of your implementation. Select KPIs that relate to CRM and pull as much historic data as you can to see where you stand now. Consider comparing to industry benchmarks or other organizations to spot where you’re lagging and where you excel. Set new KPI targets and observe how CRM affects them.

Numbers alone are only half of the equation. Add a timeframe to your goals to make sure your implementation doesn’t drag on or balloon in cost. Set short-term and long-term goals for each of the KPIs you chose. Some useful ones to consider are profit per customer, purchase frequency for returning customers, customer satisfaction, and the number of referrals per customer. Aim for a 1-year target goal and build from there with 3-year or 5-year goals.

Choose the Right Tools

How are you going to track all of those KPIs? How can you strengthen your internal processes to facilitate growth in those areas? CRM tools can help you measure progress towards your goals while also making it easier to interact with your customers in ways that boost your KPIs with minimal effort. However, your company may already have some tools in place. It’s important to make sure that new software is compatible with existing tools and practices.

The most successful customer relationship management implementations are guided by expert consultants who understand CRM and the tools that support it. Book an Intro Call with Project Genetics to learn how we can help your company implement CRM.

6 Keys to PMO Methodology Implementation

1. Establish a Defined Selection Process

Any successful project management office is careful when selecting projects to be undertaken. Acceptable projects must fall within certain criteria, such as financial viability and profitability, alignment with the organization’s strategy, adaptability in the event of future shifts in strategy or technology, the relative risk factor for success, scalability, and the legal and ethical implications (does the project comply with local, national, and/or international regulations?).

2. Identify the Project’s Objective(s)

From the outset, establish measurable objectives for the project in question. Define how those objectives will be measured. Identify key performance indicators which can monitor progress or reveal any bottlenecks or other obstacles hindering success.

3. Define the Function and Scope of the Project Management Office

A project management team can function in three fundamental manners. It can act in a supportive role as advisors or consultants, as a controlling agent by, for instance, establishing protocols and mandating compliance, or by assuming direct control and management of the projects. Those boundaries should be clarified from the outset to ensure full support from sponsors and stakeholders.

In addition, other questions should be addressed. To whom will the team report? Will train project managers throughout the organization? Will it interact in other ways with various departments or be siloed? While subject to change, the project management office’s scope should always be transparent and clearly defined.

4. Be Certain the Project Management Team Has the Full Support of Its Sponsor

5. Engage Stakeholders

6. Always Be Open to Improvement

Downtime, differing standards in various departments, poor communication and documentation, as well as other inefficiencies are the bane of any successful business. While standardization, scalability, and agility are all desired qualities, they cannot be achieved if a project team, or the organization as a whole, are not open to new techniques, tools, and methods.

No manager or team can organize or execute a project without both a passion for problem-solving and the experience of past successes. Consistency and inspiration must work hand in hand. To get your critical project on the track to green, consult Project Genetics today.

Workday is a powerful software package that helps companies manage multiple financial and human capital systems. It has numerous benefits for companies of all sizes and can generate reduced costs, improved performance, greater efficiency, and positive team morale. Managing a successful transition starts with being aware of what the process will look like, so here we take a look at some of the key factors involved in Workday implementation.

What Is Workday Implementation?

Existing Practices and Processes

Regardless of what industry it operates in, each company develops its own set of internal processes to maximize efficiency. This is especially true for human resources departments and payroll or financial operations, areas where Workday applies most directly. A big part of implementing Workday is having a firm grasp on optimal operations before starting the transition, so you can configure the software accordingly.

Workday comes with default settings for each application, and these may not be ideal for your company. It’s important to evaluate current practices to determine what’s working and what isn’t, so you’ll have a clear idea about how to configure Workday before you begin implementation.

Data Migration

A major step in the implementation process is moving data from your company’s existing systems into Workday. A common example of this is migrating human resources data, specifically employee information pertaining to group health insurance plans. This includes things like hiring and coverage dates that determine eligibility for benefits, meaning a mistake can lead to delays in implementation.

It’s important to have a rigorous plan in place to manage data migration and ensure correct entry, avoid data duplication, and identify data points that might not be recognized in Workday. This will help avoid costly delays and get you up and running as quickly as possible.

Focus on Testing Phase

The implementation process usually occurs in multiple phases, from planning and configuration to testing and deployment. Each of these is important and has its challenges, and the testing phase can often be the longest and most complex. This may include the development of testing scripts as well as analyzing automation tools, so it’s important to have a team in place with the required technical expertise.

This means that once again preparation is key for effective implementation, as the testing team needs comprehensive information about various use-case scenarios from the end user’s perspective. Whether you outsource this testing task or not, it’s a good idea to involve business analysts, human resources managers, and key financial personnel in this process.

Find the Right Partner

Given the complexities involved and the level of expertise required, it’s no surprise that many companies turn to independent partners that are experienced in implementing Workday. Having helped other companies do the same, they offer tremendous value by guiding best practice to deliver a smooth and effective transition. Consider this option as you evaluate internal competencies and the potential deployment of company resources.

If you’re considering implementing Workday to improve your business operations, this is a general idea of what the process entails. Contact Project Genetics to learn more about what Workday can do for you, and how they can help implement it.

With today’s marketplace evolving faster than ever, companies must constantly adapt to remain competitive. This means searching for weaknesses and opportunities to improve, including all facets of operations and personnel performance. Process optimization is the ongoing commitment to seeking the best tools, practices, and methodologies to maximize company success, and here we take a closer look at what it can do for your company.

Why Is Process Optimization Important?

Improves Efficiency

This is one of the key benefits of prioritizing optimization, as without this it’s easy for companies to become complacent. It can be as simple as continuing to do something the same way without exploring more efficient options, simply because that’s the way it has always been done. An example of this is data input and management, which some companies continue to do manually when there are automated tools that can do it much faster and more accurately.

Optimizing your company’s operational processes reduces waste, both in time and resources. This not only helps conserve company profits but improves team morale as employees avoid the frustration associated with menial or inefficient tasks. By constantly looking for ways to optimize operations, whether it’s with new software, automation tools, or simply addressing inefficiencies, companies allow their employees to focus on efforts that matter most.  

Better Team Performance Monitoring

For a company to remain competitive, it must be able to measure how well its team is performing. It’s important to identify what is or isn’t working and why so weaknesses can be addressed before they spiral out of control and create financial losses. For very simple tasks this is quick and easy to assess, but the reality is that for most jobs this requires nuanced analysis and a detailed, optimized process.

A commitment to optimization means establishing clear expectations and allowing departments to track and share information, so they can monitor performance and demonstrate accountability. This will help expose human error, inefficiencies in operations, or even fraud. Addressing these issues will keep your company on track and give employees a clearer sense of expectations and accountability.

Legal Compliance and Regulations

Every industry has its own unique rules and regulations, and in some cases, there are massive changes that can upend operations from year to year. Adjusting to amendments in things like financial or safety regulations can cost companies a great deal of time and money in the short term as they struggle to comply, but are forced to do so under the threat of fines and penalties. This is another area where optimization can help.

As an example, a company can easily adapt to changes in financial regulations when its payroll and accounting departments are already optimized for efficiency. Each team member understands how his or her role is affected, making it faster and easier to tweak operations as needed. The same goes for safety protocols, as it’s easier to adapt when there’s already an understanding of who is responsible for workplace safety and equipment inspection.

These are just a few reasons why optimizing processes is so important for businesses in all industries. Contact Project Genetics to learn more about how optimization can help your business reach its full potential.

A failing project can spell disaster for the reputation of your company. Project recovery is one of the most useful skills executives need to be able to implement, but creating a schedule to recover projects can be more difficult than it seems. This is why it’s important to leverage knowledge about your industry to create actionable steps to get your project back on track.

How Do You Create a Project Recovery Schedule?

Creating a schedule for a project begins with identifying an issue, assessing the project, and making recommendations for how to reset the course of the project. The goal of recovering your project is to complete your project on time and with the results you want. The steps to recover your project include:

Recovery Intervention

Recognizing that your project is in trouble is the first step in recovery. When a project starts, it’s a good idea to identify parameters that will identify the circumstances that indicate the project is going off the rails. Once these parameters are defined, it will be much easier to make accurate assessments of the project progress and identify when an intervention is necessary to recover the project.

Recovery Assessment

Part of your recovery assessment will include assessing various factors related to the project. For example, your assessment should cover the scope of the project, the expected schedule to complete the project, the staff that is involved in the project, the quality of the management practices, the project cost, and project risk.

Your recovery assessment will be used to determine which aspect of the project is causing poor performance. During the assessment, you will look at each of the project variables to determine where management and performance are failing so you can make recommendations for how to correct the issues.

Recovery Recommendation

Recovery recommendations are generally developed in response to any problems that are assessed and identified. Usually, recommendations for recovery can include establishing baselines for performance in management and addressing the root causes contributing to the poor performance.

These recommendations should also include directives on what needs correction, why the corrections are necessary, and an estimate of how long these corrections will take to integrate.

Recovery Planning

Recovery planning includes defining the roadmap for how to implement the recovery recommendation steps. Recovery planning should be clearly defined so the plan is easy to follow and execute.

Some aspects of recovery planning you may want to include the management of staff, risk management, communications used during recovery, and contacting vendors who may be affected by the recovery efforts.

Recovery Execution

Recovery execution is the step that implements the recovery plan by applying success criteria, project networks, team organization, cost and benefit analysis, risk containment strategies, and other requirements that are necessary to recover the project.

Recovery Closure

Recovery closure is the last step of recovering a failing project and will include a review of the problems that caused the original failure of the project so that future projects can avoid these mistakes. Other aspects of recovery closure can include how to improve project management in the future and how to return to normal operations after the project has been recovered.

Quickly recovering a failing project will benefit the reputation of your company and keep your performance rate high. Some of the steps involved in recovering a project should include recovery intervention, recovery assessment, recovery recommendation, recovery planning, recovery execution, and recovery closure. For more information on how to create a schedule for project recovery, contact Project Genetics today.