Prince2 Implementation And Training In Partnership
With Sun Professional Services
Sun's Requirement
Sun Microsystems are one of the fastest growing IT companies in the world supplying hardware, software and associated services. In 1995 they established a Professional Services (PS) business to service major customers who needed more than just a technology supplier. Sun PS rapidly grew and, with the emphasis on projects, in 1999 it decided it needed a company-wide Project Management standard and decided to base it on PRINCE2, now the de facto standard in the UK.
WPM’s involvement
Sun asked WPM to assist with a programme to adopt PRINCE2 and monitor its success.
WPM Delivered
A Scoping Workshop: WPM participated in a workshop to scope the project, define the precise requirements and to determine the implementation strategy. Documentation Consultancy. Sun seconded one of their Project Managers to write a Project Manager’s Handbook based on PRINCE2 for which WPM were involved in the review panel. Because of WPM’s expertise in Bid Management, WPM produced Sun’s internal Bid Management Standard as a companion reference document.
Training Programme: WPM delivered a four tier PRINCE2 training programme:
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Project Board - to obtain senior management commitment and for them to understand their responsibilities to direct projects
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Practitioner Event - training for Project Managers
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Foundation Event - for Project Support staff and Project Engineers
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Introduction Event - for all other staff.All 250 of Sun PS’s staff are required to attend one of the courses
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Project Audits - WPM ran audit exercises to determine Sun’s ROI in the programme to ensure consistency on the application of the methodology and to integrate it with the corporate Sun QA system. An objective scoring method was used for assessing projects which linked to Sun’s Customer Satisfaction metrics
Benefits to the Client
New staff can be recruited who are already PRINCE2 trained; Sun now ‘talk the same language’ as its customers who also use PRINCE2; a consistent standard has been applied globally to all Sun’s projects irrespective of location, division and the individual assigned to it. Project issues have also been identified and resolved earlier. The Project Audits result in improved working practices through continuous improvement of the Project Management Standard and related procedures. They also enable the effectiveness of the methodology to be measured; above all Sun’s customer’s appreciation of the improved service is measured.
Summary
This is an example of the benefits that can be realised by establishing long-term partnerships that look beyond the supply of individual services to an integrated suite of services to address the overall strategy.
"As one of the fastest growing IT service providers, Sun Microsystems are committed to providing high quality and fully accredited staff to its customers. We are pleased to have chosen WPM as our partner to provide PRINCE2 training based on their first class project management expertise and practical experience of delivery."
Sid Fox
General Manager
Sun Professional Services
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