mIND cIRCUS INNOVATIONS, Inc., sets the path for companies large and small to meet their goals faster, more efficiently and with higher-quality results - whether embarking on a major capital project or developing a new product or critical initiative.
MCI is committed to its core competency - project management. We apply best practices with an experience of more than a decade for projects across a variety of environments.
PROJECT PLANNING:
We establish and maintain plans that define project activities.
PROJECT MONITORING AND CONTROL:
The purpose of Project Monitoring and Control is to get a complete understanding of the projects progress so that appropriate, corrective actions can be taken when the projects performance deviates significantly from pre-defined plans.
Method
MCI's proprietary project management method:
- Begins with in-depth analysis to clearly define strategy, objective, scope of activities, and performance measures
- Proceeds with detailed task and resource planning to make certain that implementation requirements are fully understood
- Continues with disciplined execution, to assure the goal is attained on time, on budget and to project specifications, and
- Concludes with post-project learning’s, to provide a template for continued success.
Tools
We continuously refine our tools, which we tailor to fit the size and culture of our clients' organizations. We have found that it is best not to "force fit" activities, but to choose the tools appropriate for each individual circumstance and client preference. We have successfully employed a multitude of packaged tools such as Mind Mapping, Microsoft Project, Visio, Auto Cad, and enterprise project management applications. We have also developed a number of unique tools to manage our and our clients/partners projects.
What we do
(description Collapsible)
Define project scope
MCI's first step in the process with you is to define specific project beginning and end points. This involves analyzing options, developing requirements with associated resource, time and cost estimates, and agreeing on deliverables. We take into account value engineering concepts to eliminate waste and idle time; and improve manpower and asset utilization, work process flow, material handling, and physical plant reliability. Determining a project scope is critical to starting everyone off on the same footing. The more specific the details (what's in-scope and what's out of scope), the less your project may experience costly and time-consuming "scope creep."
Develop business justification
It is often not feasible to invest in new projects without considering the payback model in which returns and/or cost savings can be generated. MCI works proactively with you to document the means for recovering the expenditures associated with the project. Examples of measures include return on capital deployed, cost savings, budget conformance, schedule performance, resource utilization, revenues and profits. The business justification is vital as the project progresses and go/no-go decisions must be made, resources allocated, and specific scope elements considered.
Design robust plans
Project plans and schedules provide a solid framework for the time and effort demanded by each project: what your team needs to do, how to do it and the resources required. MCI has experience in developing comprehensive plans linking all resource interdependencies. We build the integrated plan and schedule at just the right level of detail to fit your organization's needs.
Manage plan execution
The best-laid plans mean nothing if on-the-ground execution falls short. Disciplined execution is about the ability to close the loop on every activity (planned or unexpected) every day. The more complex the project, the more varied the stakeholders, the more critical responsive, accurate execution becomes. MCI's real difference is execution. We work at your side throughout your project and accept direct responsibility for managing schedules and budgets, proactively tracking and resolving issues, capturing project metrics, and coordinating procurement.
Mitigate risk
Historically, "risk management" was used only to put out fires. MCI works with clients to anticipate and mitigate problems before they happen. In the early project-planning stages, we identify all the potential risks using checklists, brainstorming, flowcharting and interviewing. We then quantify the magnitude and likelihood of the risk occurring. Once we identify and quantify risks, the next step is to develop a risk-management plan by documenting the procedures to manage risks throughout the project (e.g., avoidance of the risk by eliminating the cause, alleviation by reducing the monetary value of a risk, or acceptance of the consequences should the potential problem materialize). We use the risk-management plan as a roadmap to control and respond to risk events over the course of the project.
Improve processes
To create sustained, continuous improvements in processes, we must first understand them. We start by developing process maps, which are graphical representations of the entire process from start to finish, showing inputs, pathways, action or decision points, and ultimately, completion. The process map allows us to see whether there is a clear path for a process or whether obstacles exist in the form of rework, cloudy decision points, bottlenecks, etc. MCI will search for and oversee implementation of new ways of restructuring workflows or enhancing business organization to drive sustained improvements.
Orchestrate communications
will develop a communications plan that defines who needs to know what and when; identifies approval processes; establishes reporting formats and schedules; and even specifies ways in which impromptu information exchanges (e.g., hallway conversations) get funneled into the formalized communication process. Via a well-structured system, the team can agree upon goals, raise and resolve issues, and become a unified, cohesive group, even if continents apart.
Build team unity
Professionals use practiced facilitation skills to build trust and team unity, and to work through conflict and political pressures to reach mutual decisions in support of project goals. As an objective third party, with no agenda of its own, can serve to bring disparate members and teams to consensus.
Apply proprietary methods and tools
At MCI, we continuously tailor our approach to drive best practices, which includes a well-defined process to achieve successful outcomes. We do not endorse specific project management software packages, but use tools that fit the size and culture of your organization. For all the assistance technology offers, however, we have found that exceptional soft skills and a disciplined process far outweigh the value of the latest tool or template.
Where we can help
Product rationalization and portfolio management
For companies that seek to improve performance, product rationalization is a powerful technique to improve profits, free valuable resources, and simplify operations and supply chains. Will provide an objective data- and criteria-driven decision-making framework to best align your product portfolio with the company's strategic objectives -- identifying those products that don't "fit" into a flexible environment, have excessive overhead demands, are not really appreciated by customers, have limited future potential, or may be losing money. We work collaboratively with client teams to eliminate or outsource products and product variations that are problem-prone.
Technology and manufacturing transfer
Maintaining a healthy bottom line often requires transferring technology or manufacturing between sites or across companies, from process transfers, to transfers from/to contract manufacturers and manufacturing sites. Each transaction carries its own unique challenges, compounded by material, knowledge and information transfer at each exchange. MCI guides your transfer teams to facilitate a smooth handoff of technology, process know-how, materials and software. We help you recognize and resolve problems and accelerate decision-making in order to execute the transfer effectively.
Launch readiness and commercialization
Once a product is developed and approved, launch becomes the critical next step to commercial success. We work with your cross-functional teams to ensure a successful, timely launch through proactive, focused planning and execution. Our project managers facilitate the development of required documentation; start of volume production; planning and execution of marketing activities; training of sales and support personnel (internal and external); filling of channels; and customer support preparedness.
Supply chain and manufacturing optimization
MCI works with your operations team to examine and optimize the processes required to get from raw materials to end-customer delivery - including purchasing, production, inventory management, warehousing, shipping, and even customer returns. Together, we uncover and implement improvements in discreet operating processes or the entire chain. The resulting savings drop right to the bottom line as profits, while any improvements in delivery time can be a competitive advantage if rivals can't make and deliver products as quickly.
Capital planning
MCI works with clients to create a framework to carefully tie investment decisions to corporate objectives, and thoroughly assess capital projects from technical, financial and commercial perspectives. The process ensures that executives have accurate and meaningful information for prioritization and decision-making and to help guide sound strategic portfolio planning and management.
Facility construction and relocation
We focus on the challenges involved with construction, renovation, expansion and facility moves. We support your team throughout the entire project lifecycle - planning through implementation. Since we have no ties to the engineering or construction industries, our project managers have no related biases and serve only one purpose - to objectively represent you, our client, in ensuring that budget, schedule and quality objectives are met.
Business process optimization
As consumer products companies strive to grow their bottom line in an increasingly challenging business environment, business support functions (finance, HR, facilities, maintenance, procurement, and customer service/support) are commonly targeted for cost reduction. While staffing reductions are often considered a primary solution, applies a proactive business process optimization approach that has achieved significant cost reductions for our clients, while also creating an effective, results-driven workforce. Success is realized through identification of the vital few variables that reduce variation, decrease waste, and minimize defects.
Business integration
The pace of consolidation in the consumer products industry continues with new mergers and acquisitions. MCI has helped clients' integration efforts to stay on track by working from a neutral, objective perspective to facilitate decision-making, orchestrate communications, solve problems and create a collaborative environment that enable the newly blended business to succeed.
Project management office creation
Establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) provides your team the structure that enables consistent project execution. No more starting from scratch. MCI provides guidance and training, as well as standardized best practices, tools and templates. We'll also help you determine methodologies for ongoing improvement and portfolio management. We don't offer "PMO in a box". We have learned that there is no uniform recipe for success - it's important that the PMO structure closely fits to a company's corporate culture.