Appendix 3: CMT Board Highlight Report - Template and Guidance notes What is it? This is an exception report that provides a quick means of assessing a programme s status. It allows CMT programme board to monitor progress during the delivery stage in a way that offers more consistency, clarity and reliability than would be possible if using an array of formats. At the same time, it is less onerous and confusing for those asked to complete the reports. Critically, it provides a key opportunity for programme managers / DMT s etc to escalate issues and identify actions that the board might take; or support the board could be asked to initiate in order to progress the programme or project. When and where is it considered? Reports are considered by CMT programme board on a monthly basis. Authors will be advised of dates directly and they are also from the Corporate Office sharepoint site which is accessible to all directorate project and programme reps ( link officers ). How should it be used? s or major projects considered by CMT programme board will utilise the attached template throughout their delivery phase. managers will be requested to provide a report to the board, and provided with the report template and guidance around its completion. Directorate link officers will work with you to co-ordinate the signing off of the report in accordance with any relevant directorate processes e.g. it may require consideration by your DMT or directorate programme board. The signed-off report will then be included at the appropriate CMT programme board meeting. The template itself provides prompts in each section to help you complete it and a completed mock report is attached below as an example. At the bottom of the template is guidance that will help in determining what status colour should be applied against each section. What it isn t This isn t a report intended to capture all the information relating to a programme s progress or somewhere that you re expected to list all of the actions that have been undertaken within the reporting. It doesn t preclude more detailed reporting taking place for your own purposes in other forums where this is already established and operating successfully. Rather, it highlights essential key information that is required in order that a strategic type programme board can effectively carry out their monitoring role. Further information Please don t hesitate to contact us for any further help or information you need. Contact: Rod, tel. 221062 rod.ireland@cumbriacc.gov.uk or Kate tel.226513 Katherine.wise@cumbriacc.gov.uk. EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED HIGHLIGHT REPORT 1
CMT Board - Highlight Report Title Manager Description The Any Change SRO Fred Bloggs Period Oct 2010 Jane Smith The programme is about changing the way we deliver our any change service across the authority. It s a response to our new strategic direction developed in 2009 and it will result in benefits of 500k cashable savings and improved customer services. Actions/ Decisions required by Board No. Support the programme board could provide? Status (Black, red, amber or green) Last This Yes - We re struggling to get full engagement for the programme from some directorates and this can t be progressed further without some support from the board. This issue has the potential to delay future progress if not addressed. Direction of Travel A R Where status is red or amber this, please state reasons and mitigating steps being taken. Summary: Overall status is red due to resources issue highlighted below. Unplanned additional work resulted in a 5% overspend for this month but this is projected to be recovered before programme end. The stakeholder issue highlighted last month is still live. Other programme aspects are progressing well. G G G A G G A A G G A R Progress against plan: Good Finance: Spending is currently 5% over budget due to additional unplanned work being required this month in two of the projects within the Any Change. Risks & Issues: None Stakeholder matters: Stakeholders in some directorates not fully engaged with the Any change programme and have concerns about implications for their work. Additional dropin sessions scheduled to provide more inform for stakeholders, but we require support from the board to encourage engagement. Benefits realisation: On track to achieve projected benefits Resources: We have identified that fairly significant additional legal and HR support will be required prior to the end of the programme. This is currently being addressed directly with relevant colleagues, but raised here to help inform the board s overview of organisational resource commitments. Individual Project Status Comments: (BRAG) (It s up to programme managers discretion on how best to use this section - It s not necessary to report to the board on all 2
specific projects within a programme, but there may be some key projects / issues you wish to highlight). Progress on Projects Version 3 - amendments note An additional column has been added to the BRAG Status section of the report which gives further detail to the BRAG status. - An upward arrow indicates that the status of this programme has improved - A downward arrow indicates that the status of this programme has deteriorated - A right pointing arrow indicates that the programme status has remained unchanged. 3
The Report Template CMT Board - Highlight Report Title Manager Title of the programme being undertaken The person responsible for ensuring the outputs and activities are properly co-ordinated and managed. SRO The person authorised by the sponsoring group to work regularly with the programme team to ensure the programme is successfully completed Period The month to which the report pertains e.g. Oct 2010. Description Description of the programme Actions/ Decisions required by Board Are there any actions or decisions required by the board at this stage? Support the programme board could provide? An opportunity to highlight any support the board could initiate at this stage to help delivery of the programme. Status (Black, red, amber or green) Last This Direction of Travel Where status is red or amber this, please state reasons and mitigating steps being taken. Summary: Overall status derived from the highest of the individual Key Status Indicators (e.g. if 1 red, 1 amber, and 4 green, then overall project is red). Progress against plan: This is about progress against plan: Are Key milestone dates on schedule? Have any dates been missed? Are delays projected? Finance: About tracking whether spending is within budget: Has a proper budget been established? Is spending currently within budget? Is spending forecast to be in budget at completion? Risks & Issues: Provides info around the management of risks and issues. Have risks been identified? Have mitigating actions been put in place? Are emerging issues being managed? Stakeholder matters: Concerned with ensuring programme takes account of stakeholder issues: Are there any stakeholder related matters concerns? (minor / major dissatisfaction?) Have these been acknowledged? Are they being managed? Benefits realisation: Ensuring consideration of benefits takes place: Have we identified the benefits we re expecting? Is delivery of benefits currently on track? 4
Are there any minor / major problems projected in achieving benefits? Resources: About consideration of key resource issues that might effect delivery, cost or quality. Have critical posts been filled? Are key / specialist skills needed? Is additional support now required from HR, Legal, finance, procurement, comms etc? (additional to that already identified at the beginning of the programme). Individual Project Status Comments: (BRAG) (It s up to programme managers discretion on how best to use this section - It s not necessary to report to the board on all specific projects within a programme, but there may be some key projects / issues you wish to highlight). Progress on Projects 5
Status Indicator Guidance - The criteria below should be used to help identify which status colour to use (black, red, amber or green) when reporting against each heading. Status * GREEN AMBER RED BLACK Progress against Plan On Schedule, projected milestone dates all OK. In jeopardy of missing a milestone date but recovery plan/ action in place. Has missed, or is projected to miss a key milestone against the current plan. information not currently Finance Risks & Issues Stakeholder Matters** On Budget and No current No current forecast to issues. stakeholder issues. complete on budget. Currently > 5%* over budget or Forecast > 5%* over budget at completion (* lower figure of 5% or 10K) Currently > 10%* over budget or Forecast > 10%* over budget at completion (* lower figure of 10% or 20K) currently Minor issues which can be addressed plan / action in place. Major risk or issue that is likely to effect delivery dates, quality or costs. currently Minor stakeholder issues or dissatisfaction which can be addressed plan / action in place. Major stakeholder issue or dissatisfaction relating to achievement of benefits or goals. currently Benefits Realisation No Current Issues re achieving benefits targets. Minor problems known or projected in meeting agreed benefits targets recovery plan in place. Problems known or projected in meeting agreed benefits targets. currently Resources No current project resource issues. Some (non critical) issues but plan in place to address. Critical project resource issues likely to effect delivery dates, quality or costs. information not currently * Overall project status colour is highest of individual Key Status Indicators (e.g. if 1 red, 1 amber, and 4 green, then overall project is red) **Are there any current or potential political sensitivities that the Sponsoring Corporate Director or Senior Responsible Officer are aware of? 6