Understanding Benefits Management

Change has become simply a way of life for almost all businesses and public service providers. Driven by a multitude of factors, including market forces, legal and regulatory frameworks, societal demands and stakeholder aspirations, corporate bodies have implemented often sweeping transformations to the way in which they conduct their activities. Many of these change initiatives have been undertaken using projects and programmes and all have been founded upon an expectation of beneficial outcomes.

In the past, change initiatives have been reviewed once complete and assessments made as to whether they have derived the expected benefits. Now, though, it is recognised that the discipline of Benefits Management needs to pervade every part of a change programme, from start to finish, thus ensuring a proactive focus upon benefit delivery.

This briefing will provide an introduction to Benefits Management, underpinned by the latest Best Practice guidance. It will:

• consider the organisation required within a change initiative, including an examination of programmes and programme management;
• examine the importance of properly defining a programme, of devising a vision statement and a blueprint of the capabilities required to achieve that vision and of formulating Benefits Profiles to act as benchmarks against which programme success can be measured;
• look at the meaning of Benefits Management and its intrinsic role in change programmes;
• establish the essential components of a Benefits Management policy;
• examine the key processes and procedures required for successful Benefits Management;
• assess how Benefits Identification Workshops might be constituted and facilitated;
• consider means by which to optimise benefits realisation;
• suggest ways of embedding Benefits Management into the culture of change.

Delegate Profile

The briefing is ideal for anyone involved in change initiatives, including directors and senior managers, Programme Directors/Managers, Business Change Managers and Senior Responsible Owners. It will also be relevant for those charged with monitoring and measuring benefits, those acting in audit, programme assurance and programme support positions and those moving into change management roles.

Briefing Length

The briefing is ideally run over one day, but can be condensed to half a day when required.