CHAPTER 14

Plan progressive delivery

14 Plan progressive delivery

Figure 14.1 illustrates the plan progressive delivery process within the MSP framework.

14.1 Purpose

The purpose of the plan progressive delivery process is to build on the programme design. The process plans the programme, structuring the projects and other work into tranches of delivery to achieve the required capabilities and realize the benefits. It also confirms the programme justification before deciding whether to proceed with programme delivery.

14.2 Objectives

The objectives of the plan progressive delivery process are to ensure that:

• the projects and other work involved to deliver the programme are planned

• the tranches of delivery and intermediate landing points are defined

• the delivery approach and ways of working are defined

• the path to realizing benefits is planned

• the approach to acquiring and managing the resources (needed to deliver the programme) is defined

• the pace of delivery is aligned with the rate of change that operational areas can support.

14.3 Context

Planning progressive delivery is about understanding how the outcomes of benefit will be achieved through delivery of the programme’s projects and other work. This process ensures that the programme will deliver capability at an appropriate pace, maintaining an acceptable balance between delivery, transition, realization of benefits, and affordability.

Table 14.1 shows the inputs, activities, and outputs for the process.

14.4 Activities

14.4.1 Validate required resources

The resources required during the plan progressive delivery process need to be confirmed, acquired, and established. As with the design the outcomes process, resources may include infrastructure, tools, equipment, and the team needed to carry out the required activities. Specialist skills may be needed for planning the programme and finalizing the business case. Where appropriate skills are unavailable in-house, they may be supplemented by external specialists.

14.4.2 Complete the programme strategy

The programme strategy aligns with existing organizational processes and governance. This enables effective decision-making and efficient communication flows among members of the programme team and stakeholders. Aspects of the programme strategy will have been developed in the previous processes (identify the programme, design the outcomes), but this activity validates, confirms, and finalizes the overall programme strategy, including the approaches to:

• governance

• stakeholder engagement

• design

• funding

• delivery

• resourcing

• knowledge and learning

• information

• assurance

• decision-making

• issue resolution

• risk response.

14.4.3 Continue to develop and validate the programme plans

The vision statement, target operating model, benefit profiles, and benefits map provide the basis for designing the projects and other work required to deliver new capabilities. Different options may be available for achieving improvements which need to be explored in terms of their timing, content, and associated risks and benefits. Some projects and other work may already be ongoing, and they will be adopted into the programme, while others will be new initiatives that the programme will deliver.

The following aspects of the programme need to be planned:

• Delivery of new capabilities The programme’s projects and other work will need to be sequenced into tranches of delivery, showing their relative timescales and key dependencies. Detailed plans for the next tranche are required.

• Benefits realization The timeframes for measuring benefits.

• Stakeholder engagement and communications Activities for identifying, analysing, and engaging with stakeholders.

• Assurance Programme monitoring and control, and independent assurance activities.

• Finances Budgeting, monitoring, and measurement of cost and benefit.

These plans may be consolidated into a single overall document or maintained as separate stand-alone items. The programme plans cover the delivery of the entire programme; however, they are likely to contain more detailed information for the first (or next) tranche of delivery and less detail for subsequent tranches. Plans for each incremental progression will be refined every time this process is undertaken.

14.4.4 Confirm the business case

The business case will have started to emerge in the identify the programme process (as part of the programme brief) and been further developed in the design the outcomes process. The business case is finalized here as the arrangements for programme management and delivery are developed. When the information about the programme’s costs, benefits, timings, and risks are understood, the viability of the programme can be assessed and confirmed.

14.4.5 Prepare for the next process

The programme can now prepare for the first tranche of delivery. Planning for the next process may involve preparing to establish governance and specifying any physical equipment or infrastructure requirements. Subsequent tranches may require similar preparations.

According to the assurance plan, the programme documentation may be subject to an independent assurance review in order to gain objective confirmation that the business case is viable, the programme delivery is achievable, and the stated outcomes and benefits are realistic. This assurance needs to be completed before the decision is made to proceed with delivery.

14.4.6 Agree to proceed (or close)

Formal approval to proceed means that:

• the SRO approves the programme business case and other documentation

• the sponsoring group authorizes and commits to resource the first tranche of delivery

• delivery of the programme can commence

• if formal approval cannot be given, the programme will close.

14.5 Responsibilities

Table 14.2 shows a RACI chart for the activities in the process, split between the core MSP governance boards, supporting offices, and individual roles.

14.6 Application of the themes in this process

Table 14.3 shows how the themes apply to the plan progressive delivery process.