Project planning for transition exit strategy and plan

The Scottish Governments framework for decision making and subsequent further information is certainly impressive and does give a fair description of the complexity and difficulty of an exit strategy and transition plan.

Just to offer some comment, the difficulty in implementing an exit strategy and corresponding transition exit plan and must not be underestimated. The sheer magnitude of the planning, implementation, control and monitoring process will be staggering. Disaggregating cause and effect from overlapping consequences will be at the heart of judging effectiveness of any action planned and implemented.

Therefore the best approach will be that the exit transition plan must be based on a sophisticated exit strategy and must be considered as a complex project plan at both high and low level. Each relaxation must be seen as a multi-activity which when implemented must have a control cycle. This should include the implementation activities and processes, a means of monitoring together with timescale for monitoring and measuring effect of each multi-activity planned. This should include measuring effectiveness through comparing outcome with that planned, leading to implementing control activities to return to plan or indeed re-planning. It will need an experienced project team who can call on expert opinion and react in real time.

All this must be done in conjunction with a risk management plan which identifies all assumptions in implementing multi-activities and process together with corresponding risks. Each risk must be risk assessed and mitigated through a risk plan. Always be aware of unintended consequences and interaction between activities.

Why the contribution is important

I am offering this comment to complement the Scottish Government's publication a framework for Decisions and further information. These outlines are certainly impressive but turning them into reality will be difficult. This is where experience project managers and project management teams available in both public and private sectors must be available and should be sought. Implementation is the most difficult part and needs an appreciation of risk, risk planning and mitigation which seems missing from UK Government's responses at present.

by ascott01 on May 08, 2020 at 05:46PM

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