Gladsaxe Municipality
Developing a project model, project culture and strengthening project capabilities
Background and need
Back in 2015, Gladsaxe Municipality had identified a need to strengthen project work broadly across the municipality. The wish was for a shared project model and shared guidelines that could work well across project types, project experience and complexity. There was also a wish to strengthen project capabilities and the shared language in project work.
Solution
Building on a series of workshops with project leaders - from new to seasoned, and from cultural projects to construction or technical ones - a new project model and project handbook were developed, which have since been the frame for project work in Gladsaxe Municipality. At the same time, a capability-development programme was designed for project work in the municipality, with the handbook's guidelines and methods as the starting point.
Over the years the programme has been continuously revised and adapted to current needs, and several courses, workshops and talks have been developed and delivered. This includes, for example, courses aimed at leading project leaders, as well as portfolio management and strengthening the steering-committee work.
The programmes are built around three modules, each with their own learning loops:
- Preparation - knowledge input and reflection.
- Practical teaching modules - theory, sparring and practice training.
- Trialling in own everyday practice - working with one's own project (transformation days).
- Reflection and sparring - a day focused on implementing new behaviour in everyday practice. Both project leaders and their nearest leaders take part.
Across all the years, different models have been tried for strengthening the collaboration between project leaders and leaders in the work of embedding theory and methods in everyday practice. The current model gives project leaders and leaders the opportunity to work actively on embedding together, inspire each other across sections, and get professional sparring from teachers together on specific needs.
The three modules in the programme are:
- Module 1: Foundational project development and organisation.
- Module 2: Everyday implementation and steering.
- Module 3: Meeting facilitation, collaboration and motivation.
Each workshop is linked to participants' own projects, and includes both sparring with a consultant and structured group reflection. Participants work continuously on adjusting and developing their projects in step with the learning and feedback.
An important element in the programme is the involvement of the nearest leaders. Each participant starts with an expectation-setting conversation and takes part in a kickoff together with their leader. This secures both organisational anchoring and shared direction, and creates fertile ground for local follow-up. This is followed up by the participant's own leader taking part on each transformation day (the final part of the loop - a follow-up day after each module).
Results
The programme has created both individual and organisational development. Project leaders have strengthened their practice, the courage to try new tools, and increased understanding of their own strengths and preferences. Their leaders are better equipped to support and follow up on the learning.
A more flexible, needs-driven approach to project development has also been created, where tools and capabilities are brought into play when the need is there - not from a fixed curriculum. The programme has helped lift both the projects and the collaboration around them, and has proven itself as a concrete method for uniting learning, leadership and deliverables.