Complex and success-critical tasks require an experienced project management team

For many years now, the entire financial services sector has been facing increasingly tough operational challenges; especially regulatory challenges. Parallel to everyday business operations, an increasing number of complex projects are changing work activities and work structures. Systematic and transparent project management is now a core competence. At the same time, however, banks have been experiencing severe shortages of personnel with the know-how and experience to implement high-priority "in time & budget" projects as a result of cost-induced specialist personnel cutbacks over recent years. In order to ensure the efficient utilization of increasingly scarce resources, clear prioritization, an efficient external project management team with expertise in the finance sector and tested standards and management tools are essential.

In 2006 alone, zeb/ brought over 800 consulting projects to a successful conclusion, and the knowledge that it gained in the process is systematically applied in every new client project. Thanks to this knowledge and our extensive project expertise in the financial services sector, we can support you in all of your internal project management processes: from situation analysis and objective definition to the successful introduction and application of the project management solution.

We provide the following project management-related services:

I. Individual project management

• We prepare the work breakdown structure and project schedule in conjunction with you as the basis for the identification of resource requirements and the project budget.
• We propose a suitable project structure.
• We set up the project management office, which performs everyday project tasks and assumes project responsibilities.
• We introduce standardized and binding processes in your organization.
• We provide you with an efficient range of project controlling and project risk management tools.
• We train your internal project managers.
• We are available to you for ex-post evaluations of your projects.

II. Project programs and multi-project management

• We structure your projects logically in a transparent portfolio, based on
  • an in-depth situation analysis,
  • a jointly-developed portfolio strategy,
  • a transparent catalogue of criteria and project prioritization,
  • standard and accepted project success parameters.
• We compile related projects into programs.
• We implement tried-and-tested tools for the pro-active management of portfolio(s) and programs.
• At your request, we can implement your portfolio or program management under zeb/ Overall Control.

III. Project management consulting

• We create an integrated, standardized project management system for all your strategic and operational projects.
• We advise you on
  • the standardization and predefinition of project management methods and processes in your organization,
  • documentation (project management manual), generally-applicable rules for project structures and processes and the use of project tools,
  • the selection of a suitable project management software solution,
  • the integration of external benchmarks in your project management system.
• We provide recommendations on the continuous further development of your internal project management competence, i.e. particularly in the
  • systemization of your internal continuous improvement process (Kaizen).
  • targeted use of the project management maturity model.

IV. Project management training

• We transfer our know-how relating to the management of individual projects, portfolios and programs, and the resolution of problems, so that defined objectives can be met.
• We provide target group-oriented training, extending from basic project management training concepts for new project team members to advanced training concepts for experienced project managers.
• We facilitate the "hard" factors of success in project management (particularly project structures, processes and instruments) throughout all project phases.
• We provide recommendations on the targeted use of "soft" factors of success (particularly communication, leadership, team behavior and conflict management) in everyday project activities.

As the leading consultancy services provider in the financial services sector, we also support you in the process of project content implementation, i.e. the professional implementation of individual project modules.