Welcome to the APM Benefits and Value Specific Interest Group autumn newsletter 2019
Welcome to the autumn 2019 edition of the APM Benefits and Value SIG newsletter
Contents
- Welcome message from our Co Chairs
- Benefits and Value delivering to APM branches and corporate customers
- Making sense of value
- SIG publication
- Work in progress
- Institute of Value Management Conference, 9 December 2019
- APM Volunteers' Forum, 8-9 November 2019
- Dubai International Project Management Forum, 7-10 December 2019
- Thank you and goodbye
1. Welcome message from our Co Chairs
As we rapidly approach Advent, and the season of good will, we can just about legitimately claim this to be an Autumn newsletter.
The APM Benefits and Value SIG, although quite new, is built on the experience and collective wisdom of no less than 27 people that make up our "community of practice" (active volunteers), that includes 12 committee members. We are organised into nine working groups.
We are delighted to have retained the wealth of experience of committee members who previously served on the individual APM Benefits Management SIG and APM Value Management SIG committees, in addition to growth from the community of interest (you, the readership) that have since joined-up to become active contributors. There is more room if you would like to contribute, or get involved, email Merv Wyeth (APM SIG Secretary) and we will make it happen!
We are keen to get the word out that project management is changing. People want to know what they are getting for the money they invest - not just in terms of a specification, but in terms of the difference it will make to peoples’ lives. What are the benefits versus the cost, the value, the return on investment?
We believe that the SIG is making a real difference by helping to create benefits and value to APM.
2. Benefits and Value delivering to APM branches and corporate customers
Our relationship with APM’s branches is really important to us. The branches act as our delivery partners, helping us to share domain knowledge and good practice with members. To that end, we have embarked on a mini-road show, meeting members face to face, to listen and to build ‘know how’ and socialise the art and science of benefits and value management.
From the feedback we receive, and we are always keen to know more about what people think, the most useful presentations for branches are: "Introduction to benefits and value" and "Guide to using a Benefits Management Framework (BMF)".
To date, Hugo and others have presented:
- East of England (Peterborough) enjoyed the "Intro", September
- North East (Newcastle) crowded in to hear the "BMF", September
The "BMF" has continued its tour with
- Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire (Leeds),end of October
- Scotland (Edinburgh), mid-November
If you would like one of us to visit you branch, please contact us and we will drop by.
We have also supported corporate customers. At the end of October, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Project Delivery Profession in Leeds organised a special corporate client afternoon, with many partners from the wider health family. Kevin Parry gave an "Intro-style" presentation entitled ‘Benefits Management in Health and Care part 1: Identify and map target benefits’ with part 2 planned for early next year.
We try to ensure that our events are as engaging as possible and provide real value (eventroi) to attendees. Typically, we opt for a workshop format and use Mentimeter interactive software, for maximum audience participation, knowledge sharing and to capture and disseminate output.
Arguably, the best recent example of this was at the APM Portfolio Management SIG Annual Conference (May 2019), in a workshop facilitated by Neil White and Merv Wyeth entitled ‘Our approach to developing a benefits management framework’, with a reflective article laterproduced.
On Wednesday 20 November Karlene Agard, supported by Peter Rowlstone and Merv Wyeth, hosted an evening entitled ‘Making sense of value’ at the prestigious offices of Bentley Systems (London) comprising a keynote, case studies, a panel discussion and networking and refreshments.
The live physical event was simultaneous broadcast to a virtual audience of 41 attendees, who were able to watch, comment and ask questions online, that were put to the speakers in the panel session. Feedback, both in the room and online, was very positive.
The opening presentation by Michel Thiry was entitled ‘Creatively Balancing Realisation with Risk Mastery to Deliver Value.’ In his presentation Michel showed that value is the foundation of successful change initiatives, including all the actions that an organisation’s management undertakes to transform it.
Michel had previously written three articles about making sense of value that were published on APM blog pages namely; (1) What is value, (2) The value index: how to measure value? and (3) How to balance benefits delivery with risk optimisation to realise value. These articles are now available as a thought leadership piece to view and download.
David Worsley presented the first case study which was a practical talk on the topic of ‘The Value Management Toolkit and Transport in Leeds.’ Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme will involve over £170 million of expenditure intended to improve bus, rail, cycle, pedestrian and air links in the city and adjacent areas.
Behnam Bashokooh presented the second case study entitled ‘Using Value Engineering to guide organisational design studies’ based on his developmental work at Fluor. His case study demonstrated how value engineering (VE) can be a powerful tool for organisational design practitioners. VE helps study teams to clarify what needs to be done, how well it is done, where gaps exist and what improvements are required, and how the four enablers of role, process, technology and governance should be designed to achieve a coherent organisation.
Look out for more articles and webinars from Michel, David and Behnam in the New Year.
4. SIG publication
Two articles that introduce this guide are ‘Master strategic goals with portfolio and benefits management' and 'What is a benefits management framework and how can you use it?'. The guide is now available to purchase. 5. Work in progress Claire Dellar is leading on the development of a benefits management module for APM Learning resources. Bruce Phillips is preparing a series of up to eight bite-sized guides, with the help of an enthusiastic band of willing authors. This is more a marathon than a sprint, and we anticipate that different writers will come and go during the publication process. Eight guides, at a rate of three months each means we anticipate to complete this in two years’ time. When it comes to thought leadership, we have various ideas brewing including; agile and benefits, and additional guidance about benefits versus value (management). We’re working with the APM Contracts and Procurement SIG to co create a white paper on ‘Contracting for Benefits and Value’; and with APM Enabling Change SIG, on a white paper on the topic of ‘Why benefits and change need each other.’ If you can see a crossover with other SIG publications, and/or have an interest in writing, please get in touch. 6. Institute of Value Management Conference, 9 December 2019 We love working with other organisations. Richard Clarke, is the SIG lead for the ‘Value Management into the Future’ half day conference on 9 December in Warrington. This a joint event with the Institute of Value Management (IVM) and APM corporate partners, Jacobs and United Utilities. Places are limited so be sure to check the site for booking arrangements. 7. APM Volunteers' Forum, 8-9 November 2019 We are indebted to Kevin Parry, Dave Golding and Neil White who represented the SIG at the recent Volunteers’ Forum in Liverpool. Also present was Hugo Minney, wearing another of his many hats as a committee member for APM North East branch. Their reward for giving up their weekend was to enable them to meet and share with volunteers representing 30 or so SIGs, branches and other groups, in convivial surroundings. From discussions that have happened since, we know that they have come back from the forum, with new friendships, strong networks, and brimming with ideas and shiny new plans for the SIG. 8. Dubai International Project Management Forum, 7-10 December 2019 Congratulations to Neil White, along with other members of APM’s international team, who has been invited to participate in this prestigious event and will be contributing to the popular benefits management parallel session. Neil’s presentation is about "Exploiting benefits management to help tackle the challenges the world is facing." Neil will be joined in the dedicated benefits management session by Judge Matharu and Matt Williams, both well known to the SIG. 9. Thank you and goodbye We are grateful to you readers, as members of the benefits and value community of interest, supporters and wider followers. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year and look forward to working with, and for, you in 2020. Karlene Agard, Hugo Minney and Merv Wyeth Images: from committee members 
Congratulations to Hugo for winning the ‘Special Achievement’ inaugural category of the APM Volunteers Outstanding Achievement Awards 2019, for his leadership of the merger of two SIGs into one earlier in the year.
APM Benefits and Value Management SIG officers
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