Challenge:
In the fast-paced, customer-focussed world of fashion retail, technology needs to be an agile and responsive asset, ensuring optimal service to both customers and stakeholders.
Arcadia's IT PMO are responsible for setting up project processes, monitoring delivery and capturing time spent. It is vital that they demonstrate competence in budget and timeline management.
With a complex organisation comprising 8 retail brands they need the right tools for the job. Prior to engaging Program Framework they operated a number of PMO tools which were being used inconsistently and were beginning to fall by the wayside. In particular it was a cumbersome process to access timesheet data for proactive analysis.
Our Microsoft PPM Solution:
Program Framework initially delivered a basic proof of concept, rapidly demonstrating how Arcadia's own project data would be handled by Microsoft Project Online. This made it easy for all stakeholders to relate to the new solution and created great buy-in. It also helped to prepare and define Arcadia's project information requirements, to get everything ready for implementation.
From the initial presentation and proof of concept the department was up and running with basic functionality in less than 6 months. The actual production deployment of the tool itself took 3 weeks end to end.
"Program Framework were instrumental in ensuring a very stringent scope. They demonstrated utter conviction that valuable benefits could be realised from the relatively simple first step of capturing actual time against a consistent project register. This was extremely helpful for our stakeholders’ understanding."
Mathew Thomas, Head of IT PMO, Arcadia
Benefits:
Project Online provides a robust framework and systemic solution to accurately capture, in a single view, the cost of both internal and external resource time spent building assets for the business. It is essential to Arcadia's ongoing capacity planning to meet the demands of an extremely dynamic business.
“Having greater visibility of project resources and time spent on tasks gives us better Management Information to support our business partners - both in terms of asset capitalisation and depreciation.”
David Cropper, IT Financial Controller, Arcadia
"I can tell the CEO exactly what’s going on without having to chase anyone. The information helps with challenging my directors, exposing inaccurate project forecasting and highlighting any skills shortfalls that need to be addressed"
Andrew Clarke, Group CIO, Arcadia
