Ventiv Technology

360º | Aon eSolutions 3 7 for more information strIVIng for contInual ImproVement "When we have a client project, whether it's a new system implementation or custom development, Aon Professional Services works as one team," said Sargent. "The project manager is the lead, but we may also have a business analyst, configuration specialist, report developer, and data services expert—all working together to ensure project success." "The 360° Review aims to appraise professional services as a whole and from all angles of the project," said Hungate. "We initiated phase I, in which team members fill out scorecards in order to perform peer- to-peer reviews, and in phase II, we'll obtain client feedback by launching a client project completion scorecard." "Each member of our professional services team plays a vital role, and if any one component is not performed effectively, that can affect the entire client experience," said Sargent. "The 360° Review enables us to engage in continual improvement of our implementation process." the reVIew process The 360° Review scorecard rates team members on common criteria— such as availability, schedule, communication, standardized processes and product knowledge. In each category, the review includes a rating scale from one to five—five being the highest—along with sections to solicit the most positive and most challenging aspects of the project and a section for general comments. The review also assesses specific areas based on the service professional's distinct responsibilities. For example, project managers are rated on "risk and issue management," or how well they have proactively identified and mitigated potential risks to the project's success. Today, IT projects have become increasingly complex, requiring integration with more systems, business processes and stakeholders. "We want our team members to stay abreast of threats to the triple constraints of client projects, specifically scope, schedule and costs," said Sargent. "Also vital to keeping projects on track is the ability to identify the project's critical paths," added Sargent. "If tasks along these paths are delayed, they have a cascading effect and impact the entire implementation. With this insight, our teams stay focused on driving forward high-impact activity, while acknowledging tasks that have a little more leeway or float." Documentation is another key component to project success. "Managing and controlling projects requires accurate recordkeeping, particularly at the beginning of a project to ensure teams understand the client's business objectives," said Hungate. "There are several other points during the implementation that require specific documentation, such as defining technical specifications and during testing." professIonal deVelopment "One way we look to improve client experience is by continually enhancing our team's skills," said Sargent. "As a result, we plan to use the 360° Review results to design professional development and training opportunities for our staff. In 2011, we honed communication skills, helping our service professionals to engage clients and peers in project plans, updates and challenges." "As a project manager, I actually look forward to internal 360° performance reviews," said Hungate. "They help me become better at what I do. In reviewing peers, it was important to celebrate their successes, so they knew what they were doing well, and also provide constructive feedback, so they had specific examples on how to improve." a total solutIon "Teamwork has a significant impact on project performance. The 360° Review facilities greater transparency, so we can understand individual strengths as well as team synergies," said Sargent. "In addition, we foster greater team unity by tying the 360° Review back to Aon eSolutions' overall mission and values. Moving forward, the 360° Review will enable continued evolution of our service paradigm, so we're able to deliver the best total solution to solve a client's specific business needs. By doing this, we tie the value of our project management capabilities into the client's bottom line," concluded Sargent.

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