Here's my dilemma:I'm on my first major project as a consultant (grad) and I'm really struggling with a piece of benefits tracking work. It’s a culture transformation project and thus the benefits are very intangible. My project manager wants me to put £ to everything we have done/are doing but I just feel like I’m plucking numbers out of thin air. Every time I raise concerns about it he tells me the work is fantastic. I would be happy with that had I not to present it to the Board. I know I could pick holes in my benefits logic/ assumptions and so I foresee them doing exactly that and it being a very embarrassing meeting.What can I do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm sure it's fine, the truth is probably that nobody really cares about it that much so as long as the PM is OK with it then so should you be. A lot of what goes on in this industry is fluff, so you might as well get used to it. Unless you're very unlucky, nobody will check the figures, trust me.Think of it this way: they probably see this little side-line activity as a bit of entertainment. Any old fool should be able to see whether the culture transformation is happening or not, so the £ exercise is just a nice little discussion point to show that this is a 'real project' and to get people thinking laterally at the board meeting.

It's a pointless exercise - I've been there. All the client wants is someone externally to tell them what they want to hear - that their decision to undertake this culture change exercise was genius. Nobody will check the figures before or after the event.Working as a change consultant, I have learned that 90% of the time the stated business case for change and the real reason are completely different. I have worked on £150m, 2-year projects where the business case isn't even started until a fortnight before the project end.It's just the way clients make decisions - it's rarely rational, mainly political, and never accountable.

I glad to hear that my hours of work and stressing is a 'side line activity' that 'nobody really cares about!' Thanks for the advice though - it's made me a bit calmer. Does anyone know any books/ internet sites etc that I could find out more about benefits tracking?

Been there, done that...I assume you actually mean forming a business case for a change management project rather than benefits tracking. Benefits tracking should be performed once the 'transformation' has commenced which really means identifying the benefits and compare against initial business base.Anyhoo, the truth of the matter is 'change management' is fluff but business case is always required for Senior Management. So my experience shows me the following:- Speak to someone in the business who will 'own' the business case after the consultants leave, since their *ss is on the line in the future, they should have a good idea whether the assumptions are reasonable and therefore you should validate it with him/her- Assumptions are suppose to be assumptions, anyone could pick holes in your logic (especially for a culture transformation project with no hard data to backup the business case). Whilst saying that, anyone who picks on your logic is silly because they generally can't prove anything either- When you PM says you've done good work then it is probably true and to be honest, you're a graduate so I hope your PM is taking care of you on your first project (meaning hopefully they'll take the heat if the presentation goes bad)- It's your first project! Enjoy it! There's never right or wrong in business cases because no one can actually prove anything (unless it is entirely unreasonable), just act confident and no one can wrong you. Have fun!Cheers

Agree with everyone's comments. The only thing I would add is to run your analysis and assumptions past your client sponsor or day-to-day client liaison. They're the ones who most likely would poke holes in the Board presentation. If they disagree with your assumptions, ask them for the "correct" figures and incorporate those in your analysis. Since it is now as much their work product as it is yours, the probability of anyone challenging it is diminished. In fact, they will now have to defend it in front of the Board, as any challenge will be as much towards them as you.

1. First step is to always look for industry bench-marking data that already exist. I'm sure you are already doing this? 2. Sometimes, there's a fine line between objectives and benefits. Normally, for change management projects, it's acceptable to marry qualitative to quantitative factors with some amount of logical reasoning. Change will lead to employee satisfaction --> 10 % increase in Productivity --> 5% reduction in Operational Cost --> 15% Business Growth in next 5 years and so on....There isn't always a mathematical formula to quantify in such scenarios but a combination of market insight/ bench-marking data/ competition and a whole lot of assumptions. When challenged, go to point # 3.3. Be confident. That's how you can sell. Don't forget, there isn't always a right answer. Some are more convincing. Anticipate challenges and prepare in advance.To add to Beng's point - get stake holder buy in prior to presentation. Get them involved. PM might be doing that or planning to do that already, so check with him.

Sorry, but this is typical lean/six sigma over-complication...If you want to measure benefits, the best thing to do is to wait until six years after the project has completed and then measure the ACTUAL benefits - no need to forecast a guess.

Hi All,Just read this thread and although I agree with Coolio, by far the best line has to be from anon who sums it up very nicely:Client decisions"it's rarely rational, mainly political, and never accountable."Yes, unfortunately this is very true. However, as you are a new grad working no doubt on the "benefits excel spreadsheet", remember that NO client wants to be reminded of the above. They want you to show how their decision was totally rational - made without politics in mind - has clear accountability etcUnfortunately human nature means that in general (you will go on programmes where things are done well to be fair) the first quote above is normally true but your job is to show how the second one above is the case.In a way, its one of the fun bits of the job, turning something from a mess to a workable solution. Welcome to the word "firefighting", it is one that you will hear of and experience lots in the coming years.

....it's a six year old thread...

Ha!10 out of 10 for Coolio attention to detail, 0 out of 10 for the rest of us.Dear me, the guy is probably a partner in a niche MC by now!?!