Management/Executive Support

All Little Blue people are experienced and proven doers, found at the sharp end of their respective industries. They choose to work with Little Blue for the continuing opportunity to use their knowledge and skills in a pure "hands-on" role, in new and constantly changing environments.

These experienced and hands-on professionals speak your language, understand your challenges and have probably faced them before. We usually find that a strong and lasting bond is formed between our customers and our practitioners, extending beyond the initial assignment or project.

Operational Analysis

With any investigation, the first step to finding the solution is to understand the problem, the symptoms and the possible drivers to both. We've had a lot of experience in being dropped into problem situations, behind enemy lines and expected to think on our feet and come up with quick, tactical decisions.

We can usually make "stop the bleeding"/quick win suggestions very quickly. Sometimes this is the limit of our involvement, giving The Client a breathing space to continue their own analysis, having had the major and immediate trauma removed.

We understand that all companies are different, and we gain a thorough understanding of client business goals and processes before we engage in situation analysis and requirements gathering. We have expertise in analysing business problems and working closely alongside project stakeholders to develop solution requirements. There are varying levels of technical expertise within organisations that we talk to, and to ensure interdepartmental and hierarchical buy in, we engage a top-level business process analysis to identify project objectives in clear and understandable terms.

After development of business requirements, Little Blue will document proposed solutions and provide technical guidance on the options presented along with detailed explanations over the implications of each solution.

Project Rescue

What causes a project to stall, drift off course or simply lose momentum? Whatever the reasons, a project that is not performing is one of the most frustrating, disheartening, disruptive and plain expensive experiences in day to day business life.

Little Blue was originally created as a fire-fighting and challenge-seeking operation, the world of the failing project gives us a target rich environment to do our stuff. We typically find that the "fresh set of eyes" perspective allows us to quickly see through the smoke to the cause of the blaze, with the "fresh set of legs" allowing us the energy to revitalise a flagging project team and begin to tackle the issues.

Project Management

In addition to running projects, with the full spectrum of project responsibilities from project planning, team selection/management and progress maintenance and reporting, through to delivery and implementation "doing" responsibility, we are also used to working as part of larger project teams and are able and willing to "play well with others" as a result.

Little Blue applies industry accepted project management practices throughout each stage of our projects. Clients receive regular updates and progress reviews, as well as exception reporting in order to mutually address issues which threaten the progress of the project. Periods and triggers for both scheduled and exception reports are agreed on the initial project brief and always open to refinement in the light of changing project conditions. Impromptu progress and reality checks are also welcomed and expected.......... particularly when the heat is on.

As you would expect from a results focused operation like Little Blue, although we are familiar with and happy to use formalised project management tools and methodologies, our primary focus is always on using the tools to achieve the project goals and NOT seeing the project management tools as an end to themselves. Little Blue projects tend to be hi-energy and intense periods of activity, motivating from within and generating "interest in the job" with a knock on effect to those outside the project. We have a good portfolio of experienced and dynamic PMs, all with an infectious desire to get the job done, successfully and effectively.....

Software Development

Phil Jones had just started working on Digital Equipment (DEC) minicomputers in 1984 when IBM launched the first PC. For a long time, the average business user saw The PC as a bite sized computer, fine to run sreadsheets or word process documents, but not to run "proper" business systems.

The arrival of The Handheld or PDA computer has generated a similar step change. Most commonly used to hold contacts, diary appointments and possibly emails, The Handheld should more accurately be seen as an entry point and a window to enterprise and world wide systems. Whether using The Microsoft or Palm platform, Little Blue has designed and implemented, fully integrated Handheld through to corporate database, transactional and survey systems which extend the capability and view of the operator, from desk based limitations to full "walking the job" access and functionality

At Little Blue, we pride ourselves on providing state of the art solutions which are fit for purpose and cost effective. You can view examples of how our clients have benefited from our approach on the case studies page.