Implementing a Corporate Project Office for Australian Customs

A Path to Project Management Maturity

The Australian Customs Service is implementing a corporate transformation program to improve the way it delivers services to government and the public. An initial component of this was the establishment of a Corporate Project Office (CPO). Oakton was engaged to establish and operate the Corporate Project Office and to support the transition across to Customs’ management.

Within 12 months this project delivered a common Project Management Framework, a Project Management Competency Pathway, executive management reporting together with mentoring and assistance to Customs Project Managers. The ‘take up’ of this organisational change was enhanced through the deployment of Project Advisors who provided coaching and assurance and ensured that all the identified stakeholders understood, and were ready to implement the common Project Management Framework and the Project Management Competencies Pathway

The challenge

Following varied degrees of success implementing projects, Customs needed to convert disparate project management practices into a unified project management approach across the Agency whilst overcoming resistance to change all within a tight timeframe. Adding to the complexity of the project, was the fact that there was no common framework or approach to project management, a variety of project management approaches existed with different degrees of process. The project was a key component of the Corporate change management journey on which Customs was embarking. The project was the beginning of a journey along the Project Management Maturity Pathway.

A key project requirement was the implementation of a framework which would cover all levels and sizes of projects. This needed to be robust, conform to PRINCE2, allow for easy integration with Design disciplines and be relatively simple to use.

The degree of resistance across the organisation was initially varied, however staff buy-in and ownership of the end product were important requirements. Resistance to change, and the reluctance of key areas to adopt a common framework with advanced project management methods, were significant challenges.

The Oakton Approach

Key to the success of the project was to develop a project team which consisted of representatives from both Oakton and Customs. The structure of the team consisted of a Project Steering Committee chaired by the Project Sponsor (DCEO Corporate Operations), an Expert Working Group comprising representatives from all of the programs and the Oakton Project Team.

The Oakton Project Team included a Project Manager, two Project Advisors and a small team to develop the Project Management Framework and Competency Pathway. Oakton Project Advisors worked across the organisation, initially to understand the sixty projects which were reporting on a monthly basis to Executive Management. This process enabled the Project Advisors to work with senior management to identify and report on the twenty strategically important projects which would continue to report to Executive Management. Moving through the Agency providing assistance, they worked to prepare the organisation for the introduction of the Project Management Framework, identified cross-project dependencies and developed the Project Manager Competency Pathway.

The Project Manager Competency Pathway (PMCP) outlined the approach to competency development for Project Managers within Customs. This PMCP was closely aligned to the existing Customs competency development approach. It was the first step in establishing a formal professional stream of project management resources in Customs, with appropriate qualifications and experience to manage projects of differing size and complexity.

Using the techniques of executive buy-in, broad communication of intention and improved project manager capability, the project was a resounding success giving traction and support to the larger organisational change agenda.

Key Outcomes of the Project

Oakton’s implementation of a Corporate Project Office has enabled the development, implementation and communication of a common and consistent methodology within the whole of Customs that reflects industry better practice. This has bought about immediate efficiency and effectiveness benefits to Customs.

The Project Advisers established a community of project management professionals within Customs and implemented the Project Management Competencies Pathway to allow Customs staff to enhance project management skills with the support of management.

The Customs Project Management Framework has also provided Customs with a governance structure for program and project management. This has strengthened governance for all projects and especially for the portfolio of strategically important projects. A key outcome of the project has been the provision of an independent structure for reporting to Executive Management that provides visibility of the key issues arising from the strategic project portfolio.

The Project Management Framework provides a foundation for Design disciplines to be added in later versions enabling Customs to avoid the trap of having two separate frameworks for design and project management. This also eliminates confusion within projects about which framework project managers should be following. With a single framework all of the elements of design and project management will now be clearly identified.