Caestra Consulting

Achieve success with system: Your partner for professional Project Management.
Because every Project is unique.
Put people at the center, let technology be your partner.

Caestra Consulting

Achieve success with system: Your partner for professional Project Management.
Because every Project is unique.
Put people at the center, let technology be your partner.

Project Consulting

Project Planning

Project Implementation

Project Controlling

Classic / Agile

Coaching

Project Consulting

Project Planning

Project Implementation

Project Controlling

Classic / Agile

Coaching

Project Consulting

Project Planinng

Project Implementation

Project Controlling

Classic / Agile

Coaching

Caestra Consulting - With common sense and commitment: We drive your projects forward.

Plan and execute projects purposefully and successfully. We support you with experience, common sense, and certified expertise in all questions and tasks related to project management.

Our Services:

  • Project Consulting
  • Project Planning
  • Project Execution
  • Project Controlling
  • Classic/Agile
  • Coaching

Your Benefits:

  • Clarity, Orientation, Success
  • Efficient Steering, Save Time & Budget
  • Secure Implementation, Achieve Goals
  • Control Progress, Manage Risks
  • The Right Tool for Every Project
  • Promote Competence, Increase Performance

industry-independent

SMEs

nationwide

1999

Initiation of project consulting

30 years

Operational project experience

>150

Successfully completed projects

80%

of the costs of our project consulting are eligible for government funding

Project vs. Routine.

A project is a temporally limited organizational unit tasked with delivering a result in accordance with the described objective. Projects often span across different areas, constitute a singular process, and aim for business operation development. The outcome of a project is uncertain at the start and becomes more predictable as the project progresses, managed within the framework of project management.

In contrast, daily standard work involves the continuation of your primary business purpose through repetitive and ongoing tasks with known outcomes, without temporal limitation.

Project management

Project management is the management – the planning, controlling, and monitoring – of projects initiated to fulfill a described task, not the fulfillment of the task itself.

Why you should manage projects.

A project is a foreign object in any well-oiled organization that is geared towards delivering safe and efficient, predictable results. Your company is also a well-oiled machine, otherwise you would no longer be on the market. A project stands in stark contrast to your daily value-added standard work. It enters uncharted territory – and with an uncertain outcome.

Your team will face new and additional challenges. These challenges should be planned, controlled and assessed for risks in advance.

The project outcome can mean a significant change in your workflows, work environment or structures. Significant changes should be accompanied by a professional change management process.

Projects

Why Projects Fail: The 7 Deadly Sins of Project Management

According to current studies, between 35% and 70% of all business projects in Germany fail – depending on the type and scope of the projects studied and the study methodology used.

We have not verified these figures, but our own project consulting clients report that around two-thirds of their previous projects did not lead to a satisfactory result or ran far outside of the set timeframes and budgets.

Ring any bells?

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“We need to change something, let’s make it a project.”

Without a clear task description and goal setting, you will have to live with the fact that “something” will be delivered – in case of doubt, not the desired result. We know of no professional project method – neither classic nor agile – that does not place value on the definition of project goals and their minimum acceptance standards.

Project goals should meet at least the following criteria to be effective:

  • Specific: Goals should be clearly and precisely formulated so that there is no room for interpretation or misunderstanding.
  • Measurable: It should be possible to measure the progress and success of the project using quantifiable metrics or criteria.
  • Achievable: Goals should be realistic and achievable, based on the available resources and time frame of the project.
  • Relevant: The goals should be relevant to the overall goal of the project and contribute to achieving the desired end state.
  • Time-bound: A clearly defined time frame should be set within which the goals are to be achieved in order to enable clear structuring and organization of the project.
  • Accepted: The goals should be accepted and supported by all relevant stakeholders to ensure a uniform alignment and cooperation within the project team.
  • Flexible: Goals should be adaptable and revisable if necessary to respond to changes or unforeseen events in the project environment.

“The best expert should lead a project.”

No! The main task of a project manager is to coordinate tasks, lead a team, resolve conflicts, manage risks, and keep an eye on the project goals. The necessary expertise and personal skills for this are fundamentally different from the technical expertise required for the project subject matter. The best expert should be part of the implementing project team or brought into play in a separate expert role. Even if he or she is suitable as a project manager, the potential as an expert would be wasted in the role of project manager or limited in its effectiveness in a possible dual role.

Fun Fact: In doubt, your project manager does not need any specific technical expertise in the respective project topic at all. However, he or she should have project methodological knowledge that ensures the ideal staffing and role distribution for a project. Only if roles and tasks are correctly described and assigned can smooth and clear cooperation between all project members be guaranteed.

The most important project roles at a glance:

  1. Project manager: Responsible for the overall management of the project, monitoring progress, resource management, risk management, and communication with stakeholders.
  2. Team members: Carry out the specific tasks and work in the project, coordinate with each other, and contribute to achieving the project goals.
  3. Stakeholders: Persons or groups who have an interest in the project or are affected by its results. They provide support, feedback, and resources for the project.
  4. Subject matter experts: Provide subject-specific knowledge and support the team in solving complex problems or developing new ideas.
  5. Project controller: Monitors and controls the financial and time performance of the project, prepares reports, and provides support for budgeting and planning.

“PowerPoint and good ideas – that’s all a project needs. We can do that on the side.”

That might be true – provided your project was to create a good PowerPoint presentation full of ideas. Even then, however, you would still have had to have the time needed to create it and the expertise needed to brainstorm ideas to successfully complete your PowerPoint project. And you would have still done your day job on the side.

If a project is not provided with sufficient resources, you can just end it. This will save you from throwing good money after bad.

The “Big Four” of project resources are:

Personnel
Expertise
Time
Project equipment and tools

Not so Fun Fact: In over 70% of the projects we were subsequently involved in, project members complained of massive double workloads from day-to-day business and project work, which made it impossible for them to maintain acceptable performance in both areas. The individual well-being of the individuals was usually negatively affected.

“No risk, no fun.”

Those who equate fun with “thrill” may be right here. For your project, unmanaged risks are a real threat.

Risk management is an integral part of project management and aims to ensure project success through the systematic identification, assessment and control of risks. The focus is on the early detection of potential risks, minimizing the probability of occurrence and the extent of negative events.

It is important to comprehensively identify potential risks at all possible interfaces of the project with its business environment and interested parties – the so-called stakeholders. Often enough, project-based risk management is limited to the evaluation of the project organization itself, without considering potential risks from outside.

Through the systematic identification, assessment and control of risks, negative impacts on the project progress can be minimized and the project goals can be efficiently achieved.

“CC everyone just to be safe.”

Ineffective communication ends in unread emails, unproductive meetings, contentless phone calls, and ultimately frustration. If the ratio of essential to non-essential information is out of balance, important information is lost – regardless of whether there was too much or too little communication. There is also the risk that a negative mood will develop within your team, which will have a lasting negative impact on the productivity of individual project members.

Here is an excerpt from our communication checklist before starting any project.

  • Clarity and precision: How should information be formulated in a specific environment to be clear, concise and unambiguous in order to avoid misunderstandings?
  • Completeness: How do we ensure that relevant information is communicated completely and transparently?
  • Timeliness: What information should be up-to-date and current to enable optimal decision-making?
  • Relevance: What information is relevant to which recipients?
  • Understandability: In which language / style should communication take place?
  • Openness and transparency: How do we achieve open and transparent communication to promote trust and cooperation within the project team?
  • Regularity: Who needs to receive regular updates and status reports on what in order to maintain a common information base?
  • Suitable channels: Which channels are used for communication?
  • Feedback and error culture: How do we achieve an open feedback culture?

“The department X can do that together with the trainees. They don’t have much to do at the moment anyway.”

The selection of the right people with the appropriate personal and professional skills is crucial for the success of a project. Inexperience and – yes, even incompetence – in key roles can, on the other hand, endanger the project considerably.

Even experienced project managers are not immune to a lack of competence. New tools and methods are springing up like mushrooms and demand a continued willingness to further training. Not for nothing do relevant project qualifications have to be re-demonstrated at regular intervals in order to maintain existing certifications.

Experience, on the other hand, speaks for itself. A small overview of desirable personal and professional skills in the different project roles.

  • Project Manager – Personal Skills: Leadership skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, assertiveness, organizational skills, time management –  Technical Skills: Project management methodology, risk management, cost management, scheduling, quality management
  • Team Members – Personal Skills: Team skills, willingness to cooperate, communication skills, reliability, punctuality, resilience -Technical Skills: Expertise in the respective discipline, method skills, problem-solving skills
  • Client – Personal Skills: Decision-making skills, assertiveness, communication skills, goal orientation, sense of responsibility – 
    Technical Skills: Knowledge of project goals and requirements, budget responsibility
  • Consultant – Personal Skills: Communication skills, presentation skills, consulting skills, empathy – 
    Technical Skills: Expertise in the respective discipline, experience in consulting projects

“We have achieved our goals. Congratulations. The buffet is now open.”

From a project perspective, the project is indeed finished when the project goals have been achieved. A project is known to be a temporary organizational unit for the achievement of a specific goal. A reason to pop the corks? Not quite yet!

What good is achieving the best goals if the results achieved are not then used, meet with resistance, or are simply forgotten?

A successful project creates something new. This can lead to changes in the organization, such as new processes, systems, or working methods. In order to make these changes sustainable, it is important to train, prepare, and support employees for the new circumstances.

Changes can lead to resistance from employees, for example out of fear of the unknown or habit of the old processes. A change management process can help to understand and address these resistances in order to ensure a smooth introduction of the changes.

Through a structured change management process, employees are actively involved in the change processes. This is the only way to ensure that the results achieved are secured for your organization in the long term.

We support you on all levels of modern project management - your project is our project.

Human values and common sense are the cornerstones of our consulting services. Enthusiasm and motivation are greater success factors for the successful implementation of your projects than fulfilling the formal requirements of the chosen project method.

In today’s dynamic and competitive world, professional project management is an important building block for companies in times of change. It helps to manage the complexity of projects, use resources efficiently and minimize risks. We are a leading provider of project management services and support companies in achieving their goals effectively and efficiently.

We know what we’re talking about from experience.

The experience of a project manager is an important factor for the success of a project. Our experienced project managers have already mastered a multitude of challenges and have known for over 30 years how to deal with unforeseen events. Caestra has a team of experienced project managers who are “seasoned” and know all areas of a company from their own operational experience. In addition, we have the necessary expertise and practical foundations for successful project implementation. We are certified for both classic and agile project methods. From corporate strategy to the shipping document – we know what we are talking about.

Every project is unique – results before formalism, flexibility before conformity.

Classic, Agile, Hybrid. When it comes to suitable project methods, we know them all.

However, more important than any project method is the individual design of your own project, based on your individual requirements, the respective business environment, and the available resources.

Regardless of whether classic or agile project methods are used, they all follow – similar to well-known ISO standards – the same logical principle, even if they differ fundamentally in organization and implementation. Even if project purists see it differently, for every project it is necessary to create a framework that considers the standards of relevant project methods, but is tailored to your individual needs.

There are no standard solutions at Caestra. Our project managers take the time to understand your requirements exactly. They analyze your goals, the framework conditions, and the risks of the project. On this basis, we develop a tailor-made concept that produces the optimal solution for your project and not the best possible fulfillment of project formalities.

Actions speak louder than words.

We see ourselves as partners of our customers and are happy to support you throughout the entire project cycle. If you wish, we are also available to actively support you in operational roles in the implementation and aftercare of your projects on a long-term basis – and at fair prices. Arrange a free initial consultation today!

Why you should rely on the support of our project professionals.

External expertise

We bring specialized knowledge, extensive experience, and proven methods that we have gained in various industries and projects. This enables us to introduce innovative solutions and best practices from other projects into your project management as well.

Resource optimization

We relieve your company’s internal resources. We use our own resources and tools to carry out your project efficiently, accelerate project progress, and protect your internal structures.

Objectivity and fresh ideas

As neutral outsiders, we guarantee an objective view of your company’s challenges. We come with a fresh perspective and new ideas, free from political or personal interests within your organization.

Project management expertise

Our project consultants possess in-depth project management expertise and can ensure that your project is successfully planned, controlled, and implemented. We bring proven methods and best practices to minimize risks and maximize project success.

Flexibility and scalability

Our services are tailored to your specific needs, ensuring you only pay for what you require. This allows for flexible adjustments to your project team, enabling expansion or reduction as needed. This flexibility ensures rapid adaptation to changing requirements and optimal resource utilization.

Government funding opportunities

Numerous projects are eligible for government funding. We possess the expertise to identify, understand, and navigate the intricacies of funding programs, ensuring you maximize the utilization of available funding opportunities. Additionally, a significant portion of our services is also eligible for government funding. Professional project support need not be a financial burden!

Good Project Consulting doesn't have to be expensive!

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Up to 80% of our project consulting costs are eligible for government funding for German-based companies. Our doors are open to you!

Your vision, our expertise.

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We are here for you - our project management consulting

Our project management consulting is modularly structured, encompassing classic, agile, and operational project support from project preparation to project follow-up.

Your Advantage: You only book what you really need.

Traditional methods are well-suited for shorter projects with stable requirements and clear objectives, where detailed planning and control in project management are necessary. Under these conditions, traditional methods are often superior to agile methods. We prefer Prince2.

Advantages of agile methods include increased responsiveness to change, continuous feedback, and early delivery of working results.

Agile methods are particularly well-suited for projects with rapidly changing requirements and a high degree of uncertainty, and are preferable to traditional methods in this environment. We prefer Scrum.

Upon request, we actively support you in the implementation of your projects. Hands-on!

There are only limitations regarding the type of project and the project object for the role of subject matter expert. Here, we limit our operational project participation to our own areas of expertise: General Management, Expansion, Transformation, SCM, Logistics, QM, and Occupational Safety.

Our ongoing Projects at a glance.

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Caestra Consulting helps companies harmonize their corporate strategies, organizational structures, and operational processes in response to the need for targeted adjustments to a rapidly changing business environment. From strategy design to organizational development – from transformation projects to change management.

Ongoing Project: #CC2300213 – Post Merger Integration – Process Harmonization After Company Merger

Automobil Großhandel, Rheinland-Pfalz / Thüringen

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Successful projects are based on clearly defined goals, a clear project organization, defined roles, and a goal-oriented methodology. We advise you on the selection and development of the optimal project structure for you and actively support you in the successful implementation of your projects.

Ongoing Project: #PM2400016 – Establishing a project organization based on PRINCE2

Stahlbau, mittelständisch, Saarland / Lothringen

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An effective supply chain and logistics ensures robust value chains, increases the operational efficiency of your internal organization, lowers costs, and minimizes risks. We support you in the development and optimization of functional SCM and logistics processes.

Ongoing Project: #SM2400036BAFA – Digital Transformation in Logistics

Produzent Papier und Kartonagen, mittelständisch, Nordrhein-Westfalen

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A well-structured quality management (QM) system offers more than documentation obligations and opaque approaches. We help you build and optimize your QM systems.

Ongoing Project: #QM2400023 – Quality Management (QM) system localization for German market entry

Produzent Radsport Zubehör, mittelständisch, Valencia, Spanien

Occupational safety minimizes risks to the well-being of all employees and ensures the continued existence of your company. We ensure that you and your colleagues can get through your everyday working life in a healthy and legally compliant manner.

Ongoing Project: #AS2400006INQA – Digital Transformation of OSH Management

Landschafts- und Gartenbau, KMU, Niedersachsen

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Caestra Consulting - Fair Play

We operate independently in our consulting services, ensuring freedom from external influences. This includes avoiding sales partnerships or similar cooperation models with manufacturers or providers in the relevant fields.

Independent.

Objective.

Our analyses and recommendations are free from personal interests. We rely on a professional and neutral perspective, based on data and facts. We act in the best interest of our clients.

We communicate clearly, openly, and transparently. Our consulting services are limited to areas covered by our expertise. Discretion and care in handling your data are our top priorities.

Trustworthy.

Respectful.

We respect every individual and value your corporate culture. Without exception! A respectful exchange of ideas and opinions promotes collaboration and, in turn, the achievement of your goals.

Caestra Consulting - Fair Play

Independent.

We operate independently in our consulting services, ensuring freedom from external influences. This includes avoiding sales partnerships or similar cooperation models with manufacturers or providers in the relevant fields.

Objective.

Our analyses and recommendations are free from personal interests. We rely on a professional and neutral perspective, based on data and facts. We act in the best interest of our clients.

Trustworthy.

We communicate clearly, openly, and transparently. Our consulting services are limited to areas covered by our expertise. Discretion and care in handling your data are our top priorities.

Respectful.

We respect every individual and value your corporate culture. Without exception! A respectful exchange of ideas and opinions promotes collaboration and, in turn, the achievement of your goals.

Let Our Customers Speak.*

*Dear customers, in line with our principles, here you will find only a selection of anonymized references that do not allow conclusions about our clients. If you have a justified interest, we are happy to facilitate contact with the respective referees.

Book your free initial consultation now.

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