Client successes in 2008
Recognising that each challenge and issue a client has ensures our solutions are tailored to our clients’ specific circumstances. Below are some highlights of some of our client successes in 2008.
Kingdom of Jordan – Creating a master plan for growth
The Government of Jordan, under royal designation from King Abdullah II of Jordan, wanted to bring economic development to an area around Mount Aljoun, north of Amman. The region had historically faced problems arising from high unemployment and poor land management and PA was asked to deliver an overall development strategy that would promote economic growth. PA drew up a step-by-step plan to support the development of tourism and related speciality services that are not available elsewhere in Jordan and are unique in the Middle East. PA’s clear vision for the future of the region drove a spatial plan for this 1,000 sq km site and integrated spatial elements with a financial plan and an innovative public–private partnership as master developer. PA’s design calls for public and private equity and participation of the Jordanian public. PA’s thinking led to national legislation enabling designation of similar special development areas and a new Development Areas Commission to manage this process. These developments have set the foundation for transforming Aljoun into a world-class destination that supports thousands of new jobs and a brighter economic future for local people in more than 100+ villages and towns.
NHS – Connecting for Health Transforming healthcare
One of the key priorities of the NHS’s connecting for health programme is the development of Telehealth, the use of technology to monitor and transmit data from patients at home. PA was engaged to manage and develop the strategy for Telehealth technology, with a particular focus on using our expertise to engage with private sector suppliers to convince them to commit to an interoperable approach. Through high-profile stakeholder engagement, we persuaded the industry to cooperate in the development of common standards. PA also provided specific support to the design and delivery of Telehealth pilots and the associated procurement process. The successful development of Telehealth has the potential to save the NHS £1 billion a year, increasing to £4 billion by 2050, and to bring dramatic improvements for patients by helping them manage their illnesses more effectively.
DRUM – Delivering major improvements to the Indian power sector
The Government of India needed to address a wide range of technical and commercial problems in India’s power distribution sector where losses ranged up to 40% of total electricity with many areas receiving limited and erratic electric service. USAID and India’s Ministry of Power asked PA to provide technical and project management advice on a project known as DRUM (Distribution Reform Upgradation Management) to improve the quality and reliability of the system. Over a period of four years, PA supported pilot sites in some of India’s most dynamic states, including Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra. First, the programme defined a model electric company and a capital investment plan. Next, PA’s team worked with the companies to identify and implement best practices and create centres of excellence. The pilot projects were monitored against key performance indicators covering reliability, commercial processes and customer satisfaction. As a result of the improvements, the centres of excellence achieved reductions of more than ten per cent in the loss of electricity supply, saving some 11 million units of energy a month. The model company, the best practices and the KPI measurement framework developed under DRUM have been internalised by the electricity distribution companies and are being used to implement further change.
Denmark Air Traffic Management System (Naviair) – Managing complex projects
Naviair, the Danish air navigation services provider, needed to implement a new Air Traffic Management System to manage growing traffic levels. They asked PA to provide project and programme management expertise to complement their own technical expertise to ensure the new system was implemented successfully. The project was particularly challenging because it was being implemented simultaneously with the development of a brand new control centre and control tower. We helped Naviair create a Programme Management Office to manage the 50 individual projects that made up the whole programme. We then provided extensive support for the programme management team, including a tailored coaching course that succeeded in creating a strong and cooperative management team. PA focused on ensuring effective communication between the programme’s various stakeholders, using a web portal to share information. As a result of this work, the project was effectively managed and implemented on time and on budget.
