The IMPACT Program

Pcubed provided cross-function programs and project management leadership between the Organization and Police Service.

The Client

The IMPACT Program was established to give effect to three of the recommendations in Sir Michael Bichard's review of the events surrounding the Soham murders. Sir Michael found several deficiencies and failings in the management and sharing of information and intelligence by the UK police service at national and local levels. The relevant recommendations were as follows:

• A national IT system for England and Wales to support police intelligence should be introduced as a matter of urgency
• The Police Local Exchange system (PLX), should be introduced in England and Wales by 2005
• Investment should be made available by the Government to secure the Police National Computer's medium and longterm future, give importance to intelligence-led policing and to the criminal justice system as a whole

The Challenge

In early 2005 the Home Office decided to re-launch the IMPACT Program under new management as a Home Office/Police Service-led program delivering business change enabled by technology. Following a reference from CJIT, an interim Program Director was appointed from Pcubed and a team of consultants was established, with Pcubed providing the program and project management leadership and advice. The main challenges for Pcubed were initially to:

• Bring clear direction and leadership to the Program pending the appointment of the permanent Program Director
• Build an effective, single IMPACT Team with resources drawn from a variety of different organizations (e.g., consultancies, PITO and the Police Service)
• Establish an effective, cross-functional organization structure

Other key challenges included:

• Advise and assist in the management of the Program and its constituent projects
• Form a strong, focused delivery team to provide the required capabilities
• Develop effective relationships with key IMPACT Stakeholders
• Advise and assist in delivering the first IMPACT solution to the Police Service, the IMPACT Nominal Index (INI), on time and to the requisite quality standards

The Pcubed Solution

Pcubed provided consultancy services and advice in the following areas:

• Project & Program Management Skills - This included the implementation of best practice project and program management processes, defining a strong organizational and governance structure, providing key skills to ensure program delivery and the transferal of skills to the client and mentoring staff
• Project Management Office (PMO) - To create structure and organization of process and projects by forming a PMO into which was the implementation of PRINCE2®, as well as program scheduling and control, project and program risks, and issues management. In addition, analysis of and reporting costs, OGC gateway reviews, project and program support and assurance along with toolset support were implemented
• Business Case Writing - This function provided business case development for the program and projects, program costing, investment assurance, the development and evaluation of technical options, producing business, finance, economic, commercial and project management cases
• Project Reviews & Health Checks - To provide important reality checks on performance that focus on critical elements of the Program, as well as assessments of program planning, organization re-structuring and internal communications
• Supplier Management - Offered assistance in the management of key supplier contracts

Key elements of the solution included:

• Provided clear direction, leadership and advice in forming the Program Definition
• Established, advised and lead the Team which successfully delivered the IMPACT Nominal Index (INI)
• Advised on and implemented strengthened program management structures
• Identified and guided the use of new processes and best practices within the Program and the support of its implementation
• Set up and led the Force Data Feeds (FDF) Team that effectively advises the 43 police forces in England and Wales on data updates and back record conversion