Frame your frames! Successful project initialization is based, among other things, on a real encounter between business knowledge, managerial sponsorship and technological expertise. Nevertheless, and even if many companies have successfully addressed this question of the lack of collaboration right from the framework note, we still see far too often in project management the maintenance of silos in companies from this preliminary draft!
Why did we come to this state of affairs in the project management ? What is the key component of a good project framework with the job not to be missed? What do those who innovate in terms of project management do it?
In this article you will discover in particular great examples of DSI/inspiring professions co-construction (don't miss the design flashes of Ouigo's IT Department!) A hyper-pragmatic and super effective way to process business feedback and to save a maximum of time in the execution of a project. With that, no more “lame” project frameworks.
At the end of this article, you will also leave with the key steps in a collaborative framework that works, as well as a first List of questions to ask to boost your workshops. Finally we'll do a short A look back at the key role of the BRM And a selection of examples of agile and participatory frameworks.
In short, stay connected! We tell you Everything you need to know about the art of frame your project... with the trades!
To understand the current situation, it is interesting to take a critical look at the “legacy” of the MOE/MOA approach in project management. Yes, for too long we have witnessed a game of “passageways” between business units. Each in their “square”, their objectives.
To continue the culinary metaphor, you could even say that the relationships between the kitchen (the DSI) and the dining room (the trades) were clearly organized in silos. Especially no mixing between us! Each has its own projects, its own zone, with in the middle, very often, a server (project manager) who is not very comfortable managing everything. And, at the end of the chain, a customer who ate his dish cold! Some were waiting for a project framework that took a lot of time, others for better written expressions of needs. Not a real success!
Achieving a successful objective, framing a digital transformation project, implies a team co-construction approach, a shared responsibility. In project management, the objective is to avoid silos from the first stages of understanding the need, writing the concept note, and creating your first team. A kind of MVP (Minimum Viable People), in short.
This one includes both the future director of the tech action! The manager - aka Mr Sponsor - is a representative of the need, the one who knows the daily business: the job.
Depending on the size and organizational complexity of the company, this micro structure will be more or less evolved. Sponsorship may be led by one or more managers, etc.
It is This way of work transversely from the start which will allow employees to Break the silos and quickly deliver new services, of prioritizing collective intelligence at the first stage.
Whatever the project, you still need some time to think about what you want! Whether in terms of functionality, impact of change...
Faced with the general constraint represented by the shortening of deadlines and the shortage of IT skills, focusing on a long frame will be a challenge!
And, you have to tell yourself : if the team that has the problem doesn't even have time to work on it well from the start, it's better not to do it! The next steps planned on the schedule are unlikely to be better in terms of success!
Let's take a moment to stop at the very definition of the framing stage in project management.
It is indeed a stage of study and analysis which impacts the decision to launch the project, or not, depending on its interest and feasibility. In general a scoping note Summarize the conclusions.
This frame note is the dSummary document that will allow everyone to identify the main points at a glance the framing of your project.
Existing basic techniques include:
- The SMART method (for Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely Defined)
- The “CQQCOQP” method for how much, what, what, who, how, where, when and why?
Everyone will have their own definition and their own method to arrive at a scoping note.
The sheets of project frameworks are dynamic and collaborative. The IT/profession/sponsor teams can iterate together until the project is validated, in a real complete set of specifications that will guide the progress of the project.
A complete framework is a questioning of the target of the need (the destination) AND a stage of questioning the approach (the path), according to the time and objectives of each person.
The main pitfall is missing the real subject! It is useful to question and question again the very expression of the problem. To go and find what is not written.
Framing is a real work of shaping confused thoughts through dialogue. To achieve this, it is useful to cross-reference business data with that of your customer service! And of course from your customers themselves.
Here is a example of open questions, to be installed to deepen the project framework:
Remember: The objective is to dialogue, in order to develop with a project an innovative solution to satisfy specific and identified needs.
A successful project framework will in fact make it possible to propose several ways of responding to the identified problem. Let's take a concrete case: the customer demand within a company “I would like a faster elevator”. During the first framing we all agree on the solution and create the project: plan the purchase of a new lift! During the second framing, someone will suggest putting on a cool animation and a new screen to make the person wait intelligently! Problem treated. CQFD.:)
Remember to take all the insights already given around this problem
As part of the interviews for our CIO Revolution Podcast, Isabelle André Perussi, the Ouigo IT Department told us about “flash design” and we loved the idea.
Rather than starting to think about the framework of a business need when we have time to deal with it, she explains to us thatshe organizes 2-hour flash design sessions as soon as the profession issues its “ticket”. 2 hours of brainstorming bringing together business and IT to define the need, study the “miracle” SaaS solutions that could answer them, and finally leave time to mature the need for a real internal IT project. All this happens well before the framing phase. The investment is, it seems, quickly profitable and a lot of project frustrations are quickly defused.
A practice inspired by ITIL IT service management standards: “The BRM stimulates, identifies, and shapes the demand of businesses for products and services and ensures that the value of these products and services is realized, optimized and recognized”. A role that promotes the strengthening of the DSI-Business relationship. Dedicated people, depending on the size of the company, to the continuous understanding of the needs of the company!
On this role, discover below the feedback from Biogaran's CDIO, Frédéric Riou:
With agile culture, we will use for example the games “that get the job done.” Fun workshops to arrive at a definition of the 360 vision of the product, of a project: vision, objectives, storymap, roadmap, POC, etc.
We can mention three among a very large number of them:
To explore this approach further, read the book Gamestorming published by Diateino publishing is strongly recommended.
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