FATA #4 / Delivery Management

[FATA] — From test automation to architecture article series

Management is the process of coordinating, directing, or overseeing a project, resources, or individuals with the aim of achieving the targeted results.

It can be different purposes: Increase a firm’s client, develop the knowledge, skills, and capacity of employees, or achieve sales target.

The main goal of the DM is to deliver 100% business in GREEN.

1. Secure company profit and support business growth
2. Grow experience and engaged employees
3. Archive the highest client satisfaction and exceed expectations.

All the activities can be divided into three global directions: business, delivery, and people.

Delivery Area

Delivery Solution

1. Exploit technology
2. Satisfy needs
3. Ensure scope
4. Maximize quality
5. Be on time
6. Optimize cost
7. Minimize risks

Assure Delivery

1. Enhance sales & presales
2. Reinforce governance
3. Arrange org structure
4. Adjust processes
5. Tailor roles & titles
6. Adapt policies
7. Refine tools

So, at high level, delivery managment takes the following actions:

1. Transform the delivery area directly
2. Cooperate with business and people management on the way of appropriate transformation in business and people areas.

Who is Delivery Manager ?

The generic DM role responsible for the delivery success. Encompasses many activities, including: Project Management, Solution Delivery, Solution Architecture, Account Management, People Management, Product Management.

Main responsibilities:

1. Deliver projects using appropriate agile methodology.
2. Work with product roadmap and tranlate into user stories.
3. Prioritize work against the capacity and capability of the team.
4. Ensure all products are built to an appropriate leve of quality.
5. Actively participate in the delivery management community, sharing, bringing best practices.

Lelels

Business Unit -> BU Head/Portfolio Manager

Account -> Account Manager / Staffing Coordinator

Projects -> Delivery Manager (Project)

A business unit consists of multiple accounts united by any principle: geography, business domain, technology-wise, etc.

Each account consists of multiple projects of variable size.

A project may implement different engagement models, both commercial and delivery.

Business development — proactive look for opportunities to expand the business with the client and increase revenue.

Client relationship — estabilishment of trustful relationship, building long-lasting partnership with the client and managing stakeholders on top-management level.

Staffing — performing staffing in organizations (project, account, practice, location, BU, etc.) according to SLAs and minimizing any impact on delivery due to staffing issues,

Metrics and Measurements

Measurements allow assess project status activities in the project, provide tools for making mature manager decisions on the project, objective monitoring and risk reduction for projects, accounts, and organization.

1. COST
2. Accuracy
3. Completeness
4. Speed

It helps improve fact-based management and process improvements.

Metrics:

1. Measurement objectives
2. Processes to be measured

Summary

In a Gartner study of failed IT projects, the analysis revealed most complex projects had unrealistic goals, unproven teams, and almost no accountability at all levels of the management and governance structure, meaning no one is responsible for failure. To enable delivery assurance, you should have four things:

1. Proper Delivery Governance — enough people and capacity
2. Transparency into delivery status — regular and in time reporting
3. Verified delivery status — regular tracking and verification of delivery status
4. Regular communication on delivery status in an orgnization — focus on proactive identification and mitigation of potentiaol issues

Growth and Collaboration for Delivery Excellence

PM vs DM roles

PM — How

DM — What and Why

Both of them responsible for the “WHEN” aspect.

How to Become a Delivery Manager

Take part in

1. Real Projects
2. Pre-sale activities
3. Proof of Concept
4. Case study Reviews
5. Determine the DM level which you want to apply to. It is recommended to start over and move gradually, not skipping levels. This way you achieve a consistency of knowledge and experience.
6. Identify delivery management competencies and skills for the target level, using competency framework.
7. Enroll in programs, training, and certification, which can help you acquire the knowledge.

Obviously, your own experience is the most valuable asset you can get. This always will stay with you and that is what forms your profile. So don’t ever think that you have tried everything in your life.

Delivery Manager Assessment

Assessment — is a process of employees evaluation by global competency framework requirements using committies of experts or recommend them for promotion to a particular job function and level.

1. Technical skills
2. Business skills
3. People skills
4. Leadership skills

Title promotion usually happens when an employee already has experience and achievements corresponding to the desired level.

Artifacts to prepare for the Assessment:

A presentation about yourself including:

1. Timeline and careere achievements
2. The delivery process and org chart on a stream/project under your leadership.
3. High-level architecture, provide an overview of components that build up your system and main integration points.

Collaboration: Why It’s important

1. It helps us problem-solve
2. Collaboration brings people (and organizations) closer together
3. Collaboration boosts morale across your organization
4. Collaboration helps people learn from each other
5. It opens up new channels for communication
6. Collaborating makes work more efficient

An organization that makes collaboration a big part of its culture is bound to normalize this style of working, thereby creating a more efficient (and more appealing) workplace. Organizations that collaborate well are likely to be more financially successful, more culturally aligned and have higher engagement rates.

How to create collaboration within your organization

Collaboration is about support, constructive feedback, and enhancing the work of others. Companies first need to implement a collaborative culture. This can be extremely difficult because it requires a new mindset from employees, especially from the management team. The change needs to come from the company’s key decision-makers and extend outwards across every employee level. How cerate it?

1. Support
2. Open environment
3. Recognition
4. Rewards
5. Team Building

DMO (Delivery Management Office) and PMO (Project Management Office) takes responsibility for all projects within an organization encompassing ongoing development of delivery as a discipline.

The objectives for DMO:

1. Implement a common methodology
2. Standardize terminology
3. Provide commons supporting tools
4. Introduce effective processes (for project management)
5. Improve levels of project success (withing the organization)

Delivery Management Network

All DM should be considered as a network of connected professionals.

Engineering culture:

1. Participating in a company level
2. Get recognition on a company level
3. Expands the contacts network
4. Systemize experience
5. To self-realize through experience sharing

Delivery Management Communities

Present stories and workshops around innovation, customer successes, and learning as well as develop strong collaboration within communities.

Cross-project reviews and sharing experience. Positive feedback or reference from direct management.