Case Studies / Delivery & Design
Technical Delivery assurance for a global regulatory body
41
detailed observations (risks) identified, all with accompanying recommended action plans
5
key Exec recommendation themes identified
Performing delivery assurance on a critical customer-facing informational and e-commerce solution for a global regulatory body
The client’s requirement was two-fold:
- Provide an assessment on the status of the programme, and the quality of associated delivery processes and governance, against best practice delivery model;
- Assess the suitability of the solution design against business needs, and the organisational IT strategy and target architecture.
The output view would go on to support a board decision on continuation (and re-alignment) of delivery approach and risk mitigation.
The new digital solution would be the key communication channel for fee paying members, and the primary revenue source for cross-selling and revenue growth. The client board were therefore keen to ensure this critical solution had the maximum chance of a successful implementation and realisation of business benefits. A complicated multi-vendor delivery model coupled with the lack of well-integrated enterprise architectural design principles, resulted in our client needing a review from a “critical friend” trusted advisor – to gain confidence and highlight risk areas.
Alirity deployed a team of experts, with a variety of functional, technical and domain knowledge to provide both depth and breadth in the execution of the assurance.
The team completed a systematic and comprehensive exercise using tried and tested Alirity methodologies, including the Alirity Enterprise Architecture Framework, project delivery best practices, and using our FLOW principles.
Our analysis phase comprised many conversations and workshops with key personnel (SMEs, senior leaders and project sponsors), supported by documentation review of key artefacts and analysis of tooling.
The Alirity team remained sensitive to the engagement approach with stakeholders, with a clear focus on collaboration, ensuring trust was built to avoid any perception of “evaluating or assessing someone’s assignment”. Our project leadership also provided regular updates to client sponsors on the status of the assurance, highlighting emerging themes and findings promptly.
We provided a comprehensive and detailed report of 41 observations and accompanying recommended action plans, with an executive summary for the most critical thematic findings.
The assurance output also gained the confidence of the project sponsor and client board, securing the mandate to continue.
Finally, we equipped the client’s team with tools and techniques for increasing the effectiveness of a multi-supplier management and operating model.
By making real-time granular observations and recommendations to the team, we achieved an incremental uplift in the team’s capability and overall engagement. The client subsequently completed the project successfully and are realising the intended benefits of the change.