“Providing you with the best course of action
to get you back on track”

If you've got a problem or challenge
– I've got a solution!

My principal aim is to give you the very best possible value & service for your investment.

My best results have been achieved with clients who are open, I offer a comprehensive catalogue of IT project related services making up an extensive package for success.

These services are designed to assist you in every possible way. Helping you identify the way ahead, dispersing the fog and providing a clear vision. Together we will plot an appropriate course of action, sorting the wheat from the chaff and implement a 'best practise' approach.

Each service is tailored to your needs recognising your constraints and challenges of the environment you’re working in. This could include applying a robust structure to your organisation, ensuring appropriate control and governance to all of your projects or even defining a suitable methodology.

They range from working closely with a project manager, on a one-to-one basis in a coaching and / or mentoring role, to providing a consultancy type role advising on 'Best Practise' fine-tuning or introducing processes.
You may want me to actually deliver a key piece of work on your behalf or give a presentation or speech at a seminar you are organising.

I never shirk a challenge and thrive on the opportunity of demonstrating and practising what I preach! For me there is no better way of getting a principle or point over than personally proving the advantages of implementing a project the most efficient and effective way.

The services described below are by no means a definitive list but will give you a great idea of the scope and depth of what I do.

Troubleshooting

This has formed a large part of my work over the years. Being 'parachuted' in to the battle zone! Quickly gathering key information to assess the situation, making decisions, often-tough ones, to rescue or recover the project. A balanced approach to this exercise is "key" to the success.

The picture presented to you will be 'factual and unemotional' (a wonderful expression used by two colleagues I recently worked with!) The judgements made will not be based on emotive feelings and assumptions.

Capturing the way it is providing a firm but fair view using accurate observations and reporting back the way the land lies not how things are perceived.

This activity should not be treated as a 'behind enemy lines' clandestine operation of gathering intelligence! No, instead it will be an open and honest exercise identifying the way it is with the supporting evidence. Otherwise how can your problem be realistically identified and addressed?

Wherever possible assumptions will not be made. Assumptions can lead to misinformation and the wrong decisions being taken.

Facts with supporting evidence are needed. A form of policing and monitoring is the order of the day. This policing could be either a "softly-softly" or a "hard-line" approach depending on the situation and the approach deemed most appropriate and favoured by you.

The information is gathered by constructive questioning, getting down to the detail and finding out the way it really is. This is always an interesting exercise with the outputs often throwing up some interesting discrepancies between perception and fact and guaranteed to lead us to identifying the root cause of your problem.

This exercise should include gathering the view of the front line troops, not necessarily just management. Capturing the facts not just the perception is vital if the appropriate treatment is to be prescribed. Be warned - this does not suit everyone and the medicine does not always taste sweet!

Click here to learn more about how I work, my beliefs, values and philosophy. Get a good idea of the results I can produce for you and your company and how we can be successful working together.

Conflict / Issue Management

You may have a specific conflict or issue internally or externally having a serious adverse impact on your project's progress.

If you have such a problem right now then don't hesitate, act NOW! Click here to contact me. Call me immediately and don't let the problem fester and cause you any more grief or any more disruption than it has already done.

Having made the call you may be pleasantly surprised! Talking the issue through with me could well put you quickly on the road to recovery and who knows may not even cost you a penny!

If you have a potential crisis and it can't be resolved over the phone I'll at least be able to offer you a lifeline. A fresh approach with a clean pair of eyes usually works wonders. Remember a problem shared is a problem halved.

Coaching & Mentoring

This can be a real winner with multiple returns on your investment.
It can be done either high or low profile, shadowing on an individual basis, one-to-one. It will depend on the person involved but is usually extremely rewarding for all concerned.

This approach involves providing guidance, passing on my knowledge and experience on a personal basis. Absolutely no doubt with this, the individual will respond and their performance significantly improves. This is a major plus for both the person involved and their company.

One slight note of caution here - the individuals involved must want to help themselves!

Structure is borne from chaos!

I can guarantee that they will start to enjoy the challenges almost immediately and look forward to what they're going to get thrown at them. I'll pass on my proven techniques that are guaranteed to enhance their ability and confidence to manage projects effectively.

I have seen many a budding project leader or manager, disillusioned and disgruntled with the role, suddenly gain a new lease of life. By investing in some time and effort, showing them the right way of going about project management they will see the light. They'll re-discover their bounding enthusiasm for the job and as we know enthusiasm is infectious, it will spread throughout their teams.

To learn more about how I work, my beliefs, values and philosophy Click here. Get a good idea of the results I can produce for you and your company and how we can be successful working together.

Risk Management

Have you already been through your initial planning phase for the project?
Have you yet to design, build, and deliver your solution?

I can provide you with an effective risk management service. Without doubt a wise investment of your time and money significantly de-risking your project by flushing out all of the potential showstoppers etc. before starting the project in anger.

In essence we would spend a pre-determined number of days analysing your project's objectives, aims and approach. The outputs from the activity will highlight your potential pitfalls and identify the appropriate mitigation. They will be comprehensively documented including a log and an action tracker to make sure nothing is missed.

This relatively simple exercise, saves hundreds of thousands of pounds of re-work and ultimately can save a project from disaster. Overall, this is an extremely low price to pay for success.

Delivery

Now we get down to the nuts and bolts of IT project delivery and success!

This is NOT just a matter of chewing the cud over a meal or a coffee and talking a good game. This is where Endeavour Strategies Ltd delivers the solution for you, actually demonstrating the best way of implementing your project. In effect, plotting and executing your safest course available through the minefield along the least line of resistance.

I'll bring to bear my wealth of knowledge and experience on to your project. There will be no holds barred, with sleeves rolled up and completely immersed in the muck and bullets of the projects front-line. I will shoulder the overall responsibility for delivering your solution.

Generally speaking this works really well. It gives me a chance to practise what I preach and provides me with plenty of opportunities to pass on my experience and knowledge to other members of your project team.

Your project team will witness first hand the most practical way to deliver a solution on a day-to-day basis. They will be involved with managing the issues as they appear, mitigating the risks and communicating effectively with all of the project team including their customers.

Ideally I will have been involved in the planning, initiation and design phases but that is not always practical or possible. Unfortunately these phases are often neglected it is often the reason why projects get into the position they do.

You can feel secure in the knowledge that help is at hand and only a phone call away.

Click here to contact me and find out more about how I can help you and how you can take advantage of the FREE initial consultation available.

Facilitating

This can be another extremely advantageous approach to take.

This involves me being a neutral mediator or organiser with no pre-fixed or pre-determined views apart from the desire to make sure a good job is done. For example, I would establish the joint objectives, and aims, the desired and actual outcome and results for a particular event.

This role allows me to constructively challenge, question, capture, chair, steer and document the proceedings. Activities and events covered include:

Project implementation reviews
Phase end reviews
Conflict and issue resolution
Risk evaluation

This can be conducted at the premises of your choice for maximum effect. I will arrange and execute everything leaving you to be able to concentrate on the primary aim of the activity and allow everyone to get the most out of it.

Training

This can be done either in groups or with individuals either as a one off or a pre-designed training programme structured to your requirements and needs.

The content can range from covering the basics of project management to a more advanced level drilling down to a more detailed view and approach to delivering an IT project.

Different levels can be accommodated - Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced with a venue of your choice either in-house or externally off-site perhaps at a neutral location.

Click here to contact me for more details on the variety of training courses available.

Project methodology

This exercise is potentially a great money-saver for you. Have your in-house methodology assessed - including your documentation and processes. Then compare what you think is or should happen against what is actually happening!

On the other hand you may not actually have an official methodology in place and need a standard implemented across your company or selected departments.

There may not necessarily be a need for a highly complex detailed methodology in place to deliver your IT projects. Quite often this apparent need is over-stated with an incorrect emphasis on the theory with too much detail and not adhered to anyway.

However, there is a need for some form of methodology to be in place, so why not either explore the simple process of introducing a suitable methodology or make sure the one you have is suitable AND working for you?

Project audit

Nobody particularly likes audits! Have you ever stopped to think why though?
Usually because they reveal weaknesses and shortcomings, highlighting and reporting on areas that we don't want to hear about. Nevertheless, the secret to success often lies in recognising and addressing these weaknesses. No pain no gain as they say.

If you request an audit it will incorporate a comprehensive trawl of your project. A thorough warts 'n all review. This includes the project's scope, a review of why you're doing the project, matching the requirements against the business case, the project's governance, the communication plan, what is going to be tested and so on.

One major objective will be to analyse the governance and approach and ask the question is it working effectively? There is also a comprehensive review of the existing documentation - is it suitable and detailed enough? Is your Communication Plan being adhered to for example?

You will be provided with a full report describing the findings, the highs and the lows, areas to focus on and the actions necessary by teams or individuals and of course hopefully some good news as well.

Done properly this is an excellent investment, often savings thousands of pounds and nipping potential issues in the bud. Equally the audit serves as a great way of demonstrating the project is going well and perhaps providing a reason for a much-needed celebration!

Planning

I just wish I could have been involved in planning at the earlier stages with some of my clients - I would have literally saved millions for them by now - that is no exaggeration! Planning in the early days of a project is the equivalent to "A stitch in time saves nine".

Sadly the neglect of appropriate planning primarily occurs in the early stages when either not enough information is known about what the project needs to do or there isn't enough time made available to plan.

Unfortunately this will continue to be neglected by many, many companies until the deserts freeze over. Detailed planning in the early stages is still often viewed as unnecessary and too time consuming by many.

The JDI culture still prevails with an unfortunate preference for "Chucking it in and seeing what happens and finding out what the issues are". This is closely aligned with the "We are where we are" philosophy! Absolutely fine with regards to not dwelling on the negatives, apportioning blame etc., but it also leads to the avoidance of tackling the root cause.

By the time the shortcomings of the planning stages are realised and recognised it is generally too late. The additional costs associated with the extra work or re-work have to be absorbed, often, with a severe impact on the project as a whole.

Don't let this happen to you! Engage my services and use my knowledge and experience when you're in the primary stages of early planning and give yourself the best chance possible of succeeding.

Click here to contact me and find out more about how I can help you and how you can take advantage of the FREE initial consultation available.

I will make sure the planning is sufficiently detailed so as to ensure everything has been covered and thought of. Every effort will be made to ensure that nothing has been missed and avoid those nasty little surprises creeping out of the woodwork later on.

Speaking & Presentations

I have a number of topics that can be delivered either as a speech or presentation to a variety of audiences.

You might be thinking of organising or already organised an event or seminar to launch a project and considering a guest speaker to give a presentation or after-dinner speech to set the tone.

You could be representing a business school, college or university and looking for somebody to make a presentation to your students on project management as a possible avenue to explore for their future careers.

The subject can be related to a particular aspect of project management and presented to a group of managers or supervisors with the aim of getting them focused on a critical element of your project.

Alternatively, it can be a more general topic to get an audience warmed up, to get them thinking and set the scene for a future initiative you'll be introducing in the near future.

The subject matter can be tailored to your specific needs. Generally they're written to last approximately 20 minutes, as this tends to be the desired length requested by most people.

I am about as flexible as you can get, being just as comfortable delivering a formal presentation in front of VIPs to carrying out a more informal presentation, in a relaxed but productive atmosphere, for a small group or team. Why not make the most of my experience

Click here to learn more about how I work, my beliefs, values and philosophy. Get a good idea of the results I can produce for you and your company and how we can be successful working together.