Ensuring Stability, Navigating Recovery, Driving Turnaround Success 

Assurance, Recovery, and Turnaround are critical processes framed by PPM within project and program management, ensuring that initiatives stay on track, address challenges effectively, and ultimately deliver the intended outcomes.  

Assurance involves providing confidence to stakeholders that projects, programs, and portfolios are being managed in accordance with established standards, delivering expected benefits, and adhering to governance frameworks. 

• Independent Review: Assurance activities often include independent assessments or audits to verify that projects are on track, risks are managed, and processes are being followed. 
• Quality Assurance: This ensures that project deliverables meet the required standards and specifications. It involves continuous monitoring and evaluation to maintain high levels of quality throughout the project lifecycle. 
• Stakeholder Confidence: Assurance builds trust with stakeholders by providing transparent and accurate reporting, highlighting both achievements and areas of concern. ​
  

Recovery focuses on identifying and addressing issues that have derailed a project or program, bringing it back on track to meet its objectives.  

• Problem Identification: Recovery begins with a thorough analysis to identify the root causes of project issues, such as scope creep, budget overruns, or missed deadlines. 
• Action Plan Development: Once issues are identified, a clear and actionable recovery plan is developed, detailing steps to correct the course, reallocate resources, and adjust timelines as necessary. 
• Crisis Management: Recovery often involves crisis management techniques to stabilize the project quickly, manage stakeholder expectations, and prevent further disruptions. 
• Monitoring and Adjustment: Recovery efforts require close monitoring to ensure that corrective actions are effective, making further adjustments as needed to keep the project on track. 

Turnaround is the process of transforming a struggling project or program into one that is back on course and capable of delivering value.  

• Leadership and Direction: Successful turnarounds often involve bringing in strong leadership to provide clear direction, reenergize teams, and instill confidence in the project’s potential for success. 
• Reevaluation of Goals: In some cases, turnaround requires a reevaluation of the project’s objectives, scope, and deliverables, aligning them more closely with current business needs and realities. 
• Resource Reallocation: Turnaround may involve reallocating or even adding resources—such as time, budget, or personnel—to ensure that the project has what it needs to succeed. 
• Cultural Shift: Turnarounds often require a shift in the project’s culture, emphasizing accountability, open communication, and a renewed focus on delivering results. 
• Long-Term Sustainability: Beyond immediate fixes, a successful turnaround sets up the project or program for long-term success, with mechanisms in place to prevent recurrence of the issues.