The Situation
The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) is an independent federal agency. It supports offender management in the District of Columbia, which some communities know as the probation and parole system. The agency wants to be recognized for making the public safer. To do that, it needed to use its resources wisely.
But there was no single way for the agency director to see how projects were performing, how they were being managed, or what they cost.
“Each department managed reporting differently,” said Fletcher Hearns, Director of Technology Solutions at Edwards Performance Solutions (Edwards). “There was no standardized way to approach projects.”
Without clear visibility, many projects never came to fruition. Unfinished projects kept demanding more time and more money.
“There was no place where the director could see or understand what was happening with these high-priority projects, where the money was going, and why time kept expanding,” said Fletcher. “This was especially frustrating because the director was trying to manage the budgets, which kept seeing cuts.”
CSOSA reached out to Edwards. The agency needed a standard, organized, and highly visible way to manage projects, so it could track progress and resources, measure performance, and adjust as needed.
Our Solution
Edwards started by assessing the agency’s needs. “We charted a road map for the agency to build a project management infrastructure, getting them to the point where they could share comparable information,” said Fletcher.
The solution included project management training for more than 100 people. The training focused on practical, repeatable processes tied to a timeline of the agency’s goals. Every lesson was tailored to CSOSA’s own technology, programs, and processes.
“Edwards showed incredible flexibility while incorporating the agency’s suggestions in the development of the various artifacts and project management office wireframes,” said CSOSA’s Director of Quality Improvement. “Training courses were tailored to various audiences and conducted by exceptional instructors, who were able to deliver the materials in captivating ways. It was striking how the firm was able to assign a highly qualified team of professionals to satisfy the terms of the contract.”
Edwards also created a set of templates for basic project management. The project charter template gave stakeholders a way to agree on goals, desired results, timeline, and resources, and to build support for each project. Using project charters was key to standardizing how the agency managed projects.
CSOSA also asked Edwards to structure and lead senior-level team meetings during a major reorganization. Other teams and individuals at the agency valued one-on-one coaching, training, and group workshops.
“We became respected as trusted advisors,” said Mary Holland, Edwards Program Manager.
“All work products and consultation services had consistently been at the highest quality level and delivered on time,” said CSOSA’s Director of Quality Improvement. “Edwards’ ability to engage various stakeholders in a respectful manner and convey information at the client’s level also engendered confidence and respect.”
The improvements to CSOSA’s project management process led to better communication and collaboration across the agency.
