The BIG print:
We know that most of what follows seems business jargon and waffling
Good old human talk and conversation can transform this jargon into meaning
Such is the human nature, not even the color red is red for everyone until it is
Thefore we propose we use this collection of jargon terms as a launchpad
And let’s talk, let’s meet up, talk about how we can work for each other
The not too obvious need:
Experienced, highly specialised, multiskilled technical input at board or high executive level
Wether in business as usual or in projects, proven technical expertise for decision making is a necessity
High level decision makers must technically question, understand and be proactive in their work
Today it’s a necessity to identify, grow to trust and to efficiently utilise a highly skilled technician
Success arrives where technical knowledge and decision making powers symbiotically coexist
Reality shows one individual very rarely has sufficient technical competence and decision making skills
Financial purpose:
Make more money
Spend less money
Never waste money
This service is aimed at:
Corporate Board level
Corporate Executive (CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, MD)
Director level
Programme Board level
Project Board level
Project Executive Sponsor (director, budget holder)
Technicall viewpoint on:
Auditing
Due dilligence
Governance
Sign off assurance
Quality assurance
Report on what figures do not show
Risks and issues
Mitigation of adversity
Alerts on:
Incorrect decisions
Wasteful processes
Skills mismatch
Risk factors
What we offer:
Technical and consultancy advice
Hands on implementation
Solutions and options
Highly specialised skills transfer
Multiskilled resource contingency
Quality assurance reviews
Technical reviews
Peer reviews
Technical reviews for:
Project initiation document – often just words (too many) that people don’t read
Procurement process – often overspecified, laborious and missing entirely the very important aspects
Documentation – which can be extensive and never used by anybody ever again, wasting time/resources
Strategies – documents that details the what of a certain project or action for a specified period/project
Plans – the next step from strategy (what) is the plan (how) and they need to be in synch, and more
Management – to make sure that the whole set of connected activity gels well together in all aspects
Implementation – these are aspects of hands on doing (not documents) like programming and config
Supplier support – we can review and manage this sometime troublesome aspect transparently
Possible scenarios of participation advisory participation:
Sit in board meetings, observe and report
Read documents submited to the board and comment
Audit projects based on our own project checklist
Audit skills available for the project deliverables.
Audit project methodology based on deliverables
Forms of our contribution as a deliverable (usually a report or meeting or both):
Informal discussion (brainstorming) in a group or one to one
Formal meetings as an observer or active participant
Document annotations and reviews for all your project documents.
Formal short report (under 500 words) for specific TORs
Formal detailed report (1000-2000 words) for specific TORs
Hands on delivery if needed for a variety of outputs (including programming)
Initiate proactive prevention in projects, usually by an independent issue and risks log
Manage supplier support to enhance the relationship between client and supplier
Uncover interproject dependencies which are often not too obvious to the untrained eye
Clarify intraproject dependencies which often get overlooked and delay projects
Integrate dependencies in plans so that all involved know and do what they need
Follow up plans and update schedule to present an evolutionary view of your project
Priority areas covered:
Application implementation
Data migration
Data warehouse
Integration
Project (BAU) management
Complete project life cycle (or BAU) workstream and process involvement:
Procurement – you need us there to make sure you buy and ask for something technically sound
Project documentation – to avoid producing what nobody reads and produce what all need/understand
Project management – ensuring that what you are told is exactly what is happening
Configuration – this is what makes or breaks an application, like a car with an expertly tuned engine
Data migration – a very complex area, often overlooked until its too late (and then covered up)
Reporting – ensuring that all your reports are audited, supported or enhanced and not made up
Data quality – we clearly define what we mean by it, assess it and then we implement it if desired
Integration – your applications send messages to each other and someone needs to know what
Testing – ensuring that all testing is done to appropriate level at each stage in a project
Industries in which we have experience:
Finance – Wonga
Health – Various NHS organisations (Sidcup, Havering, Barts, CNWL, Berkshire, etc)
Social care – South Gloucestershire Council
Utilities – British Gas (Centrica)
Education – Lewisham Education Authority
Estate – Estate and management (Rotch Group of Companies)
Working method:
Continuous monitoring – unspecified monitoring looking across the board in a project or bau
Stages (milestones) – only for projects during the milestones according to current plan
Ad hoc – on request we can come in for specific pieces of work
Agreement:
Retainer £(negotiable)/month – this way we can build a mutually beneficial long term relationship
The retainer includes 1 professional day’s work
Balance of days carried forward
Extra days negotiable in addition to retainer
Nominal rate £(please call)/consultant*day
No binding contract – pay as you go