Project Management mit Tiefe was honored with the Project Management Excellence Award at the IPMA World Conference 2025 in Berlin
Introduction of the Winner of the Project Management Award by IPMA in the Category of Small-/Medium-Sized Projects Change Management / Product Development / Marketing 2025
About the PM Award
The PM Award by IPMA (International Project Management Association) is an international recognition for outstanding project management. It honors projects and organizations that have created significant added value through excellent planning, control, and implementation. The focus is on both the achieved results and the applied methods, innovation, and sustainability. The award highlights best practices and makes projects visible that have not only been successfully completed but also exemplify professionalism and impact.
About the Awarded Project
In 2023, I started an internal program to increase profits at my client Anschütz. The main goal was to implement several projects that would lead to an EBIT increase of 5% per year at the latest three years after the program started. All possible methods to improve profits were to be used - except for staff reductions. Project management with depth was commissioned for the setup and management of the program. The introduction of the OKR method was central to the control of the program. Within this framework, up to ten different projects were carried out or are still ongoing. The achieved profit improvements were measured in volume and maturity, tracked in Jira, and the set goal was achieved.
Project or Program
The task corresponded to the classic definition of a program. The overarching goal was to increase EBIT within a set timeframe. Various projects were already running and were restructured. Further projects were initiated and started. Some projects were completed, some/few still exist after the program was completed. Consequently, the project was called the "Profit Improvement Project" (EVP).
Context
The context of the EVP can be described as follows: During the COVID period, Anschütz started a transformation program and went through a challenging business phase. The parent company Raytheon decided to part with Anschütz and began looking for new owners. For about a year, the company was characterized by uncertainty due to this search. To the delight of the employees, a regional entrepreneur was finally found who took over Anschütz. Unlike the previous parent company Raytheon, the new owner is a private entrepreneur. All previously centrally controlled corporate functions now had to be independently established within Anschütz.
In addition, there was an exceptionally high proportion of administrative and overhead costs before the takeover. The new owner demanded an increase in profitability. About 50% of this increase was to be achieved through staff reductions - especially in the administrative area - and the remaining 50% through various measures to sustainably increase the result. To implement this second part, the EVP was initiated.
Thus, not only the concrete contribution to the company's financial result was decisive for the success of the project, but the program was also strategically central to the design of the "new Anschütz". Anschütz had to metaphorically swim free. Therefore, the "Freischwimmer" (free swimmer) was chosen as the logo in the company's colors.
Phases
The program was divided into the following phases:
Phase I:
- Initiation of the program
- Structuring of the program and start of the projects
- Introduction of the OKR method
- Implementation of a method to measure profit improvement potential and realization
- Conducting a situational analysis in customer projects
- Start of the implementation of the first project results
- Conducting 2 OKR cycles in each project with high acceptance
Phase II:
- Demonstrating a measurable profit improvement potential of at least 50%
- Achieving significant key results in the projects (production expansion, project management training, Agile Release Train, after-sales organization)
- Preparation for the adjustment of the program structure
Phase III:
- Completion and initiation of new projects
- Start of the transition to strategy implementation and "regular operation"
- Completion of the program and continuation of remaining activities in the projects
- Continuation of monitoring profit improvement potentials
Excellence in "People and Purpose"
The following measures were implemented as examples of excellence in the area of people and purpose:
- Preliminary discussions with the entire management, focus: desire for strong goal orientation/focus
- Agreement on a project mandate and clear delineation of the program (especially as opposed to a staff reduction program)
- Personal interviews
- Identification of key success factors with key stakeholders
- Assessment of readiness for change and use of lessons learned from previous change projects
- Structuring / organizational chart of the program
- Creation of a stakeholder analysis with communication matrix
- Regular coordination and use of phase plans
- Regular blog posts and participation in the management podcast
- Kick-off event
- Proactive, regular coordination and involvement of the works council
In addition, training, role modeling, and the implementation of the OKR method regularly led to:
- Planning/development of objectives and key results
- Monitoring the progress of objectives and key results
- Conducting reviews and retrospectives on objectives and key results
- Documentation of objectives and key results
- Transparent adjustment of objectives and key results (e.g., shifts)
- Regular retrospectives, also together with the client
- Coordination and agreement of project mandates with a focus on objectives
Excellence in "Processes & Resources"
The following measures were implemented as examples of excellence in processes & resources:
- Retrospectives
- Phase plans
- Result contributions with cockpit and maturity levels
- Decision templates
- Measure tracking
- Final report
Excellence in "Project Results"
The following measures were implemented as examples of excellence in project results:
- Participation and approval of the results by the management and representatives of the company owner
- Decision not to "force" any further potential
- Completion and celebration of individual projects:
- After-sales organization
- Production expansion: celebration at the machine museum
- One project was paused, and a lessons-learned analysis was conducted
- Team satisfaction was regularly recorded in retrospectives
- Team satisfaction in the production expansion was a central focus
- High satisfaction with program management (reference letter)
- Maturity of potential results was significantly increased, desired potential identified
- OKR method introduced beyond the program
- Project "Program Improvements":
- Introduction of a Risk Director
- Strengthening of quality gates
- Improvements in the decision-making process
- First wave of project management certification
Conclusion
With the IPMA award for excellent project management in the profit improvement program at Anschütz, depth has once again been demonstrated. Are you also ready to dive in?
If you need any further assistance or specific sections translated, feel free to let me know! 😊
