Tell us about your role…
I’m a Senior Project Manager currently working on software delivery projects within Technology and Data (T&D). The main thing I love about my role is the diversity of the projects and people I get to work with, as well as the challenges we encounter and resolve as a team.
My first foray into project management started in my early days working in a Bank on a multiple branch renovations and later software upgrade project. The contrast within the projects and the energy and excitement I felt on the projects convinced me I would love being a Project Manager.
Some of the projects I have worked on within Surface transport and now T&D include Congestion Charging back solution contract re-let, Cycle Hire scheme, Electric vehicle charging station installation, website builds, back office solution builds to manage permit handling and hosting /software licencing projects.
My current role is to help manage the delivery of projects aimed at supporting the delivery of Mayoral commitments (such as improving air quality and improving safety standards of vehicles on our roads) or use of technology to improve the way we serve our customers.
My most recent projects have meant that I have worked very closely with the software delivery teams mainly digital team, product owners and developers. This role presented the opportunity for us to amalgamate different approaches to delivery across multiple stakeholders.
On one hand, I’m working with a team very used to starting with high level requirements, delivering in small increments and constantly giving the stakeholders an opportunity validate the product they receive is still fit for purpose and on the other hand, working with other workstreams some of which have no technical expertise, more comfortable with detailing all the requirements at the beginning and tracking delivery against these requirements. While both approaches have merit, this project enabled the teams to begin to integrate both approaches and make compromises where appropriate. The team leads from each work stream were integral to ensuring the approach and plans we pulled together worked for all parties. Working with the team has been an absolute pleasure everyone is focused on the successful completion of the end goal and proactively driving processes forward.
This level of collaboration is one of the reasons I love my job!
Why is your role important to TfL?
Without this role, many of the completed projects such as the Future Ticketing project (Oyster card), Congestion Charging and Cycle Hire Schemes would not go- live on time and certainly not to budget. My role ensures all stakeholders are very clear on the scope for delivery, understand what needs to be done and when to ensure deadlines are met. Keeping the lines of communication open helps to minimise confusion and ensures we don’t end up with a disgruntled and unproductive workforce. In this role, we create a plan and help everyone stick to the plan without losing the flexibility to make different decisions when required to do so.
It’s about finding the best and most efficient ways to serve our customers and improve their journeys. My role is to ensure the initiatives and schemes designed to improve any part of the customer experience is executed to the highest standards and completed to required time, quality and cost. It’s my job to ensure this is achieved with the least amount of friction within the teams and stakeholders.
It’s my job to ensure this is achieved with the least amount of friction within the teams and stakeholders.
What’s your favourite thing about what you do?
To anyone looking from the outside, it looks as though there are multiple teams working independently on their own piece of work but, they are all part of a wider bigger team focused on common goals across the business. It’s really satisfying seeing each of these teams coming together integrating into one big team with no silo working, each person or team understanding that what they do impacts other teams. Seeing everyone’s hard work materialize into finished product that has a real impact on people’s everyday lives is wonderful. The wide variety of projects I work on ensures that there is never a dull moment and I am always learning something new.
What’s one thing you would like our customers to know about what we do?
We put the customer first always, remembering that we – Tfl staff are also users of the service, we strive to ensure that all stakeholders are considered in our decision–making process.
——-
How Digital works with Project Management
Project Management plays a huge role in the success of our work. We rely heavily on them to help coordinate the workflow and make sure we are running to schedule. They also help us secure resources we may need to deliver the work as well as contribute to creating the best possible solution.
