HealthCheck Project Management
Business Template
What is a HealthCheck?
When should you use it?
The Projects HealthCheck template provides a
structured method for assessing the current status
of the Projects area of your business based on
industry best practices.
Make the use of HealthChecks part of your annual
review of the critical areas of your business.
However, ensure that your improvement actions are
planned and monitored on a more regular
(quarterly) basis. Note that for some teams, the
HealthCheck will also form part of an external audit
or compliance process driven by customers or
industry regulators.
Why is it relevant?
As industries become more competitive survival is
about doing more with less whilst still delivering
against customer expectations at a level that
exceeds the competition. To achieve this you need
to: 1) understand what ‘best practice’ looks like, and
2) understand your current performance – ideally
against the competition.
Who needs to be involved?
The HealthCheck is completed by all those that are
responsible for performance in this particular area of
the business, but ensure you seek the views of all
those involved – even if you do not agree with them.
Stakeholders may mainly be internal to the business,
but ensure that you get an external perspective
involving the views of key customers and suppliers.
How should you implement it?
Plan the HealthCheck carefully and ensure that you
get the right people involved early in the process.
Gather information through face-to-face interviews
where possible, although electronic checklists can
enable you to involve a larger group. Gather
evidence of performance as you go.
Then
consolidate the various views and look for areas of
inconsistency across different stakeholders, and
assess areas of concern. Finally, develop a clear
action plan with ownership and timings for getting to
green or for improving the score on an individual
item.
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
HealthCheck Project Management
This is a case example based on a fictitious company called TVT – all the data is displayed for demonstration
purposes only. For a detailed explanation of what each cell is used for please refer to the Virtual Consultant on the
following pages.
ID
Category
1
Business Needs
A
Align to Business
Imperatives
B
Evaluation criteria
Score
Status
All current projects are clearly aligned to the business strategy and to
strategic priorities
2
Green
Understand
Consumer
Requirements
All projects reflect customer and consumer needs within their objectives
and supporting information, be they internal or external
3
Green
C
Identify links to
other projects
The interdependencies between projects are highlighted in the projects’
charter from either a risk management or synergies perspective
2
Amber
2
Project Goals
Score
Status
A
Setting
objectives
All projects have clearly understood, actionable SMART objectives
4
Green
B
Agreeing Key
Performance
Indicators
All projects have clear and agreed KPIs and Return on Investment (RoI)
targets
4
Green
C
Establishing the
business case
The organisation understands how important each project is to delivering
value to the business and the business case has been agreed by all
stakeholders
5
Green
3
Stakeholders
Score
Status
A
Identify
Stakeholders
Project managers and their core teams understand the key stakeholders
and have carried out some stakeholder analysis
4
Amber
B
Assess
commitment
The commitment of project stakeholders has been assessed and the core
project team is aware of the results
3
Amber
C
Influence
supporters &
resistors
A communication plan has been created in order to address the
commitment, or otherwise, of project supporters or ‘resistors’
4
Green
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or contact us at: [email protected]
4
Workplan & Timings
Score
Status
A
Define Tasks&
Priorities
All projects have a list of defined and identified tasks and the structure of
the project is clear
4
Green
B
Identify Critical
Path
The Critical Path has been calculated and the earliest finish date of the
project understood
4
Green
C
Agree Milestones
Milestones against which progress will be checked have been set
appropriately
5
Green
5
Issues & Risks
Score
Status
A
Identify Issues &
Risks
A risk register or log has been opened and is used throughout projects.
Risks are reviewed and prioritised at team meetings
1
Red
A
Agree corrective
actions
Actions to address risks are identified and plans changed accordingly.
2
Amber
C
Manage change
requests
A change management process is in place for all projects and changes to
the scope and plan of the project are managed by the project manager at
regular meetings
2
Amber
6
The Team
Score
Status
A
Select project
leader
The project manager (leader) has content and process experience
relevant to the project in hand
3
Amber
B
Build the team
The team has a balance of skills and complements those of the project
manager. The team has a common agreed goal
2
Amber
C
Agree roles &
responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of the core project team are clear and
understood by all
3
Amber
7
Critical Decisions
Score
Status
A
Identify decisions
All decisions and their reasons are recorded for audit purposes
1
Red
B
Agree decision
making process
The process by which issues are decided upon in the project is understood
and authority levels are agreed
1
Red
C
Gaining buy-in
All stakeholders are informed of major changes in the project (scope or
plan) and their input is sought and potential conflicts addressed
2
Red
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
8
Resources & Budgets
Score
Status
A
Identify Resource
requirements
Resources (consumables, materials, skills etc.) are identified up front
4
Green
B
Specify quantity
and quality
All resources identified have clear quantitative and qualitative standards
attached
5
Green
C
Agree budgets
All project budgets are understood and total project funding upfront is
agreed with Project Sponsor and/or Finance Director
5
Green
9
Project Leadership
Score
Status
A
Right Skills
The project manager and project sponsor have the right process and
content skills and complement each other
4
Green
B
Right Thinking
The project manager understands not only the process of delivering a
project but understands the bigger picture and where the project fits, in
order to be able to make the right decisions when appropriate
4
Green
C
Right
Commitment
The project manager and sponsor are committed to the successful
delivery of the project and its business outcomes, despite any personal
reservations
5
Green
10
Communications
Score
Status
A
Upward
A process and platform exists for communicating progress and escalating
issues to the Business, the Project Review Board (PRB), the Project
Sponsor and/or Customers
4
Green
B
Sideways
A process and platform exists for communicating project and resource
issues to other Project Managers and Functional Heads
5
Green
C
Downwards
A process and platform exists for communicating with the project team,
suppliers and/or project specialists as necessary
3
Amber
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or contact us at: [email protected]
Audit Summary
For each element of the checklist add up the scores of the 3 related questions and divide by 3 – this will give you an
average score for that specific element. See example below.
Element
Score
0
1
2
3
4
5
Improvement Actions
Business Needs
2.3
Need to improve effective linking between projects in
the overall portfolio
Project Goals
4.3
Stakeholders
3.7
Workplan &
Timings
4.3
Issues & Risks
1.7
Need to formalise the use of a structure Risk Register on
all projects – consolidated across the portfolio
The Team
2.7
Need to focus on the skills of the Project Leader and key
members of the team (gap analysis)
Critical Decisions
1.3
Need to formalise the process of capturing critical
project decisions
Resources &
Budgets
4.7
Project Leadership
4.3
Communications
3.9
Need to ensure earlier involvement of stakeholders in
project planning in order to gain commitment
Need to improve effective communication of project
issues and outcomes to all stakeholders
In the TVT example above, the managers conducting the Audit have identified that the weakest link is that of the
Critical Decisions used (average score 1.3). The plan would therefore be to focus attention on and improve this
area within the business first until it was no longer the weakest link. Once the senior management team has
increased confidence that the Platform (in this example) has improved, the next stage would be to focus on the
Issues & Risks (1.7) and Business Needs (2.3) areas.
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
Virtual ConsultantTM
The Virtual ConsultantTM provides a step-by-step guide to completing this business template. It is worded as a
series of questions designed to make you stop and think about this topic in a challenging and creative way – as if a
business coach or consultant was sitting next to you.
HealthCheck
Use the following checklist to assess the current state of your team: Consider each criterion in turn and use the
following scoring system to identify current performance:
0 – Not done or defined within the business: unaware of its importance to project management
1 – Aware of area but little or no work done in the business
2 – Recognised as an area of importance. Some work done in this area
3 – Area clearly defined and work done in the area in terms of project management
4 – Consistent use of best practice tools and techniques in this area across the business
5 – Area is recognised as being ‘best in class’ and could be a reference area for best practice
Then reflect on the lowest scores and identify those areas that are critical to success and flag then as status ‘Red’
requiring immediate attention. Then identify those areas that you are concerned about, and flag those as status
‘Amber’ implying areas of risk that need to be monitored closely.
In your project management framework the whole Project management Process is only as good as each individual
element. If one ‘link in the chain’ is weak then the Project management Process within the company will not
operate to optimum efficiency and there is an increased risk of failure. The action plan therefore should be to
focus attention and resources on the elements of greatest weakness first, and then to move the whole framework
to a level of excellence. This approach optimises the use of resources and sets up a process of continuous
improvement.
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
HealthCheck Project Management
Use the following blank template to address an issue or opportunity within your business or team
Form 1: Detailed Audit
ID
Category
Evaluation criteria
1
Business Needs
A
Align to Business
Imperatives
All current projects are clearly aligned to the business strategy and to
strategic priorities
B
Understand
Consumer
Requirements
All projects reflect customer and consumer needs within their objectives
and supporting information, be they internal or external
C
Identify links to
other projects
The interdependencies between projects are highlighted in the projects’
charter from either a risk management or synergies perspective
2
Project Goals
A
Setting
objectives
All projects have clearly understood, actionable SMART objectives
B
Agreeing Key
Performance
Indicators
All projects have clear and agreed KPIs and Return on Investment (RoI)
targets
C
Establishing the
business case
The organisation understands how important each project is to delivering
value to the business and the business case has been agreed by all
stakeholders
3
Stakeholders
A
Identify
Stakeholders
Project managers and their core teams understand the key stakeholders
and have carried out some stakeholder analysis
B
Assess
commitment
The commitment of project stakeholders has been assessed and the core
project team is aware of the results
C
Influence
supporters &
resistors
A communication plan has been created in order to address the
commitment, or otherwise, of project supporters or ‘resistors’
4
Workplan & Timings
A
Define Tasks&
Priorities
All projects have a list of defined and identified tasks and the structure of
the project is clear
B
Identify Critical
Path
The Critical Path has been calculated and the earliest finish date of the
project understood
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
Score
Status
Score
Status
Score
Status
Score
Status
C
Agree Milestones
Milestones against which progress will be checked have been set
appropriately
5
Issues & Risks
A
Identify Issues &
Risks
A risk register or log has been opened and is used throughout projects.
Risks are reviewed and prioritised at team meetings
A
Agree corrective
actions
Actions to address risks are identified and plans changed accordingly.
C
Manage change
requests
A change management process is in place for all projects and changes to
the scope and plan of the project are managed by the project manager at
regular meetings
6
The Team
A
Select project
leader
The project manager (leader) has content and process experience
relevant to the project in hand
B
Build the team
The team has a balance of skills and complements those of the project
manager. The team has a common agreed goal
C
Agree roles &
responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of the core project team are clear and
understood by all
7
Critical Decisions
A
Identify decisions
All decisions and their reasons are recorded for audit purposes
B
Agree decision
making process
The process by which issues are decided upon in the project is understood
and authority levels are agreed
C
Gaining buy-in
All stakeholders are informed of major changes in the project (scope or
plan) and their input is sought and potential conflicts addressed
8
Resources & Budgets
A
Identify Resource
requirements
Resources (consumables, materials, skills etc.) are identified up front
B
Specify quantity
and quality
All resources identified have clear quantitative and qualitative standards
attached
C
Agree budgets
All project budgets are understood and total project funding upfront is
agreed with Project Sponsor and/or Finance Director
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
Score
Status
Score
Status
Score
Status
Score
Status
9
Project Leadership
A
Right Skills
The project manager and project sponsor have the right process and
content skills and complement each other
B
Right Thinking
The project manager understands not only the process of delivering a
project but understands the bigger picture and where the project fits, in
order to be able to make the right decisions when appropriate
C
Right
Commitment
The project manager and sponsor are committed to the successful
delivery of the project and its business outcomes, despite any personal
reservations
10
Communications
A
Upward
A process and platform exists for communicating progress and escalating
issues to the Business, the Project Review Board (PRB), the Project
Sponsor and/or Customers
B
Sideways
A process and platform exists for communicating project and resource
issues to other Project Managers and Functional Heads
C
Downwards
A process and platform exists for communicating with the project team,
suppliers and/or project specialists as necessary
Form 2: Audit Summary
Element
Score
0
1
2
3
4
5
Notes
Business Needs
Project Goals
Stakeholders
Workplan & Timings
Issues & Risks
The Team
Critical Decisions
Resources & Budgets
Project Leadership
Communications
© SofTools, 2009. For more information on related products and services, visit www.Fast-Track-Me.com
or contact us at: [email protected]
Score
Status
Score
Status