Implementation Planning Studies: A Practical Guide

From small pilots to massive digital transformations

Who is this guide for?

This guide is written primarily for executives, sponsors, and senior leaders who are accountable for the success of major projects and transformations.

While the principles are valuable for anyone involved in project delivery - from program directors to on-the-ground teams - the focus is on providing leaders with the framework to ensure their strategic initiatives are built on a solid foundation of executable, de-risked plans. It provides the tools to ask the right questions and to gain confidence that a project is truly ready to move from ambition to reality.

Key Takeaways

• An Implementation Planning Study (IPS) is a structured trial run conducted after planning and design but before full-scale execution.
• Its primary goal is not to redesign the solution, but to test the delivery plan, surface hidden risks, and build delivery confidence.
• A successful IPS involves real work, not just paper exercises, to prove that the team, processes, and technology are ready.
• The core outputs are a baselined, executable delivery plan and a team that has proven it can work together effectively.

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Successful project delivery is rarely just about having a great plan - it's about turning that plan into real-world results. Too often, projects stumble in the gap between strategy and execution, where hidden assumptions, unclear roles, and untested dependencies can derail even the best-laid intentions. Implementation Planning Studies (IPS) are designed to bridge this gap. By providing a structured, practical way to test plans, align teams, and uncover risks before full-scale delivery begins, an IPS helps ensure that everyone is truly ready to deliver together. Here’s how to make the most of this powerful approach:

Why Bother? The Common Failure Points an IPS Prevents

Projects don’t fail during delivery; they fail much earlier. An IPS is designed to flush out the issues that typically hide in the seams between planning and execution. By tackling them early, you can prevent the common failure points that lead to delays, budget overruns, and frustration:

• The “On-Paper” Plan: The project plan looks perfect, but it hasn’t been pressure-tested against reality. An IPS forces the team to move from theory to practice, exposing flawed assumptions before they become costly mistakes.
• Last-Minute Dependency Discovery: A critical dependency - whether technical, operational, or commercial - is discovered far too late, causing a ripple effect of delays. An IPS makes dependency mapping an explicit, collaborative activity.
• Role Ambiguity and Finger-Pointing: When things go wrong, teams descend into arguments about who was responsible for what. An IPS clarifies roles, responsibilities, and hand-offs, ensuring everyone knows their part.
• Unforeseen Rework and Budget Blowouts: The solution needs to be partially redesigned mid-delivery because a key requirement was misunderstood or an integration point was more complex than anticipated. An IPS tests these high-risk areas in a controlled environment, saving significant time and money.
• Lack of Stakeholder Buy-In: Key stakeholders agree to the plan in principle but haven’t truly internalized what will be required of them. An IPS makes the plan tangible, securing genuine commitment and buy-in.

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Where does an IPS fit in the project lifecycle?

An IPS sits in a very specific sweet spot in the project delivery lifecycle - after there’s a committed direction, but before full-scale execution.

Here’s the context:

• Before the IPS:
  • The vision, business case, and detailed design have been developed and agreed.
  • Funding (at least for the IPS stage) is approved.
  • High-level delivery approach, governance structures, and key suppliers (if relevant) are in place or close to being appointed.
  • It is clear what will be delivered, but the how still needs to be proven.
• During the IPS:
  • The team validates the plan under real-world conditions - surfacing assumptions, dependencies, and risks.
  • Early trial work is done to prove readiness.
  • Roles, responsibilities, escalation paths, and delivery cadence are locked in.
  • The IPS produces a baselined, executable delivery plan with confidence that the team can deliver together.
• After the IPS:
  • The project moves into full-scale execution with delivery confidence significantly improved.
  • The IPS outputs form the basis for change control, performance tracking, and steering committee decisions during delivery.

+--------------+   +----------+   +--------+   +-------------+
|  Initiation  |-->| Planning |-->| Design |-->| Procurement |
+--------------+   +----------+   +--------+   +-------------+
                              ||
                              ||
                              vv 
              +=================================+
              |  Implementation Planning Study  |
              +=================================+
                              ||
                              ||
                              vv
      +----------------------+   +------------+   +---------+
      | Delivery & Execution |-->| Operations |-->| Closure |
      +----------------------+   +------------+   +---------+

The IPS is the critical bridge that turns planning into doing, ensuring the project is ready to succeed.

An Implementation Planning Study (IPS) is one of the most effective tools you can use to bridge the gap between planning and delivery. At its core, it is about relationships and confidence, not design. The solution design should already be agreed before you start. The IPS is there to test that design in the real world, strengthen working relationships, and prove that everyone involved can deliver together.

Think of it as a trial run. The IPS is your opportunity to bring the whole delivery group into a shared space and see how the plan holds up under realistic conditions. It’s where you iron out hidden assumptions, uncover dependencies, and make sure commitments are actually deliverable. It is not a “paper exercise” - a good IPS includes elements of actual delivery so teams can experience the work, not just talk about it.

How you run an IPS will depend on the scale of the project. A small initiative might involve a single workshop to align stakeholders, test the sequence of work, and tackle the riskiest dependencies. A large digital transformation might require a multi-week program, complete with pilot activities, integration tests, stakeholder engagement rehearsals, and formal governance checkpoints. The principles, however, remain the same - you are proving the pathway, not redesigning it.

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Running an IPS

A well-run IPS has a rhythm. While the scale will vary, the sequence usually follows the same broad flow. Below is a step-by-step guide to moving from planning to a proven, executable roadmap.

+---------------------------+      +---------------+      +---------------------------+
|          INPUTS           |      |               |      |          OUTPUTS          |
|---------------------------|      |               |      |---------------------------|
| - Agreed Solution Design  |      |               |      | - Baselined Delivery Plan |
| - Approved Business Case  |----->|    THE IPS    |----->| - Validated Assumptions   |
| - High-Level Project Plan |      |    PROCESS    |      | - Confident, Aligned Team |
| - Key Stakeholders        |      |               |      | - Formal Go/No-Go Decision|
+---------------------------+      +---------------+      +---------------------------+

1. Set the Intent

• What it is: The kickoff. This is where you align everyone on the purpose, scope, and rules of engagement for the IPS itself.
• How to do it: Hold a formal kickoff meeting with all IPS participants. Clearly state the goals: "By the end of this IPS, we will have a baselined delivery plan, a confirmed go-live checklist, and sign-off from all parties to proceed." Agree on the schedule, key decision-makers, and how issues will be escalated during the IPS.

2. Confirm the Solution

• What it is: A deliberate step to lock down the "what" so the group can focus on the "how."
• How to do it: Briefly present the agreed-upon solution design, business case, and scope. This is not a design review. The goal is to ensure everyone has a shared understanding of what is being delivered. Politely park any attempts to re-litigate design decisions.

3. Surface and Test Assumptions

• What it is: The process of turning "I think" into "I know." This is where you uncover the hidden risks.
• How to do it: Run a dedicated workshop. Ask participants to list every assumption they can think of (e.g., "We assume the vendor will provide test data," "We assume the marketing team can turn around collateral in two days"). Then, for each assumption, assign an owner and a plan to validate it.

4. Map the Delivery Path

• What it is: Visualizing the entire delivery journey, from start to finish.
• How to do it: Use a whiteboard or digital collaboration tool. Map out the major phases, key milestones, and critical hand-offs between teams. Pressure-test the timeline against known constraints (e.g., resource availability, change freezes, external deadlines).

5. Define Roles and Responsibilities

• What it is: Creating absolute clarity on who does what.
• How to do it: Use a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrix or a similar tool. For each key activity, define who is accountable for its success. This includes not just delivery tasks but also issue resolution, communications, and stakeholder management.

6. Prove Readiness with Real Work

• What it is: The most critical part of the IPS - moving from talking to doing.
• How to do it: Select a small but meaningful slice of the project to execute. Examples:
  • Technology: Build a "thin slice" of an integration path to prove two systems can communicate.
  • Process: Role-play a new customer onboarding process with real staff.
  • Data: Perform a sample data migration for a small subset of records. The goal is to create a tangible proof point that the plan is workable.

7. Lock In Commercials and Resourcing

• What it is: Ensuring the money and people are ready to go.
• How to do it: If vendors are involved, finalize statements of work (SOWs) and resource profiles based on the validated delivery path. Internally, confirm resource allocations and onboarding schedules. There should be no ambiguity about who is paying for what and who is turning up on day one.

8. Run Readiness Checks

• What it is: A practical checklist of all the enablers that need to be in place.
• How to do it: Create a go-live checklist covering all domains: environments, user credentials, data, support arrangements, training, and communications. Go through it item by item and assign owners to close any gaps.

9. Plan for Cutover and Rollback

• What it is: Defining the precise sequence of events for go-live and, just as importantly, how to safely back out if things go wrong.
• How to do it: Develop a detailed, hour-by-hour cutover plan. Document the "point of no return" and the specific steps required to roll back to the previous state. Rehearse this plan with the technical and operational teams.

10. Close with a Formal Go/No-Go Decision

• What it is: The final checkpoint to formally approve the move to full-scale delivery.
• How to do it: Hold a final meeting with the project sponsor and key stakeholders. Present the outputs of the IPS: the baselined plan, the risk register, the readiness checklist, and the results of the "real work" trials. The outcome should be a formal, documented decision to either proceed with delivery or address specific blocking issues.

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How this plays out in practice

The IPS approach scales up or down depending on the size and complexity of the initiative, and it works just as well for operational, infrastructure, service delivery, or policy projects as it does for technology programs.

Small-scale example – Policy roll-out to a single business unit

You might run the IPS over one to two days. The intent-setting, confirmation of scope, and assumption mapping happen in a single workshop with all stakeholders. You then trial a small but important slice of delivery - for example, running the new policy through a live case file, testing the approval workflow, and confirming reporting requirements. Risks and dependencies are documented, roles are agreed, and the go-live plan is finalised. By the end, everyone knows exactly what to do and how it will work on day one.

Medium-scale example – Regional service process change

For a program introducing a new service model across several locations, the IPS might take two to three weeks. You would run separate sessions with each regional team to validate assumptions, surface local constraints, and refine the delivery path. Trial runs might include delivering the service to a small pilot group, testing handover points between teams, and running a communications campaign in one region to gauge response. Commercial arrangements (if vendors are involved) are locked in, training materials are tested, and the readiness checklist covers both operational and support arrangements. By the end, you have a plan that works across regions and a network of local champions who trust the process.

Large-scale example – Statewide digital and operational transformation

A major initiative involving both technology change and new operating models might run an IPS anywhere from six weeks to six months. This could include parallel workstreams: one piloting critical system integrations, another rehearsing governance and decision-making processes, and another running a full operational simulation in a selected site. Assumptions are tested under realistic operating loads, data migrations are trialled, and operational teams work through cutover and rollback in real time. Funding profiles and commercial agreements are aligned to the staged rollout, and the readiness checklist spans ICT infrastructure, policy compliance, staffing models, and stakeholder engagement. By the end, there is executive-level confidence that the delivery pathway has been proven, relationships between parties are strong, and any residual risks are understood and accepted.

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Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even with the best intentions, an IPS can go off track. Here are some common pitfalls and how to steer clear of them:

• Pitfall: The IPS turns into a design meeting.
  • How to avoid it: Be ruthless about parking design discussions. The mantra should be, "We are here to validate the plan for the agreed design, not to redesign it." If a genuine design flaw is uncovered, document it as a key risk and handle it outside the main IPS sessions.
• Pitfall: Key decision-makers don't participate.
  • How to avoid it: Secure commitment from sponsors and key stakeholders for their attendance before you begin. Emphasize that their presence is required to make binding decisions. If they can't be there, ensure they delegate their authority to a named individual.
• Pitfall: The "real work" is skipped in favor of discussion.
  • How to avoid it: Make the practical trial a non-negotiable part of the IPS schedule. Timebox it and treat it as a critical milestone. The goal is to generate evidence, not just opinions.
• Pitfall: The outputs are not formally documented and baselined.
  • How to avoid it: Assign a dedicated scribe or project manager to capture all decisions, risks, and actions. At the end of the IPS, formally circulate the outputs for sign-off. This document becomes the new baseline for the project.
• Pitfall: It is seen as a one-off event, not a process.
  • How to avoid it: Frame the IPS as the first step in the delivery process. The rhythms established during the IPS - such as regular check-ins and risk reviews - should continue into the full-scale project.

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An IPS is the bridge between the thinking and the doing. Done well, it leaves you not just with a pathway to follow, but with proof that the relationships, processes, and commitments are strong enough to carry the weight of delivery.