CHAPTER 4: ENGAGE WITH USERS, PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS TO GAIN THEIR COOPERATION AND COMMITMENT
1hr. 30min.
A12.KCI-4. Ensure that users, partners and suppliers are involved
As well as senior management, you are involved with users, partners and suppliers.
The users are the most involved with what your project/programme is ultimately going to deliver. They often find that they are not sufficiently involved in the formation of the list of requirements, and it is sometimes even the case that the result is forced on the users. You may have organized everything, but if there is not ultimately an acceptance from the users, you cannot say it has been a successful. The maintenance staff forms a separate group, who after delivery, have to keep the products working. They also play an important role in the final acceptance and they are also often involved too late.
Acceptance comes in small chunks. As the project/programme progresses the influence of the interested parties diminishes, and the closer we get to the final delivery, the less scope they have to fundamentally change things. At the end of each stage, there is a moment of “reflection” allowing the interested parties to formally decide the extent to which there still is a justification, and, therefore, if they want to carry on with it. Staging is also a tool to help in obtaining this acceptance. At the start you ensure that it is clear at which stages acceptance is required. The satisfaction of the interested parties at the end of a stage increases the support for the final result. Satisfaction then has a positive effect on the requirements/support balance.
During the execution you have to deal with both internal and external suppliers. These suppliers have people or resources required by the project/programme. You are not alone, however, as within the organization there are other projects all "fighting" for the same resources. The suppliers, therefore, prioritize their work, and if you have their support there is a greater chance they will give your project/ programme a higher priority, which is precisely what you should aim for. Sometimes, this entails giving in to the supplier when he can't meet the specifications, by granting the supplier these concessions, you build up credit. When looked at from a strictly legal point of view, there is a strict division between customer and supplier, but over the long term it works better when they cooperate.
Application
You can convert the above into actions on the project/programme/portfolio for which you are currently responsible, by carrying out the following steps:
Involve the users and acquire their support.
Acquire the support of the suppliers
Work together to achieve the optimum result.
