SATCOM (Skynet 6) – Programme Management Office

Approach

In delivery, the PMO works together as a team with both Frazer-Nash and Crown Servants working collaboratively as integral members of the Defence Digital organisation, and responsible for maintaining and developing this critical operational capability.

Our team in the SDW PMO delivers systematic identification, analysis, planning and review of the project and wider programme assumptions, to make sure that they are understood, appropriate and agreed. We provide support, tools and capability on Governance, Planning, Scheduling and Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies and Opportunities (RAIDO) to optimise the project for successful delivery leading to measurable improvement in efficiencies, not only within the SDW project.

Collaboration with other Defence Digital teams allow us to provide the project management artefacts and controls to enable continuation of ground-based operations, infrastructure and services that are central to SKYNET.

Our regular engagements with stakeholders promote accurate and consistent capture, analysis and review of the project and programme assumptions.

Working within the Defence Digital project controls framework, we develop and deploy Defence Digital’s approaches across all elements of project controls, taking the best practice in Skynet to evolve new ways of working. Our approach includes management of schedules, risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies, opportunities, and methodology for demonstration of value for money throughout project planning.

We combine the dimensions of programme management into a single monitoring, control and reporting system, centred on a new performance dashboard and have implemented revised approaches to project governance, based on achieving more effective decision-making. Our lead on project communications, directly supports the briefing of senior stakeholders, to meet the continuous demands of a complex programme.

Benefits

With our support, the project has maintained control and is delivering to time.
Our work with stakeholders to revalidate all project plans and demonstrate these plans through full operation of the required project governance provided confidence to the MOD in the feasibility of wider project goals.
Our delivery enabled the SKYNET 6 programme to mitigate risks to delivery of its 2020 milestones.
Our approach facilitated effective team communication, and increased awareness and visibility for leadership teams to inform decision-making. This required close engagement with programme stakeholders in the UK MOD, subject matter experts, and industry organisations to support the delivery of critical Satellite Communications and Intelligence capabilities.
A full end-to-end schedule risk analysis informed senior managers up to Cabinet level of significant milestone dates
By working collaboratively with our client, the PMO has been central to the recognising and distributing best practice, encouraging collaboration, standardisation, and overall improvement across the SDW project and wider SATCOM programme.
Our strong collaborative working relationship with the MOD client is key to successful project delivery, creating an inclusive working relationship & environment for the team around you.

We are a key partner in a consortium, and work within a fully collaborative ecosystem of companies where major decisions are made as a consortium. We promote open and honest relationships within the group. Our approach is supporting the successful delivery of the SKYNET 6 programme and facilitated the formation of successful collaboration on other programmes.