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Project management

A project manager who knows the warehouse

For projects your own people don't have the time or experience for. DVD Intelligence manages the project from start to finish, or steps in when an ongoing project gets stuck.

Every project runs in fixed phases. Each phase is followed by a decision point: only when the agreed results are finished and approved does the next phase start. You can see at any moment where the project stands.

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Project dashboard · week 9 of 20fictitious exampleProgress per phaseAnalysisdecision point reachedDesigndecision point reachedBuild60 % doneTestnot started yetTrainingnot started yetGo-livenot started yetClosurenot started yet14Open actions3Open risks1Changes1IssuesTime and budgetTime elapsed45 %Budget used41 %Two phases are approved. The budget follows the planning, and one issue needs a decision from management.
When you need project management

Four types of projects

Introducing a new warehouse system

From choosing the way of working to go-live and the weeks after, with testing and training of all teams.

Onboarding a new customer

The processes, the system settings, the work instructions and the training are ready before the first order leaves.

A relocation or re-layout

A planning that disrupts daily operations as little as possible, with a clear runbook for the switch-over.

Stepping in when things go wrong

Backlog, rising errors or a go-live that is not going well: first stabilise operations, then remove the cause.

How a project runs

Seven phases, you decide after each one

The planning shows each phase in weeks, with a decision point at the end. The project only moves on when the previous part is truly finished. That way problems are not pushed to a later and more expensive moment.

Project planning in weeksfictitious examplew1w3w5w7w9w11w13w15w17w19AnalysisDesignBuildTestTrainingGo-liveClosureFollow-upweekly follow-up, action list, risks and budgetgo-livetodaydecision point: the next phase only starts after approvalpart that is already donego-live day

Click a phase to see what you get, and when the phase is approved.

1AnalysisUnderstand what is needed, what already exists and what is possible.
What you get
  • A project brief and a dedicated project team
  • A list of requirements from the customer and from operations
  • A map of how the work runs today
  • A business case: what the project costs and what it delivers
  • An approach to get the people on the floor on board

Decision point. The requirements and the business case are approved, and the project team is in place.

2DesignDesign the new way of working before anything is built.
What you get
  • The goods flow and the process design
  • The warehouse layout and the location of each item
  • Fixed ways of working for every task
  • The system design and the integrations with the customer
  • The organisation and a training plan

Decision point. Operations, IT and the customer approve the design.

3BuildPrepare the warehouse and the systems according to the design.
What you get
  • Racking, equipment, scanners and printers in place
  • The system configured and the integrations built
  • Work instructions for every task
  • The training material

Decision point. Everything is built and ready to test.

4TestTest each component separately, then the whole chain together.
What you get
  • A test per component: warehouse, system and integrations
  • A test of all integrations together
  • An end-to-end test, from order to departure
  • A user acceptance test by your own people

Decision point. All tests have passed. Anything still open is resolved or consciously accepted.

5TrainingTrain the people on the tested solution.
What you get
  • First the key users, then the teams
  • Training just before go-live, so nothing is forgotten
  • An updated training matrix: who can do what

Decision point. Every user is trained for their own tasks.

6Go-liveSwitch over in a controlled way and follow up on the floor in the first weeks.
What you get
  • A runbook for the final week before the switch-over
  • The first real order, checked extra carefully step by step
  • Two weeks of extra support on the floor

Decision point. Operations are stable and the KPIs are within expectations.

7ClosureHand over properly, so your organisation can continue on its own.
What you get
  • Hand-over to operations and to whoever manages the system
  • Lessons learned for a next project
  • A final report for management

Decision point. The project is formally closed and all documents have been handed over.

How you keep an overview

One project file, followed up every week

Everything about the project is in one file: the planning, the actions, the risks, who does what and the budget. It is reviewed together every week, and management gets a short overview.

Action list · 14 open, 23 donefictitious examplePhaseActionWhoDeadlineStatusDesignClean up master data and flag old itemsOperationsweek 6DoneDesignCheck scanners, printers and PCsITweek 7DoneBuildWrite work instructions for every taskTrainingweek 8OverdueBuildAdjust the racking to the new layoutOperationsweek 10In progressBuildSet up the system for the new order flowITweek 11In progressTestWrite end-to-end test scenariosProject managerweek 12Not started yetEvery action has one owner and a deadline. Anything overdue goes to the top of the weekly follow-up.

Action list

Every action has one owner and a deadline. Anything overdue is visible immediately and goes to the top of the weekly follow-up.

Risks and issuesfictitious example1234554321impactlikelihood1234List of risks, changes and issues1No dedicated project team, everyone does it on top of their normal workLikelihood 4, impact 5 · problem identified2The integration with the carrier is running lateLikelihood 3, impact 4 · action in progress3The master data was not cleaned up in timeLikelihood 4, impact 3 · solved and checked4Nobody owned the work instructionsLikelihood 2, impact 3 · action done, still to be checkedred: problem identifiedyellow: action in progressblue: action done, still to be checkedgreen: solved and checked

Risks and issues

Every risk gets a score for likelihood and impact. Four colours show whether something has already been done about it, and whether the solution has also been checked.

Who does what, per deliverablefictitious exampleProject managerOperationsITTrainingCustomerManagementProject briefDoesAdviseInfoInfoAdviseDecidesProcess design and layoutHelpsDoesAdviseInfoAdviseDecidesSystem settingsHelpsDecidesDoesInfoInfoInfoIntegrations with the customerHelpsInfoDoesHelpsDecidesWork instructionsHelpsDecidesInfoDoesInfoInfoUser acceptance testHelpsDoesHelpsHelpsAdviseDecidesGo-liveDoesAdviseAdviseAdviseAdviseDecidesDoes: carries out the work · Decides: approves and is ultimately responsible · Helps: works alongAdvise: consulted beforehand · Info: informed afterwardsExactly one party decides per deliverable. That way everyone knows who has to say yes.

Who does what

For each deliverable it shows who does the work, who helps and who decides. That way there is never any doubt about who has to approve something.

Budget: planned versus actual, cumulative per weekfictitious example0 %25 %50 %75 %100 %w1w3w5w7w9w11w13w15w17w1937 % used40 % plannedplannedactualThe project is slightly under budget. Investments such as racking, scanners and software are followed up separately.

Budget

The project team's hours and the investments are followed up weekly, next to the planned budget. A deviation shows up early.

When things go wrong

Stabilise first, then remove the cause

Sometimes a project or an operation is already stuck. Then there is no time for a long analysis. DVD Intelligence then works in four steps.

See on site

Check on the floor and in the systems what really happens, together with the people who do the work.

Stabilise operations

Set priorities, clear the backlog and take temporary measures, so the orders leave again.

Removing the cause

Find and solve the real cause, so the same problem does not come back.

Hand over

Record agreements, work instructions and follow-up, so your own people carry it forward.

What you take with you

Everything stays yours

The project filePlanning, action list, risks, who does what and budget, in Excel. Your team can also use it for future projects.
An overview for managementOn one page: the progress per phase, the open points and the budget.
Documents per phaseThe design, the work instructions, the test results and the training plan.
Lessons learnedWhat went well and what can be better, so the next project goes faster.
The package

Project management

The scope and the planning are agreed with you at the start. You receive a tailored quote in advance.

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