Context 

The client, a Private Bank based in the Channel Islands, were looking to digitise the bank’s operations through transformation of their technology and working practices. The client wanted to do this by creating a programme of work to deliver new technology solutions, enhance existing systems, digitise manual processes, providing significant benefits to the organisation and its client base.  

The stated aims of this programme were to:

• Internally, take advantage of technology to reduce operational/compliance risk, and to deliver operational efficiencies
• Externally, to build on the existing high quality customer service through enhanced technology

CBO were engaged to set up programme governance and drive the definition of a digitisation roadmap, underpinned by the provision of CBO technical business analysis capabilities, before setting up an effective handover to internal resources. 

CBO’s Approach and Impact

Digital Roadmap

CBO led a series of engagements with key partners to define and establish the client’s digital roadmap. There were three stages to this development:

• Stage 1: The programme’s guiding principles were initially developed with key stakeholders through a series of sessions facilitated by CBO. The aim of these principles were to align business stakeholders, provide a strategic direction for the programme and establish a strong base of understanding for future phases.
• Stage 2: CBO then managed an engagement with the client’s strategic technology partner, Microsoft, to run a series of workshops including a key ‘envisioning’ session. In this structured workshop the client’s major focus areas were prioritised for resolution, the output of which facilitate the decision making required for the programme’s digital roadmap definition
• Stage 3: Alongside the client’s senior supplier, CBO managed the engagement with an external supplier for the set-up of a discovery phase of a Client Relationship Management (CRM) project utilising the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. This discovery period was to define in detail the digitisation of the client’s core capabilities.

CBO worked closely with internal and external stakeholders to support this digital journey and establish a clear set of projects that would deliver the digitisation of the bank. 

Programme Management

A core element of the CBO engagement was the definition and set-up of the Programme Management approach for the digitisation journey. CBO utilised a programme management approach aligned to the Association of Project Management (APM) best practice and tailored to the client’s processes and templates. The key elements of CBO’s impact for the client were:

Establishment of a robust governance structure and programme processes. The tailored governance structure allowed the client project team to focus on delivery and business requirements, with the management of risks/issues, escalation of decisions and programme reporting flowing smoothly through well managed programme processes. 

Effective engagement with stakeholders through structured project meetings. CBO implemented a weekly stand-up meeting to communicate programme updates and engage the wider team which ensured cross-stakeholder alignment. A programme working group was also established to allow busy stakeholders to take the required time to discuss and input into the programme deliverables. 

A clear sub-project initiation process including scope, budget, and requirement definition. A project initiation approach was established through initial development and approval of a set of ‘project briefs’ which was then developed further via a discovery phase for each project to ensure there was common understanding of project requirements, budget, benefits, and scope. 

Outcome

The outcome of the CBO engagement was the successful establishment and embedding of a mature digital change programme, with robust governance, enabling the client to make material progress in the delivery of their digital roadmap. The programme management was then successfully handed over to an internal Programme Manager for ongoing delivery.

Prior to handover, the first project within the digitation programme went live successfully delivering tangible benefits to the business. A second project was also well established, having completed a discovery phase and was ready to start technical delivery. Finally the major project within the programme (Microsoft Dynamics CRM Project) was handed over at the start of the discovery phase which would act as the fundamental step to delivery of the client’s digital transformation roadmap.

Client Feedback

‘CBO has been a longstanding and valued partner, delivering on a number of business and technology projects for our organisation.  In this regard, CBO helped us to kickstart our transformation journey while we were still managing a number of other critical projects.  The input and guidance provided by CBO has helped us to the point that we have now been able to embed this programme into our business and start delivering on the various sub-projects that sit under this transformation programme.’