Application of PPM techniques to an outsourcing programme - NCSL
- OverviewRead more
The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) is responsible for providing professional development support to school leaders in England and Wales, designed, procured and delivered using project and programme management (PPM) techniques. Moorhouse was engaged to provide assurance of continued value for money in outsourcing professional development services to contracted providers (known as the Commissioning Programme). We used the NCSL Programme Management methodology, which we had developed on a previous engagement, with one of our consultants fulfilling the Senior Programme Manager role. We provided skills in the application of PPM best practice, advice and support to NCSL's management, and mentored their project managers. Our involvement led to improved engagement across the NCSL organisation, clearer focus on goals, and greater confidence in using PPM techniques by NCSL staff. We also developed governance and management of the Commissioning Programme, leading to greater coherence across projects delivering to the programme.
- Our client's challengeRead more
The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) is responsible for a range of professional development courses for school leaders, designed, procured and delivered using project and programme management (PPM) techniques. NCSL uses a commissioning process to outsource the provision of professional development courses to contracted providers under an overarching Commissioning Programme. As a significant component of the overall NCSL budget, appropriate use of PPM techniques were key to ensuring continued value for money and management of risk in delivery of NCSL's core business of providing professional development for school leaders.
- Our responseRead more
We applied the NCSL Programme Management methodology, developed by us as part of a previous engagement, and a Moorhouse consultant filled the Senior Programme Manager role for the Commissioning Programme.
As well as providing skills in the application of NCSL's PPM methodology, we provided advice and support to NCSL's management to sustain progress in a rapidly changing environment. The appropriate application of classic PPM techniques was essential, maintaining a sufficiently 'light touch' while avoiding the temptation to dispense with the processes altogether. Central to this was support and mentoring to project managers, many of whom were still relatively new to formal PPM techniques, yet were required to manage projects essential to the Programme.
We also applied practical experience of stakeholder management to the role, involving interactions with a community of interest that extended well beyond NCSL.
- The value to our clientRead more
The application of PPM techniques ensured:
- More rigorous management of the Commissioning Programme
- Greater coherence across projects within the Programme, as well as with other programmes
- Enhanced programme governance
NCSL staff have confirmed a number of benefits:- Greater confidence in the use of project management techniques by NCSL staff
- Increased clarity and focus on project and programme goals
- Improved working across NCSL functions and a greater ability to co-ordinate projects across the Commissioning Programme
Deeper understanding of roles, particularly between project board members and project managers, underpinning greater delegation.
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