Project performance diagnostics with the Prosci PCT Model
Collecting data from a group and over time

Using the PCT assessment with a group

• Leadership/Sponsorship:  score of ___ out of 30
• Project Management:  score of ___ out of 30
• Change Management:  score of ___ out of 30
• List of factors scored a "1" that require immediate action

The power of the tool is multiplied when the assessment is used with a group that is connected to the project. The "group" could include the project team, senior leaders connected to the project or representatives from the business that will be impacted by the change. Regardless of who the data is collected from, the process of soliciting input and viewing results from multiple perspectives is powerful.

Screenshot of five data points from the PCT Analyzer

Below are some of the advantages of using the PCT assessment with a group:

Shows multiple points of view:

• The screenshot from the PCT Analyzer above shows the PCT assessment scores from five members of the project team. Instead of a single view of the project, you now have perspectives to compare. Where does the group have a common view? Where are there differences of opinion? What might have resulted in the differences? The PCT Analyzer has manual and online data entry capabilities, and presents back a table showing data providers and their scores. You also see distributions of scores for each assessment factor.

Provides common terminology and frame of reference:

• Discussing how a project is performing and what is required for a project to be successful can be difficult. The overall framework of the Project Change Triangle, the specific factors in the assessment and the resulting outcomes all lay the foundation for more intelligent conversations about project health and where efforts should be focused to improve project performance. Simply having a single frame of reference with common language allows the project team to focus on improving performance rather than wading through generic and untargeted conversations.

Causes discussion:

• The framework and the assessment results create discussion. Whether the discussion is about why scores are different or what is causing a pattern in the scores, the discussions can now take place. Many teams seem to discover problems and solutions when they are able to focus conversations about how the project is performing, and the PCT assessment and the data from the PCT Analyzer gives rise to the discussion.

Drives consensus and action:

• Even if scores start out fairly divergent, the resulting common terminology and discussion drives the project team toward action. The exercise of reviewing scores, validating assumptions and evaluating averages results in a team mobilized for action. The analysis outputs from the PCT Analyzer, which will be the focus of the second tutorial in this series, draw from an extensive knowledge base to provide consequences and action steps for moving the project forward.

Using the PCT assessment over time

The PCT assessment is built to provide a snapshot at a point in time - right now, how well is the project performing at Leadership/Sponsorship, Project Management and Change Management? And while there is value in seeing how things are performing right now, the PCT assessment can also be used to evaluate progress over time.

The PCT Analyzer has the functionality built in to allow you to track project performance over time. As a user, you can set checkpoints for when you want to collect assessment data to evaluate project performance. The function is built to be extremely flexible - you may create checkpoints that map to the project lifecycle, or checkpoints that map to particular gates in the project or even checkpoints at key milestones.

Screenshot of checkpoints at specified times in the project lifecycle

By "checking in" on the project health with checkpoints during the duration of the project, you can evaluate how well your improvement efforts are working. You can also hone in on where efforts need to be focused, maintained or revisited as PCT assessment scores change over time.

Summary

When one person uses the PCT assessment to evaluate a project, they see the strengths, weaknesses, gaps and opportunities from their own perspective. The power of the tool is magnified when data is collected from a number of people on the project. Similarly, the tool can also be used over time to evaluate a project's progress - and the impact of the actions the team is taking. Prosci's new PCT Analyzer is an easy-to-use web interface for collecting and analyzing PCT assessment data over time from a group connected to a project.

Coming up: the next tutorial in this module will provide a detailed look at the outputs generated by the PCT Analyzer.

• Change management certification ($2100) - 3-day program where you bring a project you are working on and apply all of the assessments and tools as you learn them - taught by former Fortune 500 executives at locations across the U.S.
• 2007 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report ($249) - journal-style report with lessons learned and best practices from 426 participants, presented in an easy-to-use format - reads as a checklist of what to do and what not to do
• Change Management Toolkit ($349) - hardcopy 3-ring binder presenting Prosci's change management methodology; includes templates, checklists and assessments for managing the people side of change (includes CD-ROM)
• Change Management Guide for Managers ($189) - tools to help supervisors engage and coach their direct reports through change (includes 4 copies of the Employee's Survival Guide)
• Change Management Pilot 2008 ($449) - online tool including Prosci's change management methodology, eLearning modules and downloadable templates, assessments, presentations and checklists
• Change Management Pilot Professional 2008 ($559) - the content of the Change Management Pilot plus additional benchmarking data and an online version of the Change Management Guide for Managers and Supervisors
• Change Management: the people side of change ($18.95) - a primer that addresses why manage change, individual change management and organizational change management for anyone involved in organizational change
• Employee's Survival Guide to Change ($14.95) - a handbook to help employees survive and thrive during change; answers frequently asked questions and empowers employees to take charge of change