Case studies from real projects
Selected engagements from more than 20 major projects — anonymised, with proven results.
Project Rescue
A failed compliance migration of external partner access, rescued
400 → 1,900
A failed compliance migration of external partner access, rescued
accounts migrated – the rescued project led to some 1,500 more.
Situation
A global compliance initiative to secure external partner access had stalled: two migration attempts had already failed, the deadline had slipped for a second time, and the partners' trust was gone. Three months were left for the rescue.
My intervention
I built a reliable, controllable migration service, drove urgency with the internal technical teams, set up a realistic test environment with user acceptance testing, and ran proactive stakeholder management with an open communication plan. Through individual pilot migrations I gradually rebuilt the partners' trust.
Result
The 400 accounts were migrated on time. The success led to follow-on orders for around 1,500 further accounts – with high client satisfaction.
Project Rescue
A CRM master-data provider switch, stabilised
9 months behind
A CRM master-data provider switch, stabilised
made up – go-live on schedule and on budget.
Situation
A CRM system was to be connected to a new master-data provider as a big-bang – with no rollback option. The project was nine months behind, the go-live had been postponed twice, the team was divided, the previous project manager was non-technical and inexperienced, and the affected departments were resisting.
My intervention
Three levers: strengthen management support, break down user resistance, and forge a high-performing team around a shared vision. Delivered through a kickoff and regular steering reporting, active change management (info sessions, interviews, open-door) and bringing the core team together with six subject-matter experts in one place – alongside mentoring the inexperienced project manager.
Result
The go-live landed on schedule and on budget. Users and the team gave notably positive feedback.
IT Strategy
A global project-management methodology introduced in a regulated environment
16 IT PMs
A global project-management methodology introduced in a regulated environment
trained – methodology embedded in the internal training programme.
Situation
A fast-growing company ran IT projects with no common method – everyone in their own way. That caused rework and, increasingly, problems from missing alignment. At the same time, new GMP processes had to be integrated compliantly.
My intervention
Captured the existing approaches, adapted the PMI methodology to the organisation, integrated the GMP processes, and developed and delivered a two-day training programme including materials.
Result
16 IT staff completed the initial training; the course was adopted into the internal training programme for new project managers. Transparency, control and documentation of IT projects improved for good.
Project Leadership
A Switzerland-wide client migration of 2,500 machines during live operations
2,500 clients
A Switzerland-wide client migration of 2,500 machines during live operations
migrated – with no operational downtime and no data loss.
Situation
Around 2,500 machines were to be migrated to a new operating system across Switzerland, some with hardware replacement – with no noticeable downtime and no data loss. The internal attempt had failed on time, know-how and lack of user cooperation; the external team was initially seen as the 'enemy'.
My intervention
Steering across several work streams (client, application, rollout, communication, change) and leading a twelve-person team of internal, external and offshore members. Built a tool-supported, semi-automated rollout and migration procedure with local data backup, plus reference cards, drop-in training and service-desk training. I broke down resistance through many one-on-one conversations and gradual, team-by-team migration.
Result
Successful completion including handover to operations. High client satisfaction led to several follow-on projects.
Portfolio & PMO
Multi-project management and mentoring in a regulated environment
6 project leads
Multi-project management and mentoring in a regulated environment
mentored, 4 validation-relevant projects steered.
Situation
Several IT projects had to be steered in parallel in a regulated environment – through risk assessments, validation activities and supplier coordination, with active change management and regular reporting to sponsors.
My intervention
Introduced a defined organisational change management and regular sponsor reporting, steered internal customers through several risk assessments and validation steps, and led and mentored six business project leads from different departments.
Result
Four validation-relevant projects were guided through the validation processes in a structured way and successfully handed over to operations.
IT Strategy
A service landscape streamlined, service costs cut by around 20%
~20%
A service landscape streamlined, service costs cut by around 20%
lower service costs across three service units.
Situation
Across three units, redundancies in the service landscape were to be removed and running costs reduced – while addressing service-related risks in a structured way.
My intervention
Ran a service-landscape review with service optimisation and risk assessments, supported application owners and service managers with compliance-relevant system risk assessments, and maintained the service-management system.
Result
Around 20% savings in service costs and an optimised service offering across three service units.
Project Leadership
A pre-project for a five-year programme to replace a legacy system
~1,500 users
A pre-project for a five-year programme to replace a legacy system
target scale of the replacement – pre-project set up on solid ground.
Situation
A 15-year-old system with around 1,500 users was to be replaced by a future-proof solution. In the pre-project, the goal, approach and collaboration had to be set up on solid ground, and the team's hybrid way of working adapted to its maturity.
My intervention
Set up and steered the pre-project together with the internal project manager: meeting facilitation, status reporting, risk-register upkeep, continuous adaptation of the hybrid way of working, and planning and running on-site workshops with up to 30 participants.
Result
The pre-project delivered the basis for the software evaluation and the selection of a suitable service partner – a solid start into the multi-year programme.
Portfolio & PMO
PMO for an MES integration in a regulated production environment
Risk & reporting
PMO for an MES integration in a regulated production environment
a continuous process and automated reporting established.
Situation
Two production project leads in an MES integration environment needed PMO support – focused on risk management, reporting and compliance-relevant documentation flows that had to be steered continuously and in a structured way.
My intervention
Set up and monitored a continuous risk-management process, implemented regular automated reporting, prepared and facilitated the steering-committee meetings, and validated test documents in the validation tool.
Result
A continuous risk-management process and automated reporting were permanently in place and strengthened the project's steerability.
Portfolio & PMO
An annual IT portfolio built and prioritised ready for decisions
~20 projects
An annual IT portfolio built and prioritised ready for decisions
assessed and prioritised for the annual portfolio.
Situation
For the annual IT portfolio, project requests from various business areas had to be made comparable, checked for feasibility and viability, prioritised and presented clearly.
My intervention
Collected and prepared the requests, validated the business cases including an ROI view, prioritised the initiatives, and produced a clear visual portfolio overview and draft plan.
Result
A decision-ready, visual overview of around 20 projects for the coming year – a solid basis for the IT leadership's portfolio decisions.
No example here yet — I'd be glad to talk a fitting one through in a first call.
All examples are deliberately anonymised; I share clients and details confidentially, in person.
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