Using independent assurance to mitigate common risks in publicly funded programmes or projects before they can impact project success.
What is programme and project assurance?
Programme and project assurance is the process of providing confidence to stakeholders that programmes and projects will achieve their scope, time, cost, quality objectives, and realise their full potential.
Assurance also identifies improvements to assist in mitigating the risk of issues materialising impacting timescales, budgets or agreed scope and benefits. It is performed in real-time throughout the delivery of programmes and projects and is mostly forward-looking.
The benefits of independent programme and project assurance:
Reduces the risk of unexpected scope changes, delays, cost escalations and other factors detrimental to success in programmes and projects
Ensures the right resources and tools are in place to allow for successful delivery
Ensures that the overall end recipient of the benefits is being engaged with to ensure full, successful benefits realisation and return on investment.
Why is specialist assurance needed for public and social sector clients?
Taxpayer funded change initiatives must provide value for money and optimal benefits for all stakeholders. Delays, cost overruns, and poor return on investment impact the public negatively and if an initiative should fail, the organisation as a whole can face scrutiny and potential reputational damage.
The Cabinet Office Major Projects Review found that key reasons for public funded project failure are:
Unrealistically tight timescales: Timescales being set and publicly communicated early on which are later found to be unachievable.
Lack of business case to establish goals.
Scope not finalised before procurement commences: Procurement commencing before scope and requirements are fully defined leading to cost overruns.
Absence of, or limited, options analysis: A lack of options analysis being undertaken to truly determine the most cost-effective and beneficial solution prior to delivery.
No agreed budget or contingency planning.
No implementation of strategic risk management plan: A strategic risk management plan not being in place to feed into organisational management of risk.
Weak commercial and contract management.
Publicly funded change initiatives can have additional requirements to meet:
HM Treasury Green Book for a five case, three-stage business case
Infrastructure and Projects Authority review standards for projects appearing on the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio
HM Treasury Magenta Book standards for monitoring and evaluation of benefits
Other specific standards set out in funding agreements from Central/Local Government grants.
Our approach to programme and project assurance
We have several different adaptable and flexible assurance tools in place which can be tailored to wherever the programme or project is within its lifecycle, the complexity and risk profile of the programme or project, any additional governmental standards which need to be met and individual client needs.
Our tools use a mixture of programme and project management best practice benchmarking as well as additional public spending requirements where applicable. Through evidence collation and engagement with key programme or project contacts, the tools and subsequent recommendations will provide a view on chances of successful delivery and highlight any unknown risks based on the evidence collected. We also offer an advisory service for any aspect of programme and project delivery as well as general organisational portfolio, programme and project environment reviews.
Lifecycle stage 1
During the initial stages, it is important to determine the complexity of the programme or project so that assurance and recommended best practice is proportionate. Considering what the change will achieve and how it will benefit end users can help ensure that the programme or project starts off in the right way before substantial funding is committed.
Lifecycle stage 2
Development/design/requirements/business case
As objectives, goals, scope and procurement options, financials, and management controls are developed and defined to ensure return on investment, optimisation of benefits and programme or project success. Within a programme, there are projects which all need separate assurance as follows:
Lifecycle stage 3
Delivery/build and test
Types of delivery review:
Light health check – general assurance view given on these nine areas to give a snapshot picture of how well the project is doing and any ‘red flags’.
Full deep dive health check – delves into these nine areas in more granular details to give recommendations if the project is not on track.
Specific deep dives – delves into specific areas based on risk in granular detail as per project needs to get certain controls back on track.
Lifecycle stage 4
Handover/business readiness/go-live
When delivery comes to a close, it is important that the project is handed over successfully into an operational setting to be managed. This is then when the benefits can start to be truly realised and lessons learnt can be collated to be used for future programmes or projects.
Get in touch
For more information on how we can advise and support your organisation with mitigating the risk of programme or project failure, please get in touch.
