A well-managed talent pool includes information about specialists’:

• skills
  
  
• key strengths
  
  
• current workplace
  
  
• fit in the company’s culture
  
  
• potential roles to fill or projects to do
  

From an organisation’s perspective, a talent pool is an efficient way to grow together, which means cultivating relationships with expert workers to ensure the highest-quality competencies for its customers. Building, maintaining and nurturing a high-quality talent pool is a vital, long-term strategy for the organisation and its customers. See how we do it in Future Processing.

Scalable and flexible partnerships

Given that there is a growing demand for almost all IT skills, we have created the possibility to conduct a project using developers from our trustworthy partner companies. This solution addresses our clients’ needs for rapid project start times, which we cannot fulfil only with our company’s employees.

All the skills of external candidates are verified in details to ensure a high quality of services they provide. We conduct different kinds of assessment, both for the partner companies and each of the candidates, before signing the agreement. The agreement secures our clients’ data, confidentiality, interests and the appropriate quality of services. Our partners are obliged to comply with the same standards, regulations, and policies that Future Processing will adhere to as part of the contract.

How do we ensure good quality?

Our experts screen and verify all potential partner companies that want to become members of our network. Before we accept a particular candidate for a project, our technical recruiter verifies his or her technical competencies. All projects with partner employees have an experienced Team/Project Manager from us, who ensures that all the conducted work matches our standards.

Our best practices in software development

We have developed a set of essential rules covering various areas in both technical and development process quality. “Best Practices in Software Development” are standard regulations to be followed in our tasks, as well as partnership projects. A Team Leader ensures that these rules are followed. Over the years, we have created our own set of best practices that ensure high quality of delivery, including “Best Practices of Software Development” that we contractually adhere to and our Test Strategy template.

Finally, the Project Management Office keeps a close eye on such projects, constantly monitoring their progress using our Delivery Success Indicators (DSIs). We use a set of 88 metrics to spot early signals of the project threats and opportunities and deliver higher quality outcomes. This model has been used for more than two years now, and it has proven effective and valued.

We also apply a defined governance structure and forums to support operational, tactical and strategic communication. It allows us to spot issues early, act proactively, report promptly and at an appropriate level of authority.

What is more, we run our own Partner Channel. It is an initiative focused on creating a vast network of trusted companies (including consultants and software companies). They give our clients access to opportunities and competencies which are not easily available on the market. A company that operates in our Partner Channel can act as a subcontractor or take care of the requirement on its own if the client agrees.

How do we choose partners?

We have gone to great lengths in selecting the right partners who respond to our resource demand-related needs and fit our culture and style of working.

Our recruitment path includes several steps:

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How do we check security standards?

Our partner companies must fulfil our requirements in the area of data protection and overall security standards. The developers who want to work with us undergo the same recruitment process as our regular workers. It includes signing appropriate contracts and NDAs to ensure that they comply with our governance and ethical standards.

Our partner companies work under the agreement prepared by Future Processing. We prepare a template that reflects the standard requirements for this type of cooperation. It covers:

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This agreement also forces – under the contractual penalties – the same level of protection on all the employees or freelancers working for sub-supplier.

Future Processing’s Verified Talent Pool – the rules

We remain transparent in this area in all cases, and our clients may request a review of the related agreements with the 3-rd party companies that we involve in a given project. Additionally, we are open to amending agreements with our sub-suppliers in case the protection is insufficient.

Key takeaways on a governance structure

• A well-defined governance structure is critical for project success as it establishes clear guidelines, roles, and responsibilities, enabling teams to respond effectively to various situations and minimising chaos throughout the project lifecycle.
• The principles of a robust governance structure include: logic, adequacy, transparency, repeatability, and efficiency, which together ensure that the framework is reasonable, adaptable, and capable of facilitating smooth project execution while being easily understood by all team members.
• Effective governance enhances decision-making processes by reducing bottlenecks and increasing reliability and trust among clients, as clear procedures and communication channels minimise misunderstandings.
• If you are looking for the help of an experienced IT partner with over 20 years of experience – get in touch with us.

What’s important in governance structure?

The governance structure of any project should be based on a few main principles, so that it is fully applicable throughout the entire process, regardless of the phase of the project:

• Logic – the established framework should be reasonable and make sense to everyone involved.
  
• Adequacy – there isn’t a set governance structure that works for everyone; this is something that should always be adjusted to the organisation or project at hand.
  
• Transparency – all information regarding the governance structure has to be clearly stated, understandable and available to every team member.
  
• Repeatability – the mechanisms and procedures involved should be all-encompassing, so that they can be applied repeatedly to any given situation.
  
• Efficiency – the governance structure should allow any project to run as smoothly and productively as possible; it has to be solution-oriented.

What are the main roles within the governance structure?

The active roles within the governance structure depend on the chosen project management methodology. Usually, you may encounter all or only some of these roles:

• Project Owner – separate from stakeholders, the project owner is responsible for steering the project in the right direction, so that the results meet the client’s needs, values and expectations.
  
• Project Manager – responsible for running the project on an operational level, the project manager clarifies priorities and coordinates work.
  
• CTO – focused exclusively on the technical side of the project.
  
• Team leaders – they organise tasks within smaller teams of designers or specific developers.
  
• Stakeholders – they make decisions on the highest level: by defining needs, presenting expectations, and communicating changing business goals.
  
• Steering Committee – generally speaking, this is a group of people, including the project manager and stakeholders, that monitors and approves the general progress of the project as well as the outcomes.

See related articles:

• The ultimate guide to Project Management: strategies, tools and insights
• What’s the difference between a Product Manager vs Project Manager?
• Data-driven leadership: empowering managers to make informed decisions

Governance structure in practice – the Future Processing Way

Client Engagement Manager – our success factor

First of all, in order to facilitate strategic planning for both the project and project resources, we assign one of our expert Client Engagement Managers (CEMs) to the client’s account. If you want to know more about this topic, check out our other text “Client Engagement Manager – the perfect link between a company and a client“.

The CEM’s main duty is to ensure that the client is satisfied with the service we deliver and then work together with the client to plan a timeline for any upcoming new projects.

We listen, advise, design, and deliver user-friendly IT products for clients in an agile way. How?

Through our project experience and collective knowledge. It starts with strategic analysis to understand goals and challenges, followed by careful planning and design to create a tailored solution. The development phase uses agile methodologies to ensure high-quality results.

We provide continuous management and innovation, ensuring the solution evolves and improves over time.

See what we could do for you Talk with us

Governance schedule

The purpose of our governance schedule is to establish and maintain clear organisational structure, as well as transparent processes and practices for managing the client-company relationship.

We have it all written down on paper and present it to everyone who is involved in the project, so it’s clear who is responsible for what, and how we should deal with emerging issues, step by step. There’s no room for any guesswork, since the project has to move forward effectively, and timely delivery is one of our biggest priorities.

The schedule includes governance principles, roles, responsibilities, committee structures and protocols. This facilitates cooperation, aligns the interests of both parties, simplifies the implementation of any modifications and amendments, and structures the process of partial or complete termination of any services.

Governance operating model

Our governance operating model is based on these essential rules, which should be respected by both parties:

• be proactive with a flexible and responsive attitude, as this directly translates into efficient and seamless development;
  
• focus on client satisfaction and the customer experience, so that all of their needs can be fulfilled;
  
• practice active management that inspires action and keeps the project going;
  
• prioritise innovation and continuous improvement in order to deliver state-of-the-art outcomes, always of the highest quality;
  
• maintain harmony within the processes, especially between both parties;
  
• collaborate with a win-win attitude, so that project success translates into achieving or maintaining a competitive advantage for both our client and ourselves;
  
• communicate frequently and clearly, so that everything is transparent and there are no bottlenecks to slow down project development;
  
• review and approve key decisions through management control, in order to make sure that the project proceeds in the right direction.

See also:

• Managed Services Model: the benefits and key aspects
• Cloud governance: framework, challenges and benefits
• 10 companies with successful digital transformation [examples]

Governance meetings

Meetings are a vital part of our governance model, which are held on different management levels and concern various aspects of the project:

• Strategic Review
  We have a Strategic Review every six months – this is a face-to-face meeting between both our client’s senior leadership teams and our own. It is all about presenting and adjusting the strategic vision and agenda for the months to come, discussing new opportunities and requirements, and reviewing financial performance.
  
• Monthly Operational Meeting
  This meeting is held once a month and it is where we discuss resourcing updates, project performance against KPIs, and any risks and issues as notified by the teams.
  
• Weekly Operational Meeting
  The most frequently held meeting, during which we review progress reports and key delivery risks, and talk about any issues regarding current project delivery.

Of course, before each of the above-mentioned meetings, we present a list of participants along with a clear agenda, so that everyone has a chance to prepare and knows what to expect.

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Benefits of having a governance structure

Having a well-established governance structure brings a lot of benefits to the entire cooperation, particularly in terms of work efficiency and transparency. We’ve noticed:

• less bottlenecks or hurdles in the decision making process because the procedures and division of responsibilities are clearly defined;
  
• increased reliability and trust from our clients since the risk of potential misunderstandings or communication issues are reduced to a minimum;
  
• a better view into the progress of our projects due to the open and transparent attitude embraced by management on every level.

If a project lacks a governance structure, then it is easy to get stuck and lose your sense of direction. That’s why we place special emphasis on this matter, and make sure the governance model for each project is well-structured prior to any cooperation, so that our team and our clients are prepared, fully informed and ready for action.

With more than 23 years of experience in IT consultancy and solution development, Future Processing can help you grow your business. Contact us!

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