Project Design & Mobilisation

All businesses embark on major projects at some stage in the business lifecycle. This may be an organisational re-structure, the development of a new IT system, or even the acquisition and subsequent integration of another company. Project or Programme Design & Mobilisation is the process that takes such a business proposal, concept or goal and turns it into a tangible project to deliver the business objectives. It is the most critical stage in any project or programme – if design parameters are flawed, the project will be doomed to failure.

PIPC Approach

The objectives of the project design and mobilisation phase are to:

• clearly define the project, providing a baseline through to a detailed management plan
• firmly establish the project operating environment
• ensure stakeholders are fully committed to and engaged in the project
• place the right people into the right roles from the start
• mobilise the Project Office and ensure that the management information flow is solid
• inject the energy and enthusiasm into the project team and ensure a well-orchestrated project start

The Design & Mobilisation of any project or programme must reinforce why it is essential and include actions to ensure the organisation is ready to take on the project – there must be a full understanding of the end-to-end project delivery process and associated commitments.

Over many years in practice, we have developed a world-class capability in the design and mobilisation of projects. One of our guiding principles is to deal with as much of the hassle up front to make the remainder of the project run as smoothly as is possible - hence our focus on Project Design & Mobilisation.

We have a comprehensive Project Mobilisation Framework for this purpose. It is an approach that has provided a strong foundation for some of the biggest and most complex projects, giving them a clear path to success

When to use Mobilisation

The design & mobilisation phase of a project is an essential part of preparing an organisation for change. Getting large teams working efficiently and focused on delivery is a key output from our Project Mobilisation Framework. It has also been designed with much smaller, less complex projects in mind and in such cases we use the Framework as a useful planning process and checklist.

Central to our approach is the emphasis we place on the ‘soft’ issues during the project start-up phase. Engaging the stakeholders and gaining the commitment of the senior management is the key to a beginning a successful project.

Hard Objectives:

• rapidly develop a plan of attack
• confirm the business drivers & identify the risks
• set up the management framework
• establish governance & project controls
• evaluate feasibility and contingencies
• get the team recruited and mobilised
• entirely flexible resource pool to meet short-term challenges cost-effectively
• confidence in delivering the most critical projects
• injection of energy and drive from an experienced team

Soft Objectives:

• gain the commitment of the Sponsor
• engage senior management in the ‘vision’
• win the commitment of the project team
• ensure the true support of all stakeholders
• raise awareness across the organisation
• keep communications channels open

PIPC Proposition

We have encapsulated our vast experience into a straightforward, structured and comprehensive process. Our approach balances the need for discipline and control with the sense of urgency that is often required in the start-up of new projects. We provide experienced project professionals who work alongside our clients and their people, injecting pace and additional insight into the issues at hand.

Using our approach to Project Design & Mobilisation ensures:

• there is clear focus on delivery of benefits
• a robust plan is established early
• stakeholders and the team fully understand and buy-in to the objectives
• key risks are identified and an appropriate level of project control is deployed
• the Steering Committee has complete confidence from day 1
• a clear decision-making process exists to deal with conflicting priorities
• there is a strong emphasis on communication throughout the project lifecycle.

We have helped to successfully mobilise some of the most challenging projects across the globe.