Retail Project Management

What we’re really passionate about is empowering people for change and contributing to elegant technical solutions that really get to the heart of solving problems, whether they’re for the end consumer or the people that work in a business.

We’ve delivered projects for some of Australia’s most well-known retailers. The 6R team work behind the scenes supporting the retailer through project management, testing, training and change management, before, during and after roll out.

We have worked with a wide variety of systems and wholeheartedly believe that, irrespective of the provider, the tech should work with the people that need to use it. It should also solve some business problems, improve processes or deliver a better result for customers. Technology that doesn’t make things better, is really just a waste of energy all round.

Technology projects take a lot of work, and so often, can be all about Gantt charts, task lists and timelines; these things are important and a project should not be without them. However, in our experience, we believe that it’s peoples’ capacity to see the need for the change that creates significant shifts and is actually what makes a project succeed.

Whilst we are concerned with the operational detail of getting stuff done, we also bring the a more strategic overview, that comes from having worked in the industry and done the job ourselves.

Our greatest concern is for the people and processes that support the technology we are working with. We love it when people inside an organisation step up to their potential and break through their own barriers to change.

From years of experience in what works and what doesn’t, we have developed a clear and simple framework and a light project toolkit that focuses on each phase in a project and connects people with purpose.

What can businesses do to set themselves up for success?

As with many things it does come down to a mindset and preparedness.

Some key aspects to focus on:

1. A clear vision that explains why… and be open to all the whys that follow

6R-Retail-VISION-Sml Leaders in an organisation need to be clear about the WHY and have a strong vision for the organisation and the people in it. And they need to commit ongoing to communicating this vision repeatedly and in as many formats as required to keep the project on track.

In a change project there are lots of WHYS; there are questions about the way we do things and whether it’s the best way. Of course the underlying assumption is that there are better ways or there wouldn’t be a change project.

2. The people on the project team are the best

6R-People They are the most skilled at their jobs and also have the capacity to adapt and consider new ideas. The ideas are not always new, sometimes they are just new to that business or in that context.

The capacity to adapt and willingness to consider different ideas options and ‘give it a try’ sets an organisation up for a successful project. People who are great at their jobs and have a good understanding of their purpose are often those who are able to do something in many different ways.

3. Don’t take those people for granted

6R-Retail-REWARD-Sml Rewards and incentives for project work really sets people up for feeling like the additional effort is worth it. When you put your best people on projects this is usually a stretch for the people in that team and those around them.

Projects are a great opportunity to increase skills and understanding and to shape new ways of working but don’t forget that everyone likes to be acknowledged for their contribution.

4. Resource up

6R-Retail-RESOURCE-Sml Many retail organisations run a lean ship. This means that a limited number of projects can be achieved at a time. Be smart. Recognise that if the project is not resourced properly it is unlikely to succeed.

If an employee is to be seconded to a project full time then how is their regular job going to get done? Can this be covered by the existing team or do you need more resources? Can other things be put on hold?

Consider putting some other projects on hold, removing some reporting or complexity from the day to day until the project is complete or get in a team to support the additional workload.

5. Have a clear P.O.A. (plan of action)

6R-Retail-POA-Sml Studies show that those with a clear focus on the finish line actually perceive the goal to be closer.

A plan of action (what needs to be done, by when and by who) will give a sense of the work effort required and how much it will take. Be as detailed as possible and plan work in week blocks.