Shaping and assuring a complex finance technology portfolio

Our defence customer operates across a range of largely autonomous business units, from heavy manufacturing to professional services, supported by centralised functions including Finance, HR, and IT. These functions faced increased demand for change due to:

• Implementation of the new “One Finance Ways of Working” strategy, driving systems and process improvements to become the best Finance Function
• The challenge of transitioning to a single, enterprise-wide approach for technology across sectors and functions, consolidating to core solutions and platforms
• Upgrading aging solutions that are no longer best-in-class
• The drive for modernisation, including:
  • Eliminating manual efforts and processes
  • Faster cycle times for core finance processes
  • Improved value delivered by Finance
  • Enhanced access to enterprise-wide insights
  • Ensuring finance staff are skilled for the future
  • Real-time visibility of risk and control

The increased demand could not be delivered all at once due to the need to manage the amount of business change the function can absorb and the available capacity within both the function and the delivery teams.

Discovering, planning, prioritisation and delivery assurance

Implement new framework that will focus on new demand raised by the finance function. Establish a Discovery phase for new demand that will:

• Ensure requirements are captured and assessed
• Collaborate with IM&T architecture to develop a conceptual solution
• Capture alignment of possible solutions with enterprise strategy, or confirmation that needs cannot be met by existing approved solutions
• Engage with internal and external delivery supplier teams
• Establish a business case, and funding is confirmed
• Provide assurance for demand transitioning into delivery, with oversight and support for delivery teams
• Embed a governance model to track, control and report on the finance portfolio.

The key challenges that were overcome

• Designing a discovery framework that was simple, with measurable steps to be repeated at scale for all demand
• Building confidence in a single approach and alignment across business units
• Identifying and engaging the right stakeholders and communicating the aims and the approach
• Equipping the teams with the knowledge, skills and tools to support discovery.

A defined discovery framework with templates and processes to manage incoming demand through prioritisation and approval for delivery. Additionally, an assurance approach with clear governance to monitor and report on finance demand in delivery.

Project One value Add:

• Our expertise and experience of shaping, leading and delivering change and enabling the organisation to do this
• Clarity and simplification of what is complex and challenging, with an approach and plan that stakeholders understand, believe in and can follow
• Empathy to understand the challenges and getting the answers right, so that they land and will stick with our customers.