When Bord na Móna, one of Ireland’s most iconic companies, decides it is time to reorganise to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing marketplace, there’s only one direction it turns for advice and guidance – The Project Foundry.
Bord na Móna is one of this country’s largest and most pioneering enterprises. Still, it recognised that it needed to undergo a transformation process to remain fit for purpose in a changing market. The markets it operates in are evolving, and natural energy, biomass, and smokeless fuels are becoming increasingly important to its customers.
The solution was to establish a new Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) to harness the true potential of its six separate divisions – Powergen, Biomass, Resource Recovery, Peat, Horticulture and Fuels.
Bord na Móna assembled a business transformation team, and the job of creating this crucial new EPMO was put out to tender.
By a comfortable margin, the winner was The Project Foundry, and a team was deployed to support establishing and implementing a five-year development plan.
Goals
Bord na Móna needed to enhance the effectiveness of project management within the organisation to support a wide range of projects of varying sizes and levels of complexity – from single-business initiatives to joint venture strategic business programmes.
Moreover, the senior management team wanted to improve visibility and transparency on the company’s projects and programmes and establish a shared governance model throughout the business. The Project Foundry was brought on board primarily because of its expertise.
The Process
The initial challenge facing The Project Foundry was establishing the current project management level and identifying improvement areas at Bord na Móna. It was essential that the new EPMO was centred around the company’s organisational vision and that it be compatible with the objectives of Bord na Móna’s strategy and its five-year business plan.
It was also necessary to design a project management office that would consider the best aspects of the current systems while also implementing industry best practices. Using a unique methodology, The Project Foundry designed and engaged in a consultative process that included interviews, focus groups, and workshops involving all the relevant stakeholders to understand the nature of the existing processes.
It then documented the outcome of this exercise and, through a similar consultative process with all stakeholders, including the senior management, established the requirements and expectations for the new EPMO. In addition, structured project reporting and portfolio management were established, and policies concerning project data management and deploying complex and situational techniques were instituted.
Outcomes
Through these processes, The Project Foundry established enthusiastic support across the organisation for the new EPMO. In particular, the process ensured the involvement of all senior C-level executives at Bord na Móna, including the CEO.
This isn’t always guaranteed in such engagements, which meant the project could go forward without delay. As part of the process of designing and building out the new Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO), it was possible to establish new EPMO policies, implement centralised strategic portfolio governance, ensure transparency and control at executive level, track strategic alignment of projects and programmes, and establish policies concerning document storage.
In addition, structured project reporting and portfolio management were established, and policies concerning project data management and deploying complex and situational techniques were instituted.
Each process serves a specific purpose, allowing them to become a roadmap for continuous improvement.
Bord na Móna’s overall benefits included improved project delivery, substantial cost savings, improved operational standards, project alignment with the company’s strategic plan, improved customer satisfaction,and improved project management.
“We engaged The Project Foundry when we sought their experience and support for the implementation of an Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) for Bord na Móna. Within a short timeframe, Bord na Móna has implemented a fit-for-purpose strategic project portfolio management process and standard project management methodology across the organisation”.
Bord na Móna, Head of PMO Testimonial for The Project Foundry.
“The combination of working with a subject matter expert and relationship manager ensured an efficient approach was taken to ensure our requirements were delivered within the agreed timeframe and budget. Feedback from across the organisation has been positive, and based on my experience, I would highly recommend The Project Foundry for any future engagement”.