|
Areas to probe
|
Evidence expected
|
|
2.1 Is there a clear and agreed understanding of business goals and how the project will deliver these?
|
- Business objectives for the project clearly stated and Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timely (SMART), and meet the business needs of the organisation
- A strategy for achieving business benefits defined and agreed with the stakeholders
- Total scope, including timescales, documented and agreed with stakeholders (including end-users or their representatives) and technical authorities
- Scope and requirements specifications are realistic, clear and unambiguous
- Delivery approach and mechanisms defined and agreed with stakeholders
- For IT-enabled projects: IT developments defined as component(s) of wider programme of business change/new services to the citizen.
- Evidence of options reviewed and justification for their selection.
|
|
2.2 What are the critical success factors? These are the essential areas of activity that must be performed well if the mission, objectives or goals of the project are to be achieved.
|
- The critical success factors for each of the main objectives.
|
|
2.3 Can the critical success factors be quantified or measured?
|
- Explanation of how the factors will be measured; identification of baseline measures where appropriate
- Definition of effective systems for measuring and tracking the realisation of benefits
- For construction projects, Design Quality Indicators used.
|
|
2.4 Have all the likely stakeholders been identified and their needs clearly understood?
|
- Internal and external stakeholders identified and documented
- Stakeholders' roles and responsibilities, and their potential influence on the project, defined and agreed
- End-users for the project identified and documented
- Evidence that the decision-making process is inclusive of all the relevant stakeholders and is both efficient and effective
- Results of consultations documented as part of project stakeholder engagement/communications strategy
- If the project traverses organisational boundaries, there are clear governance arrangements to ensure sustainable alignment with the business objectives of all organisations involved.
|
|
2.5 Are the external stakeholder issues being addressed? These may include:
- communications
- public relations
- social inclusion (e.g. equality and diversity issues)
- environmental issues
- personnel
- statutory processes.
|
- Plans for each stakeholder produced showing responsibilities and, if appropriate, role in the project.
|
|
2.6 Do stakeholders support the preferred option? This includes the potential or recommended delivery approach and mechanisms.
|
- Consultation, involvement, support and endorsement.
|
|
2.7 Has the feasibility study examined a wide enough range of options that will meet the business requirement?
|
- Options explored for collaboration with other public sector organisations and programmes/projects
- Where applicable, options have been assessed in accordance with Regulatory Impact Assessments
- The advantages and disadvantages for each option to determine its potential for meeting the critical success factors
- Market sounding indicates that suitable solutions can be provided.
|
|
2.8 Is there a clear 'best option', or would several options meet the business need?
|
- Options appraised in accordance with principles of the Treasury, SSC, OAG and MED best practice and internal guidance
- Options ranked. Examination of all options that are acceptable in principle
- Clear analysis of whole-life costs for each option.
|
|
2.9 If there are several options, how was their robustness tested?
|
- Sensitivity analysis of all appropriate options
- Major sensitivities included in the list of identified risks.
|
|
2.10 Is the project likely to be attractive to the market?
|
- Market sounding taken, including an examination of recent similar procurements by others, and indication of suitable suppliers available to deliver requirements
- There is adequate capacity, capability and competitive interest in the market to meet the requirement
- Early supply-side involvement to help determine and validate what outputs and outcomes are sought for the project, including proof of concept exercises
- Senior management are sufficiently engaged with the industry to be able to assess supply-side risks.
|
|
2.11 Have contract management issues been considered?
|
- Requirements for 'intelligent customer' capability considered
- Arrangements for managing single/multiple suppliers considered
- Where multiple suppliers are likely to be appointed, high-level plans for managing the interfaces
- Appropriate relationship determined and hence optimum scale of contract(s) appropriately considered.
|
