Engagement Highlight: Health tech startup focused on reducing the impact of chronic diseases through behavior change.

Client: Health tech startup focused on reducing the impact of chronic diseases through behavior change.

Project: IT Program Management Consulting

The Value Add

Our client had a talented team and a great concept that they were ready to take to the next level. They approached us looking for guidance on building a project management framework, developing an estimation process, evaluating system design, supporting compliance audits, and establishing IT best practices across their organization.

Tuck’s Solution

After onboarding with the client, the Tuck team recognized opportunities for improvement in four areas:

• Project Management
• IT Management Consulting
• Product Management
• Vendor Management

We brought five consultants to the engagement, each with a different area of expertise:

• Alex Tuck, the engagement lead and principal consultant, has extensive management consulting experience and leads large (60+ FTE) product development teams
• Pete Walker, the IT program Management SME, has a background in business process re-engineering and has lead initiatives at F100 firms
• Melissa Rancourt, the project management process SME, has developed and deployed project management frameworks on behalf of many organizations
• Miranda Anzures, the product management SME, has brought multiple software products from inception to market
• Cathy Matosky, the change management SME, is a PROSCI-certified Change Practitioner with experience leading IT OCM initiatives at firms ranging from startups to F100s

Tuck’s Approach

TCG consultants work remotely and split their time among engagements. This arrangement allows us to address each business challenges with a specialist. For this client, we provided expertise for all four areas for improvement.

Solution Area and Tuck Services

Project Management

• Establishing a project management framework, including artifact development, project management processes, and a knowledge base for standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Coaching on Project Management best practices
• Developing an estimation process for development

IT Management Consulting

• Developing objectives and key results (OKRs)
• Assisting in SOC2 and HIPAA assessments
• Assessing code and system architecture
• Preparing client for merger and acquisition (M&A) due diligence
• Developing plan to right-size the development team for growth
• Providing general start-up consulting

Product Management

• Facilitating product roadmap development

Vendor Management

• Reviewing all outstanding development contracts
• Reviewing vendor estimates and processes

How Tuck Delivered Value

Tuck’s consultants opted for a lean reporting structure to minimize overhead costs. We kept internal meetings to 30 minutes or less and sync’d with the client through weekly 60-minute video conferences. With caps on the length and frequency of meetings, our consultants shifted their focus towards valuable one-on-one conversations and deep work.

As a Microsoft partner, we use Teams to facilitate seamless collaboration among consultants and the client’s team members. Teams allows us develop project artifacts, edit them in real time, and then deliver them in a secure, compartmentalized environment. Because Teams can integrate with Planner, our consultants can also assign tasks, prioritize them, and communicate them to the client on the same platform.

Once it became apparent that Tuck’s consultants were not only responsive, but also technically capable, they obtained buy-in quickly. Our progress has not only expanded the scope of the engagement, but also positioned us as our client’s trusted partner instead of yet another vendor to manage. Most exciting of all, our client’s internal project management capabilities have matured considerably since the engagement began by adhering to the project management framework that we designed for them, they are working smarter and faster than ever.

If our client’s challenges sound familiar, we’d love to show you how to overcome them. Follow us on LinkedIn to read about more about our approach to project management, problem-solving, and creating value. We look forward to continuing our journey with this client, as well as to starting a new one with you!