Project and Program Support-Services

The Business Challenge:

• A DirectFocus representative was engaged to provide customer service support in a Government industry program
• In an industry with little background in project management, there was a need to install a project management framework in the program ? to support customers prepare project plans in line with Government expectations
• Support systems were required to ensure projects complied with modern project management practices
• Projects needed to make a contribution to pre-determined industry objectives

Approach adopted by Direct Focus

Phase 1: Embed project management principles in all business processes

• Application forms and project scoping documents were designed and negotiated with key stakeholders to ensure project management principles were embedded within all business processes

Phase 2: Provision of project management support functions

• Customers were supported to comply with project management principles and project reporting requirements

Phase 3: On-going lessons learned

• Case studies and industry findings clearly documented and work shopped

Outcomes to Customer

• Project management principles established as part of industry project application processes
• Direct and indirect involvement in the successful completion of around 100 projects to the value of approximately $15 million. Services included oversight of scope, design and implementation of projects incorporating a diverse range of technologies that were designed to provide enhanced services to the end customer
• Categories of projects included:
• cost reduction projects within the print and publishing industries (lean manufacturing and digital workflow reform)
• innovation and value chain reform projects (information, metadata management and short run import replacement projects)
• enterprise transformation projects (for example, from typesetting to content management, from print based publishing to literacy on line)
• national infrastructure projects
• education and training projects
• All projects completed on time and within budget and contributed to enterprise competitive advantage, decreased cost of business and enhance service support outcomes
• Knowledge-networking functions maximised through the preparation of a post program report