Project Rescue

Projects can fail. Large scale, complex or high-risk projects are the most likely victims. The consequences for organisations can be disastrous – hitting bottom line results, damaging reputation in the market place and diminishing shareholder value. The problem is that most businesses either do not recognise the symptoms of failure early enough, or do not know what actions to take to recover or even salvage a failing project. Project Rescue drives rapid recovery action to turnaround the expected outcome of a project.

PIPC Approach

The key objectives of Project rescue are to:

• maximise the returns from the project whilst minimising any additional investment
• identify the critical issues and rapidly build an action plan to resolve them
• crash the critical path to transform the rate of delivery
• cut through the bureaucracy to implement effective decision-making
• restore team confidence and clarify roles and responsibilities
• minimise any exposure to customers, shareholders and other key stakeholders.

Project Rescue is different from ‘normal’ project management. Rescue projects usually have high visibility at CEO level, in the media or in the market place.

There will be a sense of urgency and a need to take measured short cuts and apply rapid recovery techniques if a project is to deliver to its objectives. Experience in knowing how to get it right first time is essential.

Over many years of helping businesses to recover complex projects, we have developed a core capability in Project Rescue.

Our approach focuses on eliminating bureaucracy, minimising documentation and sub-dividing the programme into many small, self-empowered teams with a common recovery ‘game plan’. This ensures that project objectives and outcomes are reconfirmed, the scope is clear, well-managed and ‘decision point-driven’ with clear checkpoints.

The very nature of a Project Rescue relies on ‘raising the game’ and increasing the speed of resolution of key project issues. However, this will necessitate highly experienced project managers who know and understand the Rescue process – you only get one chance to rescue a project and retain stakeholder buy-in.

The deployment of Project Rescue is of primary benefit to any organisation that faces any of the following issues on any project or programme:

• multiple project milestones have been missed/overrun
• escalating project costs coupled with a lack of financial management/reporting
• poor project team morale and a lack of belief in the goal
• a project agenda that far exceeds the ability of the organisation to deliver
• a project risk profile that exceeds an acceptable level for the business, especially operational risk
• the sponsor has lost faith in the ability of the project or project manager to deliver.

Central to our Project Rescue approach is the emphasis on early intervention – maximising the time to influence the project in the context of its overall objectives. Getting projects and sponsors to recognise and act on these signs is the key.

Our Project Rescue approach will:

• eliminate the showstopper issues and inhibitors to success
• build a risk management plan to secure delivery
• provide a fresh injection of enthusiasm for the team, build new project momentum and sustain it
• deliver the optimal business outcome
• secure key partnerships with suppliers/customers and build confidence in delivery
• rapidly communicate a rescue plan to all key stakeholders and the project team.

PIPC Proposition

Project Rescue is part of our core expertise. We work with you and provide a highly experienced Rescue Team, a structured approach and supporting tools/techniques to turn your projects round. By working with us you get the benefit of our:

• highly experienced and energised project specialists
• a track record for saving projects under high-pressure conditions
• tried and tested Project Rescue approach and framework - supported by time-saving tools
• strong focus on working within an organisation’s unique culture.

PIPC specialises in rescuing failing or wayward projects and we have successfully helped many companies around the world, across a variety of business sectors.