Retail Programmes update

A lot has happened since my last blog! You'll no doubt have heard and seen all the news surrounding HBOS, but its business as usual in Retail Programmes. There are still lots of initiatives to deliver and many more to come.

The Graduate scheme is definitely carrying on as usual and I am now on my third out of four placements. My new team have been very welcoming and have also provided me with challenging work to get stuck into. This project is very different to the last two placements providing me with a great opportunity to see a different stage of the project life cycle. This is in the project initiation stage, whereas previously I have joined projects much further into the life cycle. It also provides me with an opportunity to gain exposure and work with different business areas and different stakeholders.

This is a very different challenge as there is a lot of 'shaping' required where effectively the direction and approach of the project has not yet been decided. As part of the central team, we are working on a plan to ensure all key stakeholders are engaged, initial workshops are held and the relevant analysis is completed to ultimately request approval to the project. I am currently working on planning the first workshop where all the key stakeholders come together to determine the objectives and scope of the project.

This stage is very much an exciting phase as the work undertaken really shapes the direction the project will take and ultimately the objectives it will work towards. There is a lot more to be getting on with and my next blog will hopefully give you some detail on how it's all going.