As part of their implementation methodology, most strategic planning and performance reporting software vendors will install the software, provide a minimum of tutorials, and then offer help desk assistance once the scope of their implementation has concluded. What is deemed to be a successful implementation can quickly become impractical as usage, uptake and engagement levels drop off – which prevent the software from being fully utilized.
It is no surprise, then, that several of our customers have embraced our Training & Development Program for Managers as part of the ongoing services and training we provide. The Program is designed to develop not only the skills of your staff and leadership team, but as a corollary, raise the level of their strategic, operational, and master plans as part of their integrated planning and reporting framework.
The strength of any strategic planning design, software, and ongoing training and support is its ability to demonstrate progress against each plan. The benefits of staff updates include:
- Tracking: Reporting allows you, your team, and stakeholders to track the current progress of the project against the original plan. Some performance reporting items to include are tasks, issues, risks, budget, schedule, and overall project health.
- Identification of risks: With the right information, you can spot a risk early on and take action or ask your project stakeholder for help. Reporting on risks also makes it easier for the team to work on the problem.
- Cost management: Cost management is paramount and with regular reporting, it’s easy to view your expenditure clearly and manage your budget and operating costs with full visibility.
- Visibility: Reporting increases the amount of visibility across your organization to give you full insight into how your teams are performing against your plan, be it good or bad.
- Control: Reporting puts you in control of your projects. It allows you to see the progress, stagnation, or regress of certain elements, how team members are performing, and the quality of work completed.
- Learning: Information provided by reporting on completed tasks can inform future actions. For example, from key learnings, you may figure out that project communication was an issue and make changes to the way your team communicates for your next project.
What makes for a valuable progress update?
- Plain language offering concise information as to the current status and next step
- Providing timeline relevance
- Informing cohorts of progress, citing any interruptions or disruptions
- Keeping managers and executive fully informed of any issues
- Using metrics to track spending and commitments against budget
- Contributing live information to ongoing scheduled reports for relevant stakeholders
With the above factors crucial in informing and educating both current cohorts and those that follow projects being undertaken, it is imperative to provide suitable and timely progress updates.
At GovernmentFrameworks.com, we not only understand the resistance faced when implementing new planning and performance reporting software, we are wise to the constitution of effective updates. Our Training and Development Program for Managers provides one on one mentoring and assistance to your users, ensuring they develop solid user engagement and deliver meaningful strategic and operational planning updates that help progress your organization as a whole.
For further information on our Training and Development Program for Managers, please Contact Us.
