Author

Tim Ryan
Partner

Effective project scoping helps public sector leaders minimise risks and maximise project success.

For public sector leaders, every new project brings a unique blend of excitement and high stakes. There is the promise of a new capability or an improved approach, yet the journey itself can be fraught with frustrations – particularly when tensions develop with different internal and external providers brought in to deliver the project. This is particularly challenging in large-scale projects, which may span months or even years before they are complete. 

One way to reduce this risk is to give the scope the care and attention it deserves. While this does require time, experience and foresight to get right, doing so can significantly:

  • minimise delays and unexpected costs;
  • maximise value for stakeholders;
  • reduce the potential for legal issues; and
  • increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.

If your agency or team is preparing to engage a consultant for a new project, here are 5 insights to help you nail the scope and set your project up for success.

1. Understand the context

Every program or project is part of a broader ecosystem. Understanding this ecosystem, and where the project fits within the rest of the puzzle, is an important first step.  

With digital transformations for instance, the broader business context could include policy reforms, legacy system changes, or whole of government initiatives – either in progress or upcoming. With this in mind, what emphasis or priority needs to be placed on particular elements? Are there other projects or dependencies that require consideration? 

Often, it’s the sum of parts that’s important, and being aware of the factors that could impact or influence your project (and vice versa) will allow you to:

  • define objectives and requirements more clearly;
  • anticipate challenges;
  • manage risks;
  • align stakeholder expectations; and
  • make informed strategic decisions.

2. Identify and engage stakeholders

One of the greatest risks in public sector projects is failing to meet stakeholder expectations due to lack of engagement and misalignment. A collaborative, co-designed approach to scoping is essential to ensure stakeholder needs are accurately identified and integrated. 

Engaging a consultant with expertise in public sector projects can enhance this process by bringing an impartial perspective and facilitating comprehensive stakeholder engagement. By gathering input from the right people at the right time, you can build a clearer and more inclusive scope that genuinely reflects end-user requirements.

3. Shape needs and objectives

When shaping project needs and objectives, starting broad and narrowing down is often the most effective way. This “broad-to-narrow” approach helps prevent scope that is too restrictive, which may lead to narrow solutions that do not fully address stakeholder needs. 

Capturing a wide range of initial perspectives and inputs, and starting broad before working downwards, enables you to derive a crisp articulation of needs and objectives – so you can ultimately craft a scope that is precise yet flexible enough to adapt as the project progresses.

4. Define boundaries (in or out of scope)

“Implicit” is certainly a word to avoid in scope development. Even if you’re eager to get cracking on a project, glossing over nuances or making assumptions as to where responsibilities lie is a recipe for disaster. 

Every requirement must be explicitly analysed, defined, and documented as being either in or out of scope. Failing to do so could result in critical down-stream dependencies or constraints being overlooked.

This is often an issue with digital transformations, where focus is limited to the technology solution at the expense of human elements such as:

  • operating procedures and user guidelines;
  • training; and
  • post-go-live support.

Inadvertently overlooking the people side of the transformation will mean stakeholders are inadequately supported through the change. Failing to accurately capture the requirements of a particular stakeholder group also risks developing a solution that’s too narrow in its functionality.

5. Agree on governance and reporting mechanisms

Even well-scoped projects can be subject to changing requirements. Projects need ongoing review and re-baselining of scope to stay aligned with the project’s goals and any changes in the broader environment. 

Be mindful of falling into a “set and forget” mentality. Take proactive steps to prevent this by establishing mechanisms for ongoing tracking and governance reporting, as these checks and balances could make or break the project over the long term.

Co-designing scope with an independent consultant

There are many benefits to engaging an independent consultant to co-design your scope. In addition to leveraging their experience, working with an objective party can provide a significant value-add, particularly in ensuring that your scope is clearly defined and unambiguous to potential providers.

RSM’s Government and Public Sector Consulting team comprises skilled consultants with expertise in program and project design and management across a wide range of strategic initiatives, including digital transformations. 

With an appreciation for what successful implementation looks like, our goal is to turn scope setting from a theoretical exercise into an actionable one that infuses the principles of co-design, iterative build, and a top-down/bottom-up approach.

You can engage us early on to develop the scope collaboratively with your team, facilitate engagement with multiple stakeholders, and embed fit-for-purpose controls – leveraging our impartiality and dedicated focus up-front to equip you and your team for success.

For a confidential discussion about how RSM can assist with scoping your next public sector project, contact RSM’s Government and Public Sector Consulting Partner, Tim Ryan. 

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