DEMYSTIFYING EFFICIENT PROJECT DELIVERY AND SIMPLIFYING READINESS FOR OPERATIONS

ABOUT

 

PDP is driven by founder Jim Anderson, supported by a worldwide network of colleagues and contacts with experience in corporations across a number of industries, major sporting events, councils, governments and emergency services. Currently based out of California, USA, but working with organisations and events across the country and around the world.

 
 

"SURELY IT SHOULD BE EASIER THAN THIS?"...

After qualifying as an engineer, Jim held project & change roles from 1998 to 2007 in large organisations across manufacturing (British Steel, UK), financial services (Capital One, UK; Members Equity, Australia) and international sporting events (Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, Australia). Through this period getting trained & certified (Prince 2; PMI Project Management Professional) and delivering countless projects across operations, IT, marketing & other areas using various methods (including agile as well as classic 'waterfall'). During this experience it became clear that:

  • Many projects fail despite following 'text-book' project processes

  • Some Project & Program Managers treat documentation, charts and reporting as the core tools of delivering results - this approach is ineffective, painful and can give 'project management' a poor reputation within an organisation

  • A clear 'vision' of success, effective decision-making and a focus on team/stakeholder integration are key elements in successful project/change delivery... yet these things are often missing

Analysing these experiences to identify how projects could be delivered both more successfully and more easily was the beginning of the PDP approach.

 
 
 
 

version 1.0...

From 2007-2010 Jim led the Major Projects & Change team at innocent drinks in the UK, a fast-moving consumer goods company, which had grown from a start-up to become a £100m+ annual revenue organisation in the European beverage market. As well as delivering various infrastructure and supply chain projects to equip the organisation for its current/future scale (and subsequent acquisition by Coca-Cola), there was the challenge of implementing a project management methodology and decision-making framework into an environment where flexibility and creativity had been key to success and 'Project Management' was viewed as bureaucracy. 

To do this successfully forced further analysis of the methodologies and approaches studied & used previously to create something as light and effective as possible. An approach that would avoid common project pitfalls and ensure successful delivery, whilst minimising the complexity and workload involved. The framework developed for innocent is still in use there today and it formed the basis of the current PDP approach, refined since then through subsequent experience and learnings.

 
 
 
 

Focus on operational readiness...

Work on the Sports Test Events and Games Readiness program for the London 2012 Olympics and, subsequently, leadership roles in Integrated Operational Planning & Readiness on England 2015 Rugby World Cup and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games gave major insights into common teething problems when going live with major new or changed operations. This final push in the delivery of a project/change from completion of preparations through to launching into operation doesn't always get the attention required. Learning from work on international sporting events where there is huge pressure to deliver perfect operations 'first time' led to the addition of new PDP approach elements, creating simple and effective methods to assure readiness for launch and workforce preparedness to operate. 

 
 
 
 

Now...

Distilling all the theory and experience behind it, the PDP approach streamlines project management and delivery of change, while ensuring common pitfalls are avoided and new/changed operations run smoothly first time. The passion behind PDP now is in helping others enhance their ability to move efficiently towards strategic change and delivery of their own exciting new innovations.

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