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why improving the management of projects benEfits YOU

WHY COWSHED?

After witnessing a lack of resource and understanding for effective project management, its link to the business and the subsequent waste, I decided I needed to set something up to help. 

Smaller businesses don't always have the time or the resource to invest in management of everything.  Cowshed projects is a simple way to deliver a service, to improve how you manage projects and get the benefits.  It is affordable and sustainable.

On a practical level its a flexible support with your projects and advice to improve your project management maturity.  Running projects using what resources you have and using cowshed to temporarily fill in the gaps and advise.  Cowshed is effectively an outsourced PMO* for your company, to assist and review how you do projects and how they link to the business, working how you need it to.

I have worked on over 80 fit out projects in design, manufacture and management.  For developers, designers and contractors.  I am a certified project manager with portfolio, program knowledge.  I have run a project management department and managed teams and projects.  There is not a lot in the management of projects that surprises me!

I am simply applying focused knowledge and experience, with some core values and principles, to be able to find the best way for you and make your projects and profits better.
​
*PMO can stand for a few things but it is essentially Project Management Office used in many larger organisations to be a central source that standardises, provides best practice and resource for the company to manage projects better.

HOW?

  You pay for what you need.  Smaller tasks, longer term objectives or management, with the understanding that sometimes you need someone to muck in... on a project or at portfolio level.
During the course of a project you will to a lesser or greater extent have to perform all of the elements below, which Cowshed has experience and can help you with, as a one off task, one off project or a longer term solution.

Mix and match, Cowshed fits to what you need.



HELP - DO - IMPROVE

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PLAN

Programme writing and developing
Estimating
Logistics
Project balancing
Project prioritisation
Resource planning
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DEVELOP

Clarify scope and requirements
Manage design & scope development
Design small elements
Produce detail design
Clarify and agree specifications
​Site surveys
Improve processes
Filing systems
Standardising product/document identification
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BUSINESS CASE

Document the business case.
Project definition.
Project justification
Clarifying strategies and goals​
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ENGAGE USER

Be the point of contact for a project
Manage a client
Develop communication plans
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ENGAGE SUPPLIER

Work with sub-contractors to deliver requirements
​Project communication plans
Supplier identification
Price negotiation
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DELIVER SCOPE

Coordinate work packages
Manage the project team.
Be a sensible head, point of contact and extra pair of hands on installs.
Tailor the delivery process to the project needs
Co-ordinate multiple projects
Ensure project output is focused to the business needs.
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CHANGE

Manage and identify scope creep
Identify, manage and issue variations
Manage and deal with issues
Develop a clear change process.
​Mentoring and advice
Help with recruitment
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FINANCE

Develop cash flow
Project costs monitoring
Implement better project finance reporting and information.
​Monitor invoicing
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ORGANISATION

Identify project roles and responsibilities
Identify and improve a working structure
Implement working mereologies
​Company structure
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PROGRESS

Reporting on project progress
Advising on progress solutions
Implement project reporting methods that work for you.
Report of multiple project impact
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QUALITY

Project reviews
Ensure processes are working and effective.​
Help with attaining consistent approach and standards inc. document writing
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COMPLY

RAMS
Contract administration
Organise post project information eg O&M’s
Ensure project sign off
​Knowledge database
Implement systems for H&S compliance
Implement consistent end of project requirements and sign off
Learning plans
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RISK

Risk identification and mitigation.  Both threats and opportunities
Balance the portfolio risk
Complexity planning
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​PROCUREMENT

Buying
Sourcing
Implement procurement systems.
Setting purchasing exception management

Photos used under Creative Commons from shixart1985, wuestenigel, Universidad de Navarra, shixart1985, Dane Van, wuestenigel, Alan Cleaver, focusonmore.com, Croydon Clicker, wuestenigel, alh1, Paige...,, focusonmore.com, wuestenigel
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