A Large Project or Small Ongoing Changes: Which is Better?
It can pay to take things in small steps, but sometimes it’s better if the project is bigger!
Your Assets: How To Get the Most Value From Them
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A Simple Guide to Project Cost Control
Why Cost Control Matters A project going over budget rarely happens overnight. It starts with team members making small oversights, approving a change request without proper costing, facing a supplier delay that adds overtime, or missing a review that hides rising expenses. These actions demonstrate poor cost control. By the time stakeholders see these issues, they have already compounded into a serious financial problem. Effective project cost control is about stopping those small oversights before they become big ones. It requires awareness from the start, discipline throughout delivery, and a culture where risks are identified and acted upon early. Planning for Success A realistic budget is the foundation of cost control. Too many projects start with figures that look good on paper but have no grounding in evidence. Strong estimates come from accurate data, realistic timelines, and honest discussions about risk. A cautious budget with a built-in contingency fund gives your team room to handle surprises without panic. Equally important is protecting that budget from unnecessary erosion. Scope creep, the gradual addition of new features and requirements, can quietly drain resources. The most successful project managers create clear boundaries at the start and use structured change control to make sure every adjustment is properly costed and approved. Keeping Cost Control During Delivery Once the project is underway, you must track spending in real-time. Monthly reports often come too late; by the time they flag an issue, the problem has already embedded itself in the workflow. Consider using live dashboards, conducting weekly reviews, and engaging in open conversations about costs to identify early trends and correct them before they impact the budget. Moreover, strong governance supports this process. When decision-makers understand the technical and financial implications of each choice, they can challenge unnecessary expenses and demand justification for cost increases. This keeps the project focused on delivering the agreed outcomes without drifting into waste. Building a Culture of Accountability However, numbers alone will not keep a budget protected; people will. If team members feel safe to raise concerns, you will hear about risks before they become costly problems. Creating a culture where early warnings are valued, not punished, encourages transparency and protects the bottom line. Every completed project is also a chance to improve. Therefore, reviewing how the budget is performing, where estimates were accurate, and where costs were unexpected provides lessons for the next initiative. Over time, this cycle of learning makes overruns less likely and budgets more reliable. Final Thought Project cost control involves more than just using spreadsheets and seeking approvals. It requires vigilance, honest communication, and making tough decisions at critical moments. Thankfully, by planning carefully, monitoring actively, and encouraging accountability, you can keep your project on track and avoid falling into the “project over budget” category. If you need further guidance or assistance on a project that you’d like to regain control of, or if it has any other unsolved problems, contact us at Whittier Consulting, and we can provide no-nonsense advice for your situation.
6 Steps to Recover an Over Budget Project
Realising that your project is over budget can be overwhelming. Every day that passes without action adds to the overspend and reduces your options. The best recovery plans move quickly, focus on facts and set out a clear path forward. Step 1: Assess to What Extent the Project is Over Budget Begin by calculating your estimate at completion, as this shows the likely total cost if the current trend continues. Compare it with the original budget so you can measure the gap. Review your spend by category to see exactly where overruns are occurring. In one ERP upgrade project that we observed, the team discovered that 40% of the overspend came from contractor overtime. That finding immediately shaped the recovery strategy. Step 2: Identify the Root Cause of the Project Being Over Budget Ask “why” repeatedly until you reach the true reason. Was it inaccurate because of initial estimates, uncontrolled scope changes, supplier issues or unplanned external costs? Avoid blame at this stage. Instead, use the findings to create targeted solutions that address the cause rather than the symptoms. Step 3: Reassess Scope and Timeline When a project is over budget, it is essential to focus on core priorities. Separate the “must-have” deliverables from the “nice-to-haves”. Remove or postpone non-essential features. In the Birmingham Oracle ERP example, parts of the rollout were delayed to reduce immediate costs and buy time to stabilise delivery. Adjusting the scope can protect both quality and budget. Step 4: Communicate with Stakeholders Stakeholders need clarity, not surprises. Present the facts, the cause of the budget overrun and a clear recovery plan. Explain the consequences of doing nothing, and outline the benefits of your proposed changes. A written agreement at this stage is vital to avoid further disputes. Step 5: Implement Strict Cost Controls to Avoid Becoming Over Budget in the Future Once you agree on a revised plan, enforce strong controls to prevent further drift. Hold weekly budget reviews, require sign-off for additional spending and monitor actual versus planned costs in real time. This discipline is essential to bring a project over budget back under control. Step 6: Consider Phasing or Additional Funding If the revised plan still cannot meet the budget, consider delivering the project in phases. This allows you to meet immediate goals while deferring some features for later. In some cases, additional funding is justified if the return on investment supports the spend, but always ensure that root causes have been addressed before requesting more money. Conclusion A project over budget can recover if you act quickly, focus on facts and implement disciplined controls. The key is to treat the situation as a turning point rather than a failure. By reassessing scope, communicating openly and enforcing strict spending controls, you can protect delivery and regain the confidence of your stakeholders. If you need further guidance or assistance on a project that you’d like to regain control of, or if it has any other unsolved problems, contact us at Whittier Consulting and we can provide no-nonsense advice for your situation. Read More
Project Over Budget? Why It Happens and How to Fix It
When is a Project Over Budget? Few moments in project management feel as urgent as when your project goes over budget. It happens often, with research showing that over 90% of large initiatives exceed their initial projections or deadlines. Early detection of a project over budget, and fast action give your project the best chance to recover. Why a Project Goes Over Budget Projects go over budget for common reasons: Being aware of these risks helps you prevent or recover from overruns effectively. A Cautionary Example: Birmingham’s Oracle ERP System Ambitious projects often run over budget. The Birmingham City Council’s Oracle ERP rollout began with a £19 million budget, but costs later exceeded £90 million, with forecasts heading even higher. The causes were familiar: scope shifts, excessive customisation, weak governance and ignored early warnings. This project over-budget example shows the need for swift management, clear accountability and disciplined execution How to Take Charge When You Have a Project Over Budget You can take proactive steps to control costs and regain confidence: Conclusion Facing a project over budget does not mean defeat. You can recover by staying calm, uncovering the cause and taking coordinated action. The Birmingham Oracle ERP story underlines what happens when warning signs go unchecked, but it also shows how much can be salvaged with structured intervention. If your business is struggling with an over-budget project, don’t wait until it’s beyond rescue. At Whittier Consulting, we specialise in programme turnaround and delivery assurance. Contact us today to discuss how our expert consultants can help assess your situation, devise a recovery strategy, and steer your critical project back to success.
5 Key Steps to Recover a Failing Project or Programme
Business programmes can and do fail often, and with alarming frequency. In fact, industry surveys estimate that up to 70% of projects fail to deliver on their intended goals. At the large programme level, the picture is similarly dire for a failing project: project managers fail to deliver more than two-thirds of major programmes on time, on budget, or within scope, resulting in huge value losses (often exceeding €20 million per programme). These failing projects or programmes occur across industries globally and stem from issues like poor planning, weak leadership support, and misaligned objectives. The good news is that a failing programme can be turned around. It requires swift, strategic intervention and strong leadership commitment. Below, we outline five key steps, all of which are based on global best practices in programme management, to rescue a troubled programme and put it back on track. Step 1: Acknowledge Failing Project Crisis and Secure Executive Support The first step in any turnaround is recognising that the failing project or programme is in trouble and rallying top-level support to fix it. Denial or “hoping for the best” must be replaced with decisive action. Communicate candidly with senior stakeholders about the problems and demonstrate that a recovery plan is underway, because it’s vital to show someone is in control of the situation. Equally important, ensure you have an engaged executive sponsor or steering committee backing the recovery effort. Lack of sponsor support is a leading cause of programme failure (41% of underperforming projects cite it as a primary reason), and in a recovery scenario, it can be devastating. Having a high-ranking sponsor visibly involved sends a clear message that turning this programme around is a top priority. If internal resources are stretched or viewed as part of the problem, consider bringing in an objective outsider to lead the recovery. Often, organisations appoint an external program turnaround specialist – a “Recovery Manager” or “Programme Manager” – with full authority to make changes. By formally acknowledging the crisis, resetting expectations, and securing leadership buy-in, you create the conditions needed for the hard work of recovery, from failing project to successful project, to begin. Step 2: Assess the Situation and Identify Root Causes for your Failing Project With executive support in place, the next step is to pause and diagnose why the programme is failing. Time is of the essence, and especially so when and if major budget, schedule, or scope variances have exceeded acceptable limits; immediate intervention is critical, or the programme will continue on a path to failure. Conduct a rapid but thorough assessment of the programme’s current status, issues, and risks. Gather facts from all relevant sources: project charters, plans, progress reports, financial data, and stakeholder interviews. The goal is to pinpoint the root causes of trouble. For example, we can determine if problems are primarily internal (e.g. unclear requirements, team capacity shortfalls, poor communication) or driven by external factors (e.g. vendor failures, market changes). Investigate where and why the programme went off track. Ask yourself and the team questions like: Did we define objectives clearly? Is our scope realistic? Why are milestones being missed? Then you can engage the core team for insights and foster an atmosphere of openness (blame-shifting will only cloud the diagnosis). It may help to categorise findings into threats (immediate risks or “bad news”), opportunities (any positive insights or quick wins), and problems (issues requiring action). Conduct this assessment phase quickly and thoroughly, as stakeholders will demand prompt answers and corrective action. By understanding the key failure points, you can determine what you can salvage and formulate an informed recovery strategy. Step 3: Re-Define Programme Objectives and Plan the Recovery Armed with the assessment findings, it’s time to reset the failing project or programme’s direction. Start by redefining the scope, objectives, and success metrics to reflect reality. Many failing programmes suffer from unclear goals or misalignment with business strategy, which is a factor in nearly 44% of project failures. We can address this by ensuring the programme’s goals are crystal-clear and directly tied to strategic business priorities. Next, create a recovery plan that is realistic and focused. This new plan should focus on what we can realistically achieve, include any necessary scope changes or reprioritisation, and establish feasible milestones with buffered timelines. Revisit the budget and put stricter cost controls in place (since budget overruns often accompany failing projects). It’s wise to prioritise high-impact deliverables, such as what must be delivered versus what can be trimmed or deferred. In short, re-baseline the project: adjust deadlines, resources, and expectations to achievable levels and get all key stakeholders to formally approve this revised plan. As part of planning, also outline how you will manage risks and governance going forward (e.g. more frequent checkpoints, escalation processes). The recovery plan is, fundamentally, a new roadmap to success that addresses previous shortcomings. By clearly defining a limited, attainable scope and solid plan, you begin to re-establish credibility with management and the team. Everyone should understand exactly what the new targets are and collectively commit to making it happen. Step 4: Re-engage the Team and Strengthen Governance A failing project or programme often leaves morale in tatters and communication broken. Remember this: step 4 is about getting your people re-engaged and then implementing strong governance to guide the recovery. Start with the team: assemble the project core team (and extended team if needed) for a frank reset meeting. Acknowledge past difficulties and then unite everyone around the new plan and mission. It’s critical to foster a no-blame culture at this stage, so just focus on solutions, not fault-finding. Empower team members by emphasising their strengths and past wins, and make clear that their expertise is vital to recovery. As the recovery leader, be accessible, transparent, and supportive. Rebuild trust and confidence through open dialogue and by demonstrating that management has their back. Also be prepared to address personnel or leadership issues head-on: if there are team capacity gaps, toxic dynamics, or unclear roles, fix
Why Do I Need a Management Consultant?
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Helping Businesses Overcome Challenges and Achieve Success
At Whittier Consulting Limited, we specialise in helping businesses solve complex challenges, optimise operations, and achieve sustainable growth. Based in the UK, we provide expert consulting services in finance transformation, procurement, and programme management. Who We Are Founded by Doug Black, a change leader with over 30 years of cross-industry experience, Whittier Consulting brings proven expertise and strategic insights to businesses of all sizes. Our team focuses on delivering practical, results-driven solutions tailored to your business needs. How We Help Businesses We have worked with FTSE 100 companies, global enterprises, and businesses in high-growth sectors, delivering: One of our standout projects includes leading a large-scale transformation in the Middle East, resolving major issues in programme delivery and governance. We’ve also helped FTSE 100 companies refine customer-facing processes and develop future-proof technology strategies. Why Businesses Choose Whittier Consulting Our clients work with us because we provide: ✔️ Tailored solutions – We understand that every business is unique. Our strategies are designed to fit your specific needs.✔️ Transparency and trust – We build long-term partnerships based on honesty, reliability, and measurable results.✔️ Proven expertise – With decades of hands-on experience, we bring deep industry knowledge and a track record of success.✔️ Innovation that delivers results – We embrace fresh thinking to create practical, effective business solutions. What Our Clients Say Our strong reputation is built on client success stories and positive feedback. From cost-saving procurement strategies to complex business transformation projects, we take pride in the impact we’ve made. Many of our clients choose to work with us repeatedly, and their referrals and testimonials speak to the value we provide. A Philosophy of Understanding and Relationship-Building Having spent six years in procurement at Tesco, as well as working as a supplier, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of truly understanding what clients need and how they make decisions. Inspired by the book How Clients Buy by Tom McKinin and Doug Fletcher, I’ve learned that success isn’t just about offering a service—it’s about: 🔹 Building strong relationships based on trust and deep understanding.🔹 Listening to client needs and developing strategies that provide real value.🔹 Helping businesses not just survive but thrive in today’s fast-changing environment. Let’s Connect At Whittier Consulting, we’re passionate about helping businesses navigate change, optimise performance, and achieve long-term success. If you’re looking for expert consulting services that drive real results, let’s start a conversation. Contact us today to find out how we can help your business succeed.