In this event, organised by the APM governance SIG, James will join a panel of subject matter experts to assess the problems with projects ‘in the large’. We will explore how we can transform project success through data-enabled investment decisions.

The event forms part of the series “Effective governance, unlocking data and project success”.

We will assesses the problem at large with project success, the concept of reference class forecasting to inform investment decisions and the principle that ‘all projects are data designed and data enabled’.

On 7 December 2022 I presented my talk “How do you know your project is on track? The role of data” to the APM Midlands branch in Worcester.

Building data-designed and enabled projects:

Thanks to Temi and the APM Midlands branch for organising a very interesting and enjoyable event.

Find out more

Get in touch with us to book a call. Working together, we can explore how to leverage the power of data in your organisation and generate competitive advantage.

A question we get asked quite often is: how do we estimate agile projects?

And our reaction is nearly always: what’s different about agile? We are of course, being tongue-in-cheek! Agile is different, but not so different that all the techniques in waterfall, iterative, hybrid project management should be thrown out the window.

You can use comparative and parametric estimating, benchmarking, and so on. In fact, you should use these, because without an idea of how much work you’re taking on, how can you be confident you have about the right size team for the job? How can you fit into the wider organisation’s resource demands?

We presented three challenges at the Project:Hack 17.

Optimising Delivery through Collaboration Insights

Understanding how teams cooperate and collaborate helps us optimise performance. Using data science, we can determine how effectively teams are collaborating through a SharePoint site. This challenge paves the way!

WBS Automation - Planning Crossrail 2

Crossrail was a very ambitious programme. What can we learn from it when planning ‘Crossrail 2’?

WBS Automation - Understanding WBS diversity

Work Breakdown Structures tell us a lot about a project, even when viewed in isolation without the underlying activities. In this challenge delegates were asked to assess and learn from a selection of construction project work breakdown structures.

Project Science is leading the Visions workstream within the Project Data Analytics Task Force. We’ve set ourselves the challenge of a ten-fold improvement in project delivery outcomes by 2025. Just one in two hundred projects achieves its original time, cost and quality goals. Imagine the savings if we can lift that to one in twenty.

Workstreams

To work toward this goal, we’ve developed a set of workstreams, including:

• WBS Automation
• NextGen PMO
• Human Performance
• Benefits Management

These workstreams have devised some challenges for the upcoming Project:Hack 17 - see you there!

EVA26, organised by Steve Wake, took place on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th March 2022 at Armourers’ Hall, Moorgate, London.

Our founder, James Lea, presented “The psychology of estimating and planning - working with your team.”

For a video interview with James and a summary of the key points, visit https://youtu.be/qmE-huseZR4?t=7318

Emotions, Plans and Predictions

Last time you gave an estimate, were you:

• Under pressure?
• Distracted?
• Worried your numbers will be used against you?
• Feeling a lack of support?
• Unsure what the plan was?

Did the conversation go:

What does quantum computing mean to project delivery? How might this nascent technology change the way we do business?

Observations

Let’s start with an observation: we have no lack of computing power today. There are few project problems that are constrained by the available processing power. Powerful CPUs and GPUs (such as those used for bitcoin mining) power our machine-learning and natural language systems. They drive the recommendation engines used in online commerce and social media sites. At present we are data-constrained. The search for good data to improve project delivery is an active and current field of research.

We are awash in a sea of data - how can we make sense of it all, and turn it to our advantage? In particular, how can we exploit data to deliver complex change? Machine learning / AI / algorithmic bias - these are all 21st century terms.

But what do they mean, and how should we adapt and evolve? How can modern business exploit the exponential growth in data science to deliver projects and business change more effectively?

Challenge

• All projects - what to focus on, when will it be done?

What we did

1. Define milestones
2. For each milestone, build consensus on scope and date
3. Iteratively improve predictions using data-driven models

Outcome

Benefits

• Clarity
• Delivery on time

Find out more

Get in touch with us to book a call. Working together, we will explore how to leverage the power of data and AI in your organisation and generate competitive advantage.

Your customers demand high quality product; this is a short case study on how we use data to inform document reviews.

Challenge

• High volume of documents to review
• Volatile and uncertain: some reviews quick, others slow

What we did

1. Collect data
2. Analyse the correlations; generate insights
3. Improve processes; set clearer expectations to team

Outcome

Benefits

• Better quality work into review
• Greater certainty
• On-time delivery

Find out more

Get in touch with us to book a call. Working together, we will explore how to leverage the power of data and AI in your organisation and generate competitive advantage.