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In a world where agility is key and innovation reigns supreme, businesses face an uphillbattle to stay ahead of the curve. For the experts at Agile Management Office, who haveworked with clients across 15+ different industries, the daily struggles are all too familiar.From staff shortages and skyrocketing costs to shadow project management andcultural misalignment, the obstacles that impede delivery teams are numerous andcomplex.But there is a common thread that runs through all these problems: stagnant delivery.At the heart of it all, poor oversight, capability maturity, and problem-solving skills allcontribute to a butterfly effect of layered problems, each distancing the solution fromthe root cause. And without addressing these core capability gaps, organisations will notbe able to reach their full potential: reducing inefficiencies, increasing speed, or growingtheir bottom line.This brief report highlights in no particular order the most common issues our clientshave faced and provides insights into one way in which we have helped our clients tomitigate risks and improve delivery capabilities. In a world where the fittest survive, thisreport is a must-read for any organisation looking to stay ahead of the game.1IntroductionAgile Management Office | 20 Most Common Challenges Client Challenges |2023 Industry Insights Report
These issues (not in any particular order) have been determined to be the mostcommon amongst our clients, universally across industry and organisation size. There isa common denominator among many of them: Projects. Projects connect delivery to allbusiness functions and are pivotal in ensuring teams bring about change on time, underbudget, within scope, and aligned to strategic vision.220 Challenges Overcome: Insightsinto the most common issuesencountered by our clientsNo standard delivery methodology, documentation, or reporting Poor project management capability maturity with suboptimal ownership andaccountability Lack of project management awareness with lots of accidental projectmanagement being donePockets of change without understanding the inter-dependencies betweenthem, leading to waste and duplication Confusion on what is being documented, and what can be leveraged forfuture projects to prevent rework Lack of visibility around resource requirements, capacity and allocation toforward plan Projects and people not set up for scaleNo single view of pipeline/backlog or current project statusAn unscalable solution unable to flex with growthLack of training to support Projects/Program teams1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.
320 Challenges Overcome: Insightsinto the most common issuesencountered by our clientsHaving a culture that inhibits changeSiloed teams with a lack of overall portfolio view to increase project successand ROI opportunitiesLack of clear governance to increase project success Cost of ramping up projects and executing them in lots of different waysresulting in risksNo enterprise resource management with poor tool utilisationFoundations for PMO are not evident and unable to support all of the businessgrowthChange management capability is missingProjects getting released before understanding the cost/benefit, creating risksaround overspending or under/over utilisation of resourcesNo formal process for management of budgets/costs/forecastsStruggling to build culture witha revolving door of contractors11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.
4What did we find that theseissues have in common?Change doesn't stick There are no formal/central governance or assurance activities to monitor andoversee the change, and the change management is insufficient. Culture & behaviour Whilst there is some good work being done there is an absence of accountabilitycoupled with in some instances a revolving door of temporary staff impacting theability to embed cultural change. Fragmented approach There is a high focus on tactical fixes and reactionary work, rather than focusing ondeep-rooted problems that will bring about the step change. There is also anincreased focus on initiatives and projects to support the growth of the organisation,however, there is no single consistent approach to projects or prioritisation. Lack of oversight There are no formal/ central governance or assurance activities to monitor andoversee projects and change management is not an existing capability but should beto support projects through change.Skills & competence gaps There are passionate people with unique skills and experiences. Though many havenot been provided access to practical training, skills, and competency pathways tosupport them to be successful. Hello, shadow project managers!
5How we help our clients solveProject Management issues withGamificationGamification is the use of game design principles in non-game contexts, such aseducation and training, to engage and motivate learners. It is a powerful tool that helpspeople learn better and retain information compared to theoretical learning.Gamification helps people to learn better and retain information longer by increasingengagement, providing immediate feedback, allowing for personalised learning, usingsimulations and scenarios, and facilitating social learning. Good project management isthe glue that enables the delivery machine to function smoothly. Increased Engagement: Gamification makes learning fun and engaging byadding elements of competition, challenge, and rewards. It helps learners tostay motivated and interested in the subject matter, which can lead toincreased participation and engagement.Immediate Feedback: Gamification provides immediate feedback, which isessential for learning. Gamified learning provides learners with theopportunity to test their knowledge and receive instant feedback on theirperformance. This immediate feedback helps learners to identify theirmistakes and learn from them, improving their retention of information.Personalised Learning: Gamification allows for personalised learningexperiences, where learners can choose their own path and pace. This helpslearners to feel more in control of their learning, and as a result, they aremore likely to retain information.Simulations and Scenarios: Gamification often uses simulations andscenarios that provide learners with real-world situations to apply theirknowledge. This type of experiential learning allows learners to practicewhat they have learned in a safe, controlled environment. This helpslearners to retain information and apply it in real-world situations.Social Learning: Gamification can facilitate social learning by creating asense of community around a learning topic. Learners can share theirexperiences, collaborate with others, and receive peer feedback. Sociallearning has been shown to be effective in improving knowledge retention.
Looking at the commonalities of the top issues in delivery, it becomes evident thatproject management capability is integral to successful delivery and thus requiresinvestment in teams' knowledge and ability to manage projects.Teams are often expected to absorb and keep up with changes but are seldom givenenough training and knowledge. Organisations invest billions into project managementbut if there is no alignment between strategy and operations they generate waste.Agile Management Office provides a Project Management for Non-Project ManagersWorkshop which is tailored to the needs and maturity levels of the requiringorganisations. The workshop also has a gamified component that allows participants totest their knowledge whilst giving them a taste of the real world and real projectcomplexity. Even the strongest Project Managers, often struggle to get ahead in thisgame!By ensuring all teams are speaking the same project language and by establishinguniversal process standards, our clients' teams have seen faster speed to market.Read on to learn about one example of a recent client's workshop experience and theresults they experienced around project capability, greater team cohesion, increasedproject knowledge, and more effective delivery and execution as a result!5How you can improve yourteams project capability too
After identifying the client's most pressing priorities and gaps inknowledge and capability, AMO tailored the workshop content to theclient to provide as much value as possible. For this client, it meantcovering the basics of project management and providing invaluableexperience through a practical and fun project management boardgame.Tools and case studies applicable to the client's needs were providedto make it easier for their team to change their project practices.THE LEARNING APPROACH REALISED BENEFITS OF PLAYINGcontact@agilemanagementoffice.comwww.agilemanagementoffice.comThis client has recently experienced a period of rapid growth, andwhilst this has brought new business and excitement, the foundationsaround the project structure remained static. They were not adaptingto keep up with the pace of change and expansion.They had poor visibility of initiatives and lacked a formal deliverymethodology; causing confusion and rework amongst teams, affectingtheir ability to deliver on strategic objectives.LOW PROJECT MATURITYProject Management forNon-PMs: Case Study“Love that it was interactive andeasy to follow, understand forsomeone new to projectmanagement. Material welldelivered, great instructors. Alsoloved the board game.”Agile Management Office Client Case StudyKEY RESULTSENDORSEMENTfrom senior stakeholders forbusiness case created froma case study activity~ Client Workshop AttendeeLearnt to plan a project, face obstacles, and pivot during changeLearnt how to negotiate project outcomesWorked as a team to drive progress Learnt to budget, use money, and allocate resourcesThought multiple steps ahead to account for risksGAMIFYING PROJECT MANAGEMENTParticipants had the opportunity to play a one-of-a-kind boardgame, designed to test their skills and knowledge of ProjectManagement in a fun and educational way.“It was fun and exciting learning experience”4.8/5Average instructor rating25%increase in projectmanagementknowledge4.4/5 Average workshop rating3 HOURSof total game place ina 2-day full-day course6
Effective project management is transparent,collaborative, and efficient. We provide agilemanagement solutions to identify root causesand make more informed decisions. AMO's unique selling point...3AIPM Victoria Project of the Year 2020 AIPM National Professional Servicesof the Year 2020AWARDSWe have worked in 15 industries and have achievedimpressive results in each!24+ Clients in 16 Countries 4 Global PartnersUPLIFT CAPABILITY | REDUCE COMPLEXITY | EMPOWER PROJECT TEAMSPROJECT MANAGEMENT CAPABILITYGOVERNANCE & CULTURECHANGE MANAGEMENTWe enable a productive project governancemodel to be a knowledge centre, providingbetter coordination, consistency andcollaboration across your organisation.We identify your maturity level and set you upfor incremental long-term improvements withgovernance, processes, tools, techniques,methods, and people services.Our think tank has 4 publicationsand counting! Including topicssuch as Agile in Banking toProject Management Relevancy.AMO WAYAn adaptive approach to manage change,developed to bridge the gap betweenorganisations applying agile techniques whilstusing traditional governance frameworks. Retail & FMCGBanking & Finance Healthcare & FitnessEnergy & UtilitiesGovernmentMiningEducationTransportation>50,000+ total reachacross multiple platformsOur social presence continuesto grow!AgileManagementOffice.comAMO's CEO, Fatimah Abbouchi,was in Australia's Top 3 PMOInfluencers 2020 (PMOGA)We have been featured in...AMO acts as an integratorfrom executive strategythrough to operationswhilst ensuringalignment acrossdelivery andgovernanceteams.The AMO Way, our own delivery framework is an end-to-end,process that seamlessly integrates your build and grow, and yourrun and operatephases.We have successfully serviced a number of organisations,transforming their delivery methods for long-term sustainedsuccess. The AMO Way, paired with our modular capability-focused approach allows us to deliver value fast!7
AMO is a Melbourne, Australia-based boutique professional services consultancythat provides services across Agile, projects, programs and portfolios, governance,and change. AMO helps organisations achieve their change objectives by applyingproven practice principles, engaging in a highly collaborative manner, and effectivelytransferring our capabilities to you. With a team from a wide variety of industry backgrounds, we provide a flexible agileapproach agnostic of the industry, delivering solutions that fit each clients' specificneeds. We do so using our unique proprietary, AMO Way® framework foridentifying and executing change which has been applied to over a dozencompanies globally. If you have any questions regarding the information in this report, or would like toknow more about AMO's workshop, contact the team via one of the methodsbelow. About UsAgile Management OfficeGE T IN T OU CHWI TH U S TO S TA RTUP LI FT IN GCA PA BI LI TY I N ANEN GA GI NG W AY 8