If a project is large or innovative, you might carry out a feasibility study before beginning the detailed work of planning and implementation. A feasibility study considers whether the project can achieve what is intended within the setting and resources available. If there are a number of ways in which the project might be carried out, a feasibility study can help to clarify which option or options would achieve the objectives in the most beneficial way.
The key issues to consider in a feasibility study are:
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࿖ Finance. Compare the overall cost of all the resources that will be neces- sary to carry out the project with the benefits the project is intended to bring. The basic question is whether the project is worth doing. Also con- sider the cost of not doing the project, as this will help to clarify whether the project addresses a ‘want’ or a real need.
࿖ Technical. This includes not only the technical aspects of completing the project but also the ‘fit’ of the project with its surroundings. Consider the way any new system or technology will fit with existing systems and whether staff have the competence to use the new system. There may be 36 Managing projects in human resources
Values. In many organizations it is very important to check that the in- tended processes and outcomes of a project align with the values and culture. For example, it would not be appropriate to carry out a project in a way that would disadvantage some members of the community in a setting in which there was an overall intention to promote social equality.
a need to plan for training and a transition period. Also consider whether the proposed new system or technology is the best for the purpose in- tended, and whether enough work has been done to identify alternatives.
࿖ Ecological. Consider the potential impact of the project, both as it is car- ried out and in terms of the impact of its intended outcomes, on the local environment and local social conditions. The project has to be acceptable to those in your immediate locality. Areas to consider are whether your project might cause more traffic or noise, lead to an increased need for parking, threaten wildlife or open ‘green’ areas or impact in any way on local concerns.
࿖ Social. Another consideration is whether the project will attract support from staff, customers and the general public. Will the project improve or impact on social settings or relationships? Both the processes used and the intended outcomes can be reviewed in terms of whether there is an opportunity to make the project more attractive and useful so that it is well supported. For example, it might be possible to offer some training to those who carry out the project or to local people to benefit the community.
࿖ People management. Consider whether there will be any implications for work practices, and how you might plan for appropriate consultation with staff, particularly if there might be any changes to terms and condi- tions of employment. There is often a training and development aspect if the project is intended to contribute to organizational change. Consider how equal opportunities will be addressed and whether any special mea- sures should be taken before, during or after the project.
It may not take very long to carry out a feasibility study for a project that has a limited call on resources and a clearly defined outcome that is agreed to be necessary. It is often possible to do this in informal discussions if a project is small and uncontroversial. For a larger project, however, it is usual to have a very comprehensive feasibility study to avoid investment in something that may not be worthwhile.
Example 3.3 A feasibility study
Managers in a central city local government office decided that staff would benefit from a directory of all local government services with information about how to contact each service. They were concerned that staff were unaware of some internal services, and felt that savings
Questions, evidence and decisions 37
could be made by improving information about the range of services.
For example, there was evidence that many purchases were being made without first consulting the local government purchasing ser- vice that had negotiated many very beneficial rates. The HR depart- ment were asked to conduct a feasibility study. The areas considered were:
࿖ How the directory could be genuinely accessible to all staff in terms of language, format, accessibility and understandability, to recog- nize the diversity of employees. There was some evidence that staff in manual work who had responsibility for minor and routine pur- chases were not following approved procedures. The HR depart- ment also considered whether they would be fully reflecting the values of their organization if they failed to offer a comprehensive directory that could be understood and used by all staff at all levels.
࿖ The cost of collecting and presenting the information and the ongoing costs involved in keeping the directory up to date. Options of using leaflets, notice boards, loose-leaf manuals, bound manuals, telephone help lines, pre-recorded telephone messages and web pages were considered. The benefits of using different methods and the potential to use a range of languages were con- sidered. The potential costs of not providing the information were also considered.
࿖ There were a number of technical considerations. The organization already had a computer-based information system that could be accessed by staff but not by its clients. Many staff, however, par- ticularly in manual work and in work that involved frequent travel away from an office base, had little or no access to computers. In addition, information about some services was provided in bound manuals that were only available in central offices, therefore it was inaccessible to staff who would not normally go into those offices.
Consideration was given to whether information could be made readily available in other forms which would save staff time.
࿖ Some consideration was given to the role of line managers, both in ensuring that staff were given the information they were entitled to have (many of the services included personal services for staff) and in ensuring that staff had the appropriate information to enable them to carry out their work as required.
࿖ The HR department considered whether similar projects had been successful elsewhere in local government organizations and 38 Managing projects in human resources
whether there were any alternative ways of handling the problems that they were attempting to overcome.
࿖ There was consideration of whether the proposed project manager had the time and expertise to manage the project.
The more it was discussed, the more complex it seemed to become.
The department had to consider whether it could be done and what the real costs and benefits would be. It decided, as a result of this feasibility study:
࿖ to continue providing much of the information in its current form;
࿖ that the HR department would ensure that all staff were informed about the services available to them in ways that addressed the diversity of employees;
࿖ that line managers would receive training to reinforce their under- standing of how use of internal services could benefit the organi- zation;
࿖ that line managers would also receive training on their role in supervising staff who had any responsibility for use of resources (financial or staff time) to ensure that best use was made of internal services.
This solution was identified as less costly and more effective than at- tempting to provide a range of complex and often frequently changing information in one format that would be accessible to everyone.