Australian National Audit Office Better Practice Guide: Implementation of Programme and Policy Initiatives Presentation to the Canberra PMI Chapter 7 March 2007 Sheila Bird Group Executive Director Australian National Audit Office

Implementation of Programme and Policy Initiatives is the 42nd Better Guide the ANAO has produced since Previous collaborations with: Public Service Commission Finance Finance Attorney-General’s Department Attorney-General’s Department Industry Science and Resources Industry Science and Resources Australian Taxation Office Australian Taxation Office Comcare Comcare

Australian National Audit Office Key areas the ANAO considers make a difference when implementing a programme or policy initiative: organisational self-awareness; organisational self-awareness; the importance of effective governance; the importance of effective governance; the need for support from the ‘top’; the need for support from the ‘top’; an understanding of the interaction between policy development and implementation; an understanding of the interaction between policy development and implementation; engagement with other organisations; and engagement with other organisations; and continuous monitoring and evaluation. continuous monitoring and evaluation.

Australian National Audit Office Building blocks of the Better Practice Guide

Australian National Audit Office Key questions to assist Chief Executives Considerations for senior responsible officers

Australian National Audit Office Policy Development You need to get implementers at the table during policy development, in particular to consider timing and how it will be implemented Is there a common understanding of what the initiative is trying to do, and how and when it will be done? I think one of the things we lack in the public service is a consolidated focus on the efficient and timely and sympathetic delivery of services. We tend to look at service delivery as an afterthought rather than as a policy priority.

Australian National Audit Office Governance Where there is a multifaceted implementation you need to have a lead agency/person, otherwise things fall through the cracks Absolutely need a senior responsible officer – someone who is clearly identified and accountable Create an environment where people are prepared to ask for help early enough and not at a crisis point Steering committees need to have clarity of roles/responsibilities, conflicts of interest declared, accountability and to assess performance at the end

Australian National Audit Office Risk Management While good progress has been made in putting the machinery of risk management in place, there is still some distance to go before we can say that all public sector organisations have made effective risk management a central element of their day to day general management approach… Know what you don’t know Having a contract does not absolve you from what the contractor does with your programme Are risk treatments followed through in a systematic way and actively monitored during implementation for their effectiveness?

Australian National Audit Office Planning for Implementation Does the plan address the key elements of project management, including: timeframes; roles and responsibilities; resources; risk management; and monitoring, quality assurance and evaluation? Not enough time goes into project planning. Too little attention is given to breaking development and implementation into manageable steps. Each agency can have their own project plan, but you need to have one master plan to make it work.

Australian National Audit Office Procurement & Contract Management The seed of either effective, or problematic, contract management is often laid at the earliest stage of defining the procurement requirement and the general strategy of fulfilling the need. Have checks been made that the supply industry understands the agency’s approach and requirements? Are they achievable? Does the Senior Responsible Officer have access to the right skills and capability to handle complex procurement and contract management?

Australian National Audit Office Stakeholder Management You have to get an understanding of the clients and their needs. Test for the usability…to give the best options to make things work. Stakeholder management and managing expectations is one of the hardest things to get right. The hardest thing to get right with implementation is to see whether rubber hits the ground will roll-out. This is why you need genuine stakeholder engagement. Engage with those affected by the initiative at an early time.

Australian National Audit Office Resources Need to recognise there are different skills required for implementation. Need to deeply embed financial management personnel…some managers are not that skilled, which then impacts on intended/expected outcomes. Training needs are sometimes shortcut during implementation. However there are costs to the programme on cutting back resources, communication and training. Has adequate attention been given to cultural and change management issues?

Australian National Audit Office Communication Ensure that there is sufficient information and publicity ‘out there’ for a new initiative Is the implementation team clear on what is to be achieved through the communication strategy? Are communications appropriately targeted to particular client/stakeholder groups?

Australian National Audit Office Monitoring and Review Implementation is a form of learning. One key element of that learning is to use the monitoring and review process to provide advice back to the government as implementation proceeds. This allows both decision makers and programme deliverers to learn from the process and where necessary adapt their expectations, adjust their approaches and identify new opportunities. It is a constant battle to keep the project/programme on track with the Government’s objective. Are appropriate escalation strategies in place? Are monitoring and review activities aligned with the scope and complexity of implementation?

Australian National Audit Office Building blocks of the Better Practice Guide

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