tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38090346024813457132024-03-18T03:01:47.526-07:00Implementation Insights BlogImplementation Management Associates help organizations around the world achieve large-scale, complex change. This blog discusses our insights into organizational change.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-26887504406905141382011-10-17T07:46:00.000-07:002011-10-17T08:08:44.438-07:00Business Transformation Leadership is a Hot Topic<span style="font-family: arial;">It's clear that securing business transformation change</span> <span style="font-family: arial;">leadership is a challenge. We recently compiled some of the key strategies and tactics for transformation change leadership in a complimentary <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/info/IMA402eBook-MeetingtheChallenge.pdf">eBook</a>, and we were quite literally stunned by the level of response.<br /><br />Transformation change is on the top of the agenda for many executives. Healthcare, IT, and Pharma are just a few examples of industries where transformational change is widespread. But what is clear from the response to the eBook, entitled <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/info/IMA402eBook-MeetingtheChallenge.pdf"><span style="font-style: italic;">Meeting the Challenge of Transformation Change: Do You Have the Transformation Change Leadership to Cross the Abyss</span></a>, is that leaders are not fully prepared for what actions will be needed by them as the sponsors of transformation change. <br /><br />The eBook describes three important lessons about transformational change:<br />1. Transformational change can't be done incrementally; you can't make the leap across the abyss in two jumps<br />2. Transformational change can't be made totally safe. It requires a "leap of faith" from the transformation change leadership team<br />3. Transformational change means you can't go back. Once you cross the abyss, you can't change your mind and go back to the old ways<br /><br />30-50% of the success of the transformational change agenda depends on the ability of <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/info/eBook-IsthereaSponsorintheHouse-rev1106.pdf">sponsors</a>, the transformational change leadership, to consistently express, model, and reinforce their personal commitment to the change. Yet many transformational change efforts don't have explicit reinforcement strategies, and reinforcement is the "power lever" for accelerating transformational change. <br /><br />Too often, the transformational change initiatives are a high priority from a strategy-development perspective, but the focus is not maintained for the resource-intensive implementation of the transformational change. Unless the transformational change leadership individually and collectively demonstrate that the transformation is a top-priority, the transformational changes are likely to stall out or fail.<br /><br /><br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-18457961825532771692011-10-13T07:34:00.000-07:002011-10-13T07:55:37.066-07:00Solution Adoption is the Name of the Game<span style="font-family: arial;">Yesterday on a client call we had a great discussion about the focus of Six Sigma and Lean operational improvement efforts on problem-solving versus solution adoption. As our client so aptly put it, "We think we are so good at problem-solving with Six Sigma and Lean, yet we haven't solved the biggest problem of all-- which is how to get our solutions actually adopted."<br /><br />And isn't this true for all types of organizational change? Isn't the major focus on solution design, and not on implementation for virtually every type of business change? Why are executives satisfied with solutions that are <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/info/Installation_v_Implementation_Mini_Guide2010.pdf">"installed" but not implemented</a>? Shouldn't every business change be measured by the yardstick of solution adoption?<br /><br />If we aren't focused on sustained solution adoption as the end-goal, then our implementation efforts are doomed to fall short. If project teams fail to see that unless we achieve solution adoption that sticks, we can't consider a project a success. <br /><br />To get to solution adoption, we need to put much greater emphasis on the human factors. That begins with having a clear definition of the human objectives for the change. These are the "behaviors we seek to see." If we aren't defining these behaviors up-front, we can't determine if the solution is adopted at the end! <br /><br />As change management professionals, we need to be talking a lot more about solution adoption with our internal clients and business partners. There isn't anything "soft" about solution adoption and benefit realization for strategic investments. <br /><br />These language patterns matter, because through repetition we can start to change the mindset and focus for projects. Meeting timelines and budget requirements is extremely important, but if we don't get to sustained solution adoption, what have we really achieved?<br /><br />When Six Sigma and Lean professional starting using the language of solution adoption and put as much emphasis on solution adoption as on problem-solving, we will see real business improvement.<br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-53436157665533213252011-08-08T12:28:00.000-07:002011-08-08T13:20:20.180-07:00Two Big Questions About Transformational Change<span style="font-family:arial;">Virtually every week we have clients contact us about their organization's efforts to implement transformational business changes. Transformational change is "business change on steroids"-- highly complex, large in scale, and mission-critical. Why is<a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Enterprisewide.pdf"> transformational change</a> on the short-list for global businesses right now? (Question 1) And more importantly, what are organizations willing to do to position themselves to get benefit realization for transformational changes? (Question 1)
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<br />The answer to Question 1 is relatively clear. As organizations continue to dig out of the remnants of the Global Financial Crisis, senior leaders see that the competitive landscape has been altered significantly. The marketplace has shifted radically, causing these organizations to re-think their business models, identify opportunities for major cost savings, and re-structure for greater efficiencies. These transformational business changes are rational, reasonable, and required. For most organizations we talk to, transformational change is not a choice-- it is a business imperative.
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<br />Why, then, do organizations approach radical change as if it were just a series of incremental step- changes? If the organization's track record for success on getting benefit realization for small changes is moderately positive, at best, why would leaders attempt transformational change with less than a complete arsenal of weaponry? What are these leaders doing to model to the organization that these changes are, indeed, transformational changes in size and scope, and are so important that they must be approached radically differently from past business changes?
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<br />That is the missing answer to Question 2. If leaders aren't willing to demonstrate significant investment, including the investment of one of the most precious and finite resources, their personal time, then why go down the path of transformational change? If <a href="http://http//www.imaworldwide.com/info/2010-04-2911.01BuildingReadinessforTransformationalBusinessChanges.wmv">transformational change </a>is indeed mission-critical, then leaders must demonstrate this by their own actions! What the leaders do on a daily basis to express, model, and reinforce their commitment to the transformational changes is absolutely critical.
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<br />If transformational change is approached with too few resources, no compelling story about why the change is needed, no opportunity for expressing ideas or taking risks that will drive innovation, no change in the all-important reinforcements, and limited <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/info/eBook-IsthereaSponsorintheHouse-rev1106.pdf">sponsorship</a>, then the organization is likely to get what it has always gotten: weak accountability and spotty implementation. In a competitive environment that demands more to survive and thrive, this is probably insufficient. How much money is being left on the table?
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<br />And by the way, isn't the classic definition of business insanity doing the same things but expecting different results?
<br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-41984424132060497332011-07-07T11:54:00.000-07:002011-07-07T12:19:24.636-07:00Intersection of Change Management and Project ManagementWe've found that there are lots of organizations that "get it" when we talk about how change management and project management need to be integrated as part of a project plan to get to value realization for projects. The truth is, though, that this is not yet a common practice-- at least not to the degree that we are talking about. We'll be doing a<a href="http://%20https//www2.gotomeeting.com/register/565026851"> complimentary webinar</a><a href="https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/565026851"> </a>on July 21 on the Intersection of Change Management and Project Management to talk more about this important subject if you are looking to accelerate value realization for your projects. The webinar will be led by Judd Andres, one of IMA's Senior Consultants. Judd brings expertise on both sides of the equation-- he is a PMP and an AIMaster.<br /><br />For too long, project managers have been solely focused on achieving the technical milestones for organizational change projects-- time and budget. These are very important, it's true, but the end game is really value realization for projects that can only be achieved by behavior change. In every organizational change project, there is something that people need to be doing differently. There has been a huge price to pay when it comes to value realization for projects when the <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/elements_deliverables_tools.aspx">human elements</a> are not managed to the same degree and with the same discipline as the time and budget. While organizational change projects may not be out and out failures, the value realization hasn't been there either. Bottom line-- there is a need to do something differently if you want a different outcome. <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/blended_project_management.pdf">Blended Project Management </a>is most definitely part of the solution for getting to value realization for projects. Listen to what Judd has to say and you'll see what the intersection of change management and project management is all about.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-21988671892965396322011-06-24T07:38:00.000-07:002011-06-24T08:00:29.325-07:00Project Sponsorship Remains Top Challenge for Execution Success of Organizational ChangesIt's been interesting to see the incredible reaction to our recent <a href="http://http//www.imaworldwide.com/info/eBook-IsthereaSponsorintheHouse-rev1106.pdf">eBook on project Sponsorship</a>. "Is There a Sponsor in the House?- how to get the project sponsorship you need... so you get the business results your sponsors want" has had thousands of hits after just one day of release. <br /><br />That's probably because it's the most difficult but most important aspect of getting execution success for organizational changes. Leaders are identifying execution success as a significant need in the organization, but usually don't recognize that successful execution of organizational change begins with their own behaviors. Even less recognized is the fact that as sponsors of organizational changes they control the speed of execution for projects.<br /><br />At a time when resources are being cut while transformational change is on the increase, the role of project sponsors is more important than ever. Execution success for any organizational change, including transformational change, really depends on sponsors providing the right kind of leadership with their own direct reports. <br /><br />For internal consultants, this creates a huge opportunity to educate the identified project sponsorship on their roles and responsibilities for execution success. It's not something that is covered in most leadership development programs, but it should be! At the end of the day, the ability of project sponsors to express, model, and reinforce their personal commitment to the organizational change converts to about 60% of the likelihood of execution success. <br /><br />The question is, why don't we do more to <a href="http://http//www.imaworldwide.com/sponsor_shop.aspx">educate our project sponsors </a>when execution success for organizational changes is such a fundamental need?Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-26388750728674189882011-05-24T08:06:00.000-07:002011-05-24T11:43:43.207-07:00The Challenge of Shared Services ImplementationsThere are many organizations that are looking at shared services models as a way to increase efficiency and reduce operating expenses. If you are considering implementing shared services, you can anticipate the following barriers:<br /><br /><p>1. Poor scope or project definition-- what is in, what is out; changing role definitions; etc. for the shared services implementation</p><br /><p>2. Poor implementation history leading to reduced credibility of management</p><br /><p>3. Ineffective sponsorship of the shared services implementation</p><br /><p>4. Weak motivation for the change </p><br /><p>5. Lack of cultural fit (culture is extremely powerful, so if the shared services implementation is inconsistent with the culture, the culture will win!)</p><br /><p>6. Ineffective communication planning for the shared services implementation (substance, variety of delivery methods, messages targeted to audience versus top-down communications one size fits all)</p>Here are some things to be aware of from a shared services implementation perspective:<br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>You can expect to have a lot of <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Managing_Resistance_to_Change.pdf">resistance to the business change</a>, even if it is entirely logical from a business perspective. This will be especially true in the ranks of middle managers and directors who will be giving up their power base</li><br /><br /><br /><li>For many organizations, even if you are successful at implementing a shared services model within the various business units (organizational stovepipes) it is extremely challenging to implement across the organizational structure's vertical columns and overcome the existing power structures-- it is the <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Enterprisewide.pdf">paradox of enterprise-wide change</a></li></ul><br /><p>To be successful in implementing a shared services model, you must have:</p><br /><p>1. Clear performance measures for service levels and a process in place for ongoing measurement</p><br /><p>2. A plan for building the required sponsorship in all the areas impacted by the shared services implementation</p><br /><p>3. A communication strategy that relies heavily on face to face communication, with messaging designed in the "frame of reference" for targets of the shared services implementation</p><br /><p>4. Reinforcements that are aligned with the desired business outcomes and behavior change</p><br /><p>The "human side" of shared services implementations are complex, so there is great value in having a single vocabulary and implementation method like the <em><a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/aim_methodology_benefits.aspx">AIM (Accelerating Implementation Methodology) </a></em>that serves as the foundation of the implementation.</p><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com165tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-38372945626556597632011-03-31T13:10:00.000-07:002011-03-31T14:02:43.314-07:00Improving the First Step of Organizational Change ManagementWhether you are working on a large scale business transformation or any other kind of business change project, the first step is to Define the Change. For many <a href="http://www.imakenews.com/imaworldwide/e_article001680696.cfm?x=bgW0Rl3,bj7NbMRQ,w">project teams</a>, it's a missed opportunity for aligning the technical and business objectives for the change with the human objectives.<br /><br />When we start working with a project team, it is rare to find that the human objectives have been defined for the business change. The team may list key stakeholders, and may even identify impacts, but they leave out the "behaviors we seek to see" as part of the change definition. <br /><br />If you aren't defining the desired behaviors up front, it's difficult to know if you have achieved adoption of the new behaviors at the end of the business change project. You can't reinforce new behaviors if you don't know what they are! Organizational change management starts with this comprehensive, compelling, and clarifying change definition. <br /><br />Why don't more project teams take the time to define the human objectives for business change projects? Why invest in business transformation if you don't clearly identify the new behaviors you need?<br /><br />The answer may be that the project team doesn't realize that in order to get value from the business change project, they need to start to think about the human component right from the start, not half-way through the project. We say that best practice for any business change project change definition is to develop a compelling business case for action (a BCA) that describes what you are changing, why are you changing, and what's the consequence if you aren't successful. <br /><br />It's also a lot harder to define the human objectives than it is to identify business and technical objectives. But it can be done. If you are looking for increased business value realization for business change projects, look at the first step in your process. Have you fully defined the behaviors you seek to see? What are the gaps between what people are doing today, and what you want them to be doing in the future state? <br /><br />If your organization is investing in business transformation or other kinds of <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Enterprisewide.pdf">enterprise wide business changes</a>, don't shortchange the first step in the implementation process. Defining the change well directly relates to building readiness, generating sponsorship, building a communication plan, and reinforcing the change. Do a better job of defining the change, and you will be improving your organizational change management.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-68591242044160066582011-03-09T11:25:00.000-08:002011-03-09T11:55:28.368-08:00Organizational Transformation Stress is WidespreadThere is one thing almost every organization today has in common; there is too much going on, and it's creating an epidemic of <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/details.aspx?pid=212&cid=285">organizational stress</a>. When we work with senior leaders on organizational transformation, we talk about the need for focus and prioritization of business change projects. Organizations really need to limit themselves to 3 to 5 major organizational transformation priorities.<br /><br />If you have 12 priorities, how many do you really have? None!<br /><br />This is a hard message for senior leaders to deal with, because they have so much focus on the design of strategies, and much less emphasis on the <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/info/LeadingPeopleThroughBusinessChanges0210_v3.pdf">implementation</a>. The design of the strategy represents about 15% of the work effort of business change projects. Implementation is 85%, and it is the really hard work of organizational transformation.<br /><br />It's not unusual for senior leaders to agree to scale back priorities while they are in the room-- and then business change projects and programs start multiplying again like rabbits. Sometimes leaders will try and lump several business change projects under one program, so that it appears to be a single business change project. The fact remains, though, that organizational transformation changes are difficult enough, but when there is too much going on, with too few resources, implementation of business changes slows down and trust erodes.<br /><br />When leaders understand that they have to "focus down to speed up" organizational transformation, they will be better positioned for implementation success. Organizations that truly prioritize are much more likely to implement at speed.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-92124910179025325532011-02-22T06:39:00.000-08:002011-02-22T07:18:42.384-08:00Gaining User Adoption for Business Change ProjectsOne of the consistent challenges facing organizations today is how to get sustained user adoption for organizational business change projects. User adoption is directly linked to Return on Investment. If there is no behavior change (meaning adoption) there is no Return on Investment for the business change project. <br /><br />We find that organizations are very focused on building a financial business case up-front for initiatives. Business and technical objectives are determined, but rarely are the human objectives for the business change project also identified. What is it that people will be doing differently as a result of this business change project? How will user adoption be measured?<br /><br />There is some <a href="https://datangoevents.webex.com/datangoevents/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=3177442&rKey=5b9e0c0e7dc7627b">recent research </a>focused specifically on <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/the_soft_stufff.pdf">IT user adoption </a>that points out (once again) that the human elements of IT implementations are the key to accelerated user adoption for these business change projects. The research notes that while there has been improvement in user adoption rates, they still remain at about 50%-- meaning that almost half the targets of the business change project are not adopting the technology on a sustained basis. <br /><br />This failure to gain full adoption is a problem for types of all business change projects-- not just technology changes.<br /><br />If these human objectives aren't identified up front then it is difficult to measure whether or not they have been achieved on the back end. That's why defining the change, including defining the human objectives, is an important component of the <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/elements_deliverables_tools.aspx"><em>Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM.) </em> </a>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-58153069617834214142011-02-04T07:57:00.000-08:002011-02-04T08:58:27.379-08:00Getting Leaders Prepared for the Journey of Transformational ChangeThis past month we published an article on Why Transformational Change is Difficult: What Leaders Should Know Before the Journey of Transformational Change. The reason for the article was that so many clients call us asking for help on a transformational change effort, yet they really don't have the <a href="http://http//www.imakenews.com/imaworldwide/e_article001610013.cfm">sponsorship</a> they need to be successful! <br /><br />The reality is that once the decision has been made to embark on a transformational change effort, and the strategy is designed, you are only 15% of the way there. The really long and hard work is that 85% of the work effort remains, and it bears repeating that "implementation is a ferociously resource-consuming activity." <br /><br />Transformational change means doing different things differently. Too many senior leaders are unprepared to commit themselves personally to the business transformation, and don't fully understand the personal and organizational costs that must be committed to the transformational change effort. Transformational change can't be done incrementally either, because once you step into the abyss there is no way back up the cliff. <br /><br />That's why you really need a structured approach to this type of <a href="http://http//www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Enterprisewide.pdf">enterprisewide change</a>!<br /><br />If leaders are unprepared to do the hard work of business transformation, it is better not to even begin the journey. Leaders just lose credibility and trust in the organization, and trust and speed are functional. That means future implementations are likely to stall out or even fail.<br /><br />The article cites 5 reminders for leaders:<br />1. Be prepared for a 3 to 5 year commitment to the transformational change<br />2. The business transformation must be a top priority<br />3. The transformational change starts at the top-- leaders must express, model, and reinforce doing different things differently.<br />4. Know that the transformational change will be resource intensive<br />5. Leaders must have the requisite "managerial courage" because it won't magically appear further down the organization.<br /><br />As we noted in the article, senior leaders must understand that transformational change begins with them.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-87022586525721349252009-11-05T11:21:00.000-08:002010-12-05T16:35:55.615-08:00Change Management Training is Essential to Implementing Projects.How many projects are being worked on right now in your organization? We find that one of the biggest problems in organizations today is that there is just too much going on, with too little focus, and too few resources. There is lots of activity, but the results don't match up-- there are far too many stalled projects and implementation failures.<br /><br />One of the easiest and most cost-effective fixes is to prioritize these projects and ensure that attention is paid to the human elements through a structured implementation framework, along with <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/action_learning_overview.aspx">change management training </a>for sponsors and change agents. We never cease to be amazed by organizations that will spend millions on business transformation, mergers & acquisitions, culture change, and other types of innovation, but fail to invest in the people responsible for business strategy execution. Change management training is essentially a rounding error in the costs of these strategic initiatives, and there is so much to be gained, even if all you do is invest in educating sponsors, because <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/07/sponsorship-is-number-factor-in.html">sponsors</a> are responsible for 30-50% of the implementation's success.<br /><br />It's even more powerful if the change management training is integrated into a methodology of tools, tactics, vocabulary, and a common change management process. We aren't talking about theoretical concepts; this change management training must be practical and business-driven. Change management training should be consistent across the enterprise, especially if implementation speed is important.<br /><br />Let's look at one example: business transformation. It's a common strategic imperative and a key element of company turnaround efforts. <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/projectfailures/?p=1080">Business transformation </a>might include process change driven by Six Sigma or Lean, and may well include new technology. But what about the people aspects of business transformation. How can you speed adoption of process changes and new technology? There are proven strategies and tactics that can be taught in a change management training program that ideally is part of the project implementation process itself.<br /><br />We are firm believers that <em><a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/elements_deliverables_tools.aspx">AIM (Accelerated Implementation Methodology) </a></em>is the the best implementation framework for the human elements of change. Our change management training supports the framework, and includes measurement diagnostics, tools, strategies and tactics-- all very practical and business-driven. Choose <em>AIM</em> or look around at what is available, and choose one methodology that is integrated with change management training. It's a simple and cost-effective way to dramatically increase the likelihood of implementation success.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-73093392466022150762009-10-16T08:21:00.000-07:002009-10-16T08:58:06.900-07:00Driving Accountability in the Business for ERP System Implementations<span style="font-family:arial;">It’s typical for large-scale technology initiatives such as Enterprise Planning System implementations (ERPs) like <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/results_success_stories_EliLillyCaseStudy.aspx">SAP</a> and Oracle to be driven by the IT organization. The question is, who owns the initiative? Are these IT initiatives, or strategic business initiatives. Does ownership shift at some point in the SAP or Oracle project life cycle? The reality is that IT can’t be solely accountable for ERP implementation success, and accountability must be shared between IT and the business. <br /><br />In the early stages of the ERP project life cycle, IT is the driver of the technology selection, analysis, design, and testing processes. Clearly the business end-users must be part of the process. Together, the IT and business owners define the business requirements and design an ERP system that meets the business needs. But it is the business owners who must start to build readiness for the SAP or Oracle implementation by communicating a compelling business case for action and getting the concerns of users out in the open so the inevitable resistance to the ERP implementation can be managed.<br /><br />IT then takes the lead in making sure the system is “up and running” and meets the “go live” target date. This is what we term </span><a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/introduction.aspx"><span style="font-family:arial;">“installation,”</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> and it’s a critical step in implementation. However, when you stop at the point of installation, you are still short of achieving adoption for a system like SAP or Oracle, and therefore, Return on Investment. And even though the IT responsibilities are essentially completed at the point of installation, the project is not yet complete until you get users to adopt the new processes that are driven by the ERP technology. This responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of the business.<br /><br />While it’s typical for the project team to be disbanded at this point, the project is in fact not yet complete. Business partners, or what we term the reinforcing sponsors, must consistently and actively express, model, and reinforce the new behaviors, and you can teach them what good </span><a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/sponsor_shop.aspx"><span style="font-family:arial;">sponsorship</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> requires. IT is in no position to address the necessary modeling and reinforcement because they have no positional authority over the users (or what we call Targets). <br /><br />Providing the appropriate reinforcements is the most important of all business partner (sponsor) responsibilities. Reinforcing sponsors should be applying three essential types of reinforcements at the right time and at the appropriate level of intensity. These can be categorized as positive reinforcement, negative consequences, and degree of work effort.<br /><br />Most Reinforcing sponsors understand that there is power in positive reinforcement. It’s much more difficult, though, to apply negative consequences for users who work around the ERP system and new processes. For many organizations, corporate cultural norms are powerful influencers of sponsor actions, meaning that it’s culturally unacceptable for business partners to provide direct negative feedback to a Target. It’s simply not done. <br /><br />Few reinforcing sponsors understand the role of controlling work effort in driving the SAP or Oracle implementation. How difficult is it for Targets to use the system to perform work in the old ways? Is the old system still available? Are “work-arounds” acceptable”? While IT can be helpful in ensuring that these work effort issues are addressed, the accountability for this aspect of the ERP implementation rests primarily with business partners.<br /><br />By building a partnership based on shared accountability, project teams are far more likely to be positioned for full <a href="http://www.it-cortex.com/Stat_Failure_Rate.htm">ERP implementation success</a>.</span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-11998039980261645782009-10-05T07:31:00.000-07:002009-10-05T07:47:41.622-07:00Getting Buy-In for Business Change Projects<span style="font-family:arial;">If you are dealing with a business change project that requires people to adjust their beliefs as well as actions, you’ll need to generate commitment to the change. You can’t hit people over the head and make them do what you want them to do. And just because your <a href="http://www.projectagency.co.uk/word/projectsponsorship.pdf">Sponsors</a> express their personal commitment to the change does not mean that your Targets will follow. You’ll only be successful if you take people through the commitment building process, aggressively using communication and reinforcement to motivate people to leave where they are (the current state) and move to where you want them to be (the future state.)<br /><br />When you need to win hearts and minds in order for your <a href="http://www.change-management.com/best-practices-report.htm">business change </a>to be successful, you need to manage the 3-stage process of “unfreezing” the behaviors of the current state, transitioning, and “refreezing” the behaviors of the future, desired state. This type of change takes longer, and requires more resources.<br /><br />While there can be other motivators to change from the present way of doing things, the most powerful are pain and need. If it’s easier, and more comfortable, to continue to do things in the same way, you can anticipate that this is exactly what people will do. So the first critical task is to make certain that the personal motivation to change must be greater than the motivation to stay the same.<br /><br />Once people begin to move out of the past, there is a predictable period of time known as the transition state. This is a time of high uncertainty, and as Change Agents and leaders, you have to provide your Targets with structure and support so that they can move through the transition to the desired state. Otherwise, you can expect that people will slip back into the old ways.<br /><br />We’ve all witnessed this. We get through the <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Install_vs_Implement.pdf">“installation” </a>of a new system, or a new process, only to find that within a short period of time people retreat back to the old way of doing things. Our change stalls out, or worse, fades away. <br /><br />What to do? How do you counter the predictable and inevitable downturn in productivity and morale? <br /><br />This is the point in time where you will really see the benefit of skilled Change Agents and educated Sponsors who can impact the depth and duration of the “valley of despair” of the transition. A well-managed transition can minimize the pain and actually accelerate the change through to adoption and behavior change. <br /><br />Here is where your investment in educating your Sponsors can really pay off. Sponsors who are able to express, model, and reinforce their commitment and who understand the importance of Frame of Reference can bring Targets through the transition period more quickly and with many fewer “human casualties.” <br /><br />It’s a time for ensuring there is an abundance of two-way communication so that sources of resistance can be identified and managed. It’s a time for diligently monitoring your change, and making continuous adjustments as situations change.<br /><br />You can’t ignore the transition state, but when it’s planned and managed correctly, it’s a time of great learning. <br /><br /> </span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-90228720842149868642009-07-31T08:01:00.000-07:002009-07-31T09:01:47.670-07:00Organizational Change Management Should Be A Core Capability for Healthcare Transformation<span style="font-family:arial;">There's a lot in the news right now about the need for <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/healthcare-transformation-involves-more.html">healthcare transformation</a>, both in the U.S. and the UK. While there are differences in the current state and the future vision depending on the country, healthcare transformation won't be successful without significant attention being paid to the implementation of these changes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Naturally, there is focus on <a href="http://healthit.ahrq.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1106&PageID=0&cached=true&mode=2">healthcare IT</a>, including electronic medical records and other technology improvements, and attention on healthcare business process improvement, there's a lot less discussion on healthcare change management. How do you get adoption and behavior change in a complex organization structure involving nurses, physicians, technicians and a variety of healthcare professionals who have important work to do? Work disruption created by significant organizational change can impact quality of patient care, patient satisfaction, and patient outcomes. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If you are concerned about how to manage <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Managing_Resistance_to_Change.pdf">resistance to change </a>(yes, it is inevitable) and how to accelerate healthcare business changes, you have to develop internal capability across the organization. Organizational change management consulting has to be focused not on doing it for you, but on how you can do it better for yourself. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">These changes are not going to end anytime soon, so your organization best be prepared with a systematic and systemic approach for implementing healthcare transformation that can be repeated for the programmatic changes you will continue to experience. If you can unite in using a common framework like IMA's <em>Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM)</em> to build change agent capacity, if you can use a common language, and common deliverables across all the healthcare transformation changes you will gain acceleration and reduce the human casualties of organizational change. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">We do have examples of success that we can point to in the healthcare environment where change management best practices have been applied. For example, in Australia, the New South Wales Health organization has been using IMA's AIM methodology for a variety of <a href="http://www.hisa.org.au/system/files/u2233/23-Chapter18.pdf">clinical transformations</a>, including electronic medical records. IMA's role in institutionalizing the AIM methodology has been to provide organizational change management consulting focused on teaching change agents and sponsors involved in a variety of healthcare transformation activities how to tactically apply change management principles that will improve change readiness, sponsorship, communications and behavioral change reinforcements. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Healthcare transformation and organizational change management must be considered together in order to achieve implementation success and project return on investment.</span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-60567218953833413192009-07-28T07:08:00.000-07:002009-07-28T08:16:32.903-07:00Sponsorship is #1 Factor in Organizational Change Management Success<span style="font-family:arial;">There was an interesting question in the Project Manager Discussion Group on <a href="http://http//www.linkedin.com/companies/406140">LinkedIn</a> this morning--- what is the number 1 reason for project failure? There are lots of contributing factors, but without a doubt, the top reason for project failure and reduced project return on investment is lack of Project Sponsorship.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />If you get Sponsorship for your strategic initiative right, you will be positioned for success. Without it, you are pretty much doomed to fail. We find that despite its critical importance, Sponsorship is one of the most misunderstood aspects of organizational change management. It is an active condition, and it’s based on three distinct behaviors that a Sponsor must demonstrate for the entire lifecycle of the project:<br />1. What is Expressed by the Sponsor<br />2. What is Modeled by the Sponsor<br />3. What is Reinforced by the Sponsor<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Since project implementation success is directly linked to adoption of behavioral change, the Sponsor must Express, Model and Reinforce the new behaviors. Most Sponsors have never been made aware of how their own behavior contributes to organizational change management and project return on investment.<br /><br />This is true for all types of projects and strategic initiatives, including <a href="http://http//www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/as-we-work-with-healthcare.html">healthcare transformation</a>, business process re-engineering, mergers and acquisitions, and organizational re-structurings.<br /><br />The good news is that you can measure Sponsorship and <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/sponsor_shop.aspx">train Sponsors </a>why what they model and reinforce is so critical to successful organizational change management. If you want to accelerate implementation, limit resistance to organizational changes, and get to project return on investment, focus your attention on Sponsorship.</span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-52624375984651221622009-07-16T07:18:00.000-07:002009-07-16T08:20:27.110-07:00Business Transformation is Both Strategic and TacticalThe current economic climate has spurred many organizations to assess their own strategic weaknesses while also identifying competitive market opportunities. This is leading to an increase in business transformation activities. By its nature, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_transformation">business transformation </a>is strategic, but it is also tactical. In other words, business transformation can only be successful when it is linked to tactical organizational change management processes.<br /><br />If your organization is going to engage in large scale, complex organizational change that involves multiple work streams, you will not achieve your business change objectives without a structured, tactical process that can be applied across these multiple projects. Business transformation programs typically involve projects with significant interdependencies, and must be managed on an enterprisewide basis. At the same time, it is extremely useful to have a robust, systematic <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/elements_deliverables_tools.aspx">organizational change management methodology </a>(like <em>AIM—the Accelerated Implementation Methodology</em>) that can be applied through all phases of the programmatic lifecycle.<br /> <br />Remember that it isn’t sufficient to just install <a href="http://www.themanager.org/Knowledgebase/Management/Business_Transformation.htm">business transformation changes</a>—these changes need to be implemented through to behavior change and behavior adoption if the organization is going to achieve project return on investment. Business transformation initiatives that focus solely on business and technical objectives, but ignore the human objectives, will fall short. You’ll pay for this in resistance to the business transformation changes that will slow you down or even cause failure.Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-37667764940123869102009-06-30T07:53:00.000-07:002009-06-30T12:39:41.190-07:00Why Are We Installing But Not Implementing Business Changes<div><font face="arial">A few years ago, we started to notice a pattern in organizations that was affecting project Return on Investment. Organizations were very good at installing new software and all other kinds of business changes. The problem was (and is) that the project ended once the change was officially launched. Yes, installation is very important, but it just isn’t enough to produce adoption of behavior changes and project Return on Investment. You will see this pattern played out on all types of changes, including ERP and other software implementations, business process management changes, organizational restructurings, and virtually every other type of business transformational change.</font></div><font face="arial">
<br /><div><br />This is what we call the difference between <a href="http://chieftech.blogspot.com/2008/09/installation-versus-implementation.html">installation and implementation</a>. When projects are stopped at the point of installation, the project team is disbanded, and the budget ends. This means that there is no oversight or management to make sure that sponsors are reinforcing the right behaviors at the local level. Change management stops short and barriers to change are not addressed.</div>
<br /><div><br />It’s pretty easy to see why this pattern is so prevalent. First, most organizations are under high stress with far too many competing priorities for resources and budgets. There is a lot of emphasis on adhering to project schedules and budgets, but less on achieving change. Second, the formal organization reinforcements are all around installation, not implementation. Third, senior leadership is usually focused on the next business change and don’t want to invest the time and energy required for full implementation.</div>
<br /><div><br />We are finding that the installation versus implementation dilemma resonates with project teams and business sponsors. If you are interested in our mini guide on Installation versus Implementation, contact Paula Alsher at <a href="mailto:paula.alsher@imaworldwide.com">paula.alsher@imaworldwide.com</a>.</font></div>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-59656928499601477702009-06-30T07:35:00.000-07:002009-06-30T07:52:18.370-07:00Why Most Organizations Face Sponsorship Issues<span style="font-family:arial;">The number one implementation obstacle most project teams face is how to get sponsors to do what they need. And that means what they need through all the phases of the project. Keep in mind that what you need at the beginning of the project is different from what you will need at the end of the project. We tell our clients that <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/sponsor_shop.aspx">sponsorship</a> is action, not the position of an individual on an organization chart. If you are looking at how to improve your change management practices, start with looking at sponsorship in your organization. It's highly likely that poor sponsorship is the biggest barrier to change you are facing. If you don't have project sponsors who are expressing, modeling and reinforcing the new behaviors, you will see less readiness for change, more <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Managing_Resistance_to_Change.pdf">resistance to change</a>, and issues on adoption-- all of which affect your project's Return on Investment.</span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-72879555549415799362009-04-23T07:47:00.000-07:002009-04-23T07:55:54.762-07:00Healthcare Transformation Involves More Than Transforming Healthcare Services<span style="font-family:arial;">One of our newest clients in the UK is the Blackburn with Darwen NHS PCT/Borough Council partnership. These two organisations are an excellent example of a healthcare transformation effort, representing two parallel initiatives that are focused on both transforming healthcare services commissioning and planning and healthcare services delivery. <br /><br />In one of our conversations, our client noted that, “This is not just about structures and processes. This is really a cultural change as well.” <br />How true! Healthcare transformation cannot be successful on a sustained basis without attention paid to the human-side of transforming healthcare services. This requires an investment of time and resources in <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/as-we-work-with-healthcare.html">healthcare change management</a> such as generating durable Sponsorship and pro-actively planning for and managing healthcare resistance to change.<br /> <br /><strong>Why Expect Healthcare Resistance to Change?</strong><br /> <br />It doesn’t matter if a healthcare change is logical or intended to make things better through new <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/now-is-time-to-build-healthcare-change.html">healthcare IT </a>like electronic medical records implementation- the fact is that any healthcare change is disruptive. And the disruption created by the enormity of healthcare transformation brings with it healthcare resistance to change. When you change the way that people do their jobs, it is a big deal, and of course changing processes and structures are fundamental to transforming healthcare services.<br /><br />With the application of the <em>Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM)</em>, we can actually identify prospectively the likely sources of healthcare resistance to change, and develop strategies and tactics for managing it. You can’t squash it, but you can learn how to use healthcare resistance to change to your own advantage in driving healthcare transformation.<br /><br />If you don’t deal with healthcare resistance to change, your healthcare transformation efforts will slow down, and perhaps even fail. As we tell our clients, you can invest in dealing with healthcare resistance to change now, or pay for it later.</span><br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-14028855247686855182009-04-22T12:43:00.000-07:002009-04-22T12:54:39.292-07:00Now is the Time to Build Healthcare Change Management into Healthcare IT Initiatives<span style="font-family:arial;">I had two reactions after my first visit to the trade show floor at the recent HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) Conference in Chicago. First, the investment being made in healthcare informatics, including <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/electronic-medical-records.html">electronic medical records</a>, is enormous. Second, why isn’t <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/as-we-work-with-healthcare.html">healthcare change management </a>more visible in the healthcare information technology world?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />It would be virtually impossible not to be impressed with the range of healthcare IT software presented on the show floor. The fact remains, though, that healthcare organizations that are looking to build efficiency and improve patient outcomes will be disappointed in healthcare IT results unless healthcare change management is part of their project plans. We know that like all other technology initiatives, the failure/sub-optimized rate for healthcare information technology runs in the 70-80% range.<br /><br />I took heart, however, from a HIMSS roundtable discussion of healthcare informatics CIO’s who all clearly saw that healthcare change management was a key component in their own success. These CIOs weren’t exactly sure how to surround the problems of technology adoption, collaboration between IT and the business, and other “people” issues. They were certain, though, that the long-term success of healthcare information technology was more than a hardware and software issue.<br /><br />With so much attention now focused on healthcare informatics as a foundational piece of the healthcare transformation agenda, it’s time to bring healthcare change management to the forefront. We’re not talking about making people feel good about change; we’re talking about actions that will lead to improved business results and Return on Investment.<br /><br />Given the financial resources being spent on healthcare information technology, doesn’t it make sense to also invest in making sure people will use the systems we are building? </span><br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-69048303934859332492009-04-21T14:36:00.000-07:002009-04-21T14:55:42.180-07:00Electronic Medical Records Implementation Must Include a Plan for Gaining Adoption<span style="font-family:arial;">The move to a paperless electronic medical records system is an important component of healthcare transformation. Beyond the investment in the actual EMR software, successful electronic medical records implementation requires that time, attention, and resources be applied to emr adoption—in other words, to the “people side” of the healthcare IT system implementation. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong>Electronic Medical Records Move to the Forefront of Healthcare Change</strong><br /><br />Now that the Obama administration has drawn attention to the need for <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/04/as-we-work-with-healthcare.html">healthcare change</a> in the U.S. and specifically, emr as a foundation for transforming healthcare services, a plan for gaining emr adoption becomes more critical. At the same time, we know that electronic medical records implementation faces the same barriers as other new technology. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />For example, our healthcare clients at IMA cite examples of emr users resisting the change. In some medical practices, the biggest source of resistance has come from the physicians themselves. And these physicians were supposed to be the Sponsors for the emr implementation!<br /><br />The application of the <em>Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) </em>can dramatically alter the prospects for adoption and Return on Investment for electronic medical records. AIM is a robust, structured framework, with tools, tactics, templates and strategies, along with a common vocabulary for emr implementation.<br /><br />No organization should expect to achieve a successful electronic medical records implementation without specifically investing time and resources in gaining adoption. Are there proactive ways that your organization can provide healthcare change management, gain adoption and increase the likelihood of a successful emr implementation? The answer is a resounding “yes you can”.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-73481178400605468072009-04-20T12:48:00.000-07:002009-04-21T02:27:46.356-07:00Healthcare Change is Dramatic, and Here to Stay<span style="font-family:arial;">As we work with healthcare organizations, both those focused on delivering patient services and those providing healthcare insurance, there is one common thread. All of these organizations are dealing with an overwhelming amount of <span style="font-weight: bold;">healthcare change</span>. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Healthcare change can mean new processes, new organization structures or new technology like <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/blog/2009/03/prescription-for-electronic-medical.html">electronic medical records</a>. But no matter what the nature of the healthcare change, the need for effective change management is readily apparent. At the end of the day, these healthcare changes will not be sustainable unless the organization is able to achieve adoption.<br /><br />Many of our clients have had past struggles with failed or sub-optimized projects, and they are starting to recognize that the investment they are making in healthcare change also requires a parallel investment in healthcare change management. Through a systematic and systemic approach to healthcare change management like the Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) these organizations are able to increase speed, improve patient quality of care and patient satisfaction, and increase competitive advantage.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where to start with healthcare change?</span><br /><br />If you are undergoing a significant amount of change in a healthcare organization, where should you start? One of the first steps we recommend to clients who are experiencing dramatic healthcare change is to conduct an <span style="font-weight: bold;">Implementation History Assessment</span>.<br /><br />This Assessment provides the “patient history” of the organization’s past implementation history and identifies potential healthcare change management barriers such as Sponsorship, Readiness for Change, Reinforcement issues, and Communication obstacles. Using the results of this Assessment, we are able to take an objective, data-based approach to healthcare change management, and dramatically increase the likelihood of adoption and successful healthcare change.<br /><br />Contact us to hear more about how we can improve your Healthcare Change projects.<br /><br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-82391754043799353212009-03-27T08:12:00.000-07:002009-04-21T02:36:17.356-07:00Prescription for Electronic Medical Records Implementation Success<span style="font-family:arial;">According to a recent </span><a href="http://http//www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/business/01unbox.html?ref=business"><span style="font-family:arial;">New York Times article</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, the Obama Administration expects to spend about 19 billion dollars to accelerate the use of computerized records by Health Care systems and doctors offices. In the same article, Dr. Blackford Middleton, Chairman for the Center for Technology Leadership states, “What is underappreciated is the implementation challenge.”<br /><br />These electronic medical records are the basis for both the diagnostic and economic lifeblood of any medical care practice, so getting the implementation right the first time is essential. Notes Dr. Patricia Korber, MD, "In my own practice, we thought we were ready, but we underestimated the degree of difficulty we were going to face.”<br /><br />Unfortunately getting the technology “installed”, meaning that it is up and running, is not synonymous with gaining sustained adoption, or “implementation.” The </span><a href="http://http//www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Install_vs_Implement.pdf"><span style="font-family:arial;">difference between installation and implementation </span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">is not mere semantics; it is a quantitative and qualitative difference that reflects the speed and return for the human and financial resources that will be invested in electronic medical records or EMR. EMR implementation speed is critical to health care providers both financially and because of the disruption to work flow and efficiency that directly impacts the quality of patient care.<br /><br />Interestingly, the Obama Administration has set forth, but not yet defined, its term of “meaningful use” of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) as a criterion for subsidized payment for implementation in Doctors’ offices.<br /><br />Based upon our thirty years of field research at IMA, over 70% of technology system implementations in Healthcare Systems (such as EMR implementations) fail to achieve on time and on budget what they promised to their organizations. In over 85% of the cases we have observed, technological integrity is not the issue. Ultimately, the technology will do what it is supposed to do. The stumbling block is in how to integrate the human beings with the technology as quickly as possible.<br /><br />This literally becomes like those old Fram oil filter commercials: “You can pay me now or pay me later.” Any medical practice or health care system can either spend time to create readiness, or Prepay a substantial price for <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/pdf/Managing_Resistance_to_Change.pdf">resistance to change </a>and sub-optimized systems. After implementing technical systems in health care environments for two decades, we have yet to discover a situation where the third “no payment required” option came into play.<br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-71771187099387446482009-03-09T08:03:00.000-07:002009-03-09T08:41:29.699-07:00Manage the People Side of SAP for Implementation Success<span style="font-family:arial;">It would be easy, and generally incorrect, to assume that the reason for the less than stellar results for <a href="http://searchsap.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid21_gci1345402,00.html">SAP implementation success </a>is that the wrong technology solution was selected.<br /><br />Instead, the data suggests, and our own experience in client systems confirms, that too many organizations pay too little attention in time and resources to the human aspects of SAP implementations. A robust implementation plan is needed that addresses critical factors like readiness for change, sponsorship, reinforcement, and communication— all applied with the same level of rigor and business-discipline that are followed in other areas of the business.<br /><br />What’s more, because the track record on technology adoption in many organizations is littered with past failures or stalled installations, there is a past history that can’t be ignored. Each time an organization experiences failure, it is embedded in the institutional memory of the targets—those people most affected by the change. As a result, the next technology initiative is greeted with increased skepticism that translates into reduced management credibility, greater resistance, and even longer timelines to achieve user adoption.<br /><br />Communication and Training Alone Aren’t Enough<br /><br />While many organizations hope that a series of informational emails from top executives, cross-functional town-hall meetings, and training will overcome the barriers to adoption, these are rarely enough. Even involving subject matter experts from the business in the design of new processes and in requirements definition, while a positive step, is typically insufficient.<br /><br />It is possible, however, to overcome the common barriers to SAP adoption by applying the structured, purposeful approach of AIM (Accelerating Implementation Methodology) as the <a href="http://www.carbon.cudenver.edu/~bwilson/used.html">technology adoption model</a>. Each step in the AIM planning architecture addresses a likely adoption barrier. The <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/intro_to_AIM.aspx">AIM process </a>also includes data-driven tools that allow you to measure predictable data points in the SAP technology integration process.<br /><br /> Five Lessons for Achieving Adoption<br /><br /><strong>Lesson 1: Develop a clear definition of the desired future state</strong><br />The <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/catalog.aspx">AIM Project Overview tool </a>enables core team members to arrive at a common definition of the change more efficiently, addressing critical information not included in typical project charters.<br /><br /><strong>Lesson 2: Invest in the human side<br /></strong>Given that human and organizational issues represent the biggest risk in getting to adoption and Return on Investment, it’s short-sighted to not sufficiently budget for critical implementation activities.<br /><br /><strong>Lesson 3: Spend the time to get the right kind of <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/sponsor_shop.aspx">project sponsorship </a><br /></strong>To be successful, you will need to develop sponsors who will express, model, and reinforce the new behaviors, beginning at higher leadership levels and cascading down to include managers and supervisors of those employees most affected by the change.<br /><br /><strong>Lesson 4: Plan and manage the implementation effectively<br /></strong>Integrate project management and the human elements into one cohesive implementation plan.<br /><br /><strong>Lesson 5: Be prepared to deal with resistance to changes<br /></strong>Know up-front that resistance is inevitable. Apply the repeatable, practical AIM strategies and tactics to identify, surface, and manage resistance to SAP.</span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809034602481345713.post-65108524927034649742009-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:002009-03-04T08:24:30.849-08:00Accelerating Your Business Recovery<span style="font-family:arial;">As organizations confront radical challenges, leaders may contemplate seismic shifts in strategy. These strategic shifts must be implemented surely and swiftly. Speed has never been more important than it is today. But communication decrees from the top are not enough to ensure implementation success. The <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/about_AIM.aspx">Accelerating Implementation Methodology (AIM) </a>offers a simple, but not simplistic, framework for guiding implementation of new strategies through a complex web of organizational issues that can easily cause these strategic lifelines to stall out or even fail.<br /><br />It’s tempting to delude ourselves that we can shortcut the critical AIM steps in order to gain speed, but these are the very steps that are needed to ensure our capacity to turn the organizational ship in another direction quickly. For example, without a clear definition of the strategic change, we can predict that diverse areas of the organization will provide their own interpretation of what this change will mean. The need for a compelling, easily understood Business Case for Action, is more critical than ever.<br /><br />Other AIM deliverables are equally as critical, including:<br />A Sponsorship Strategy:<br />We must have a plan in place to generate active Sponsorship of the new strategic direction cascading down through senior, mid-level, and front-line ranks. The Sponsorship Strategy must be designed in concert with explicit changes in reinforcements so that there is personal accountability for implementation success at the local level.<br /><br />A Readiness Strategy:<br />Even in a difficult economic environment, there will be <a href="http://www.newfoundations.com/OrgTheory/Bolognese721.html">resistance to change</a>. People may “really oughta wanna” change and follow the new direction, but when we are talking about doing new things in new ways, there will be resistance. If we are prepared with a plan to identify the sources of resistance and manage it appropriately, we will be able to move much more quickly.<br /><br />A Reinforcement Strategy:<br />To get the organization to do things differently, we must manage performance differently as well. Review your formal and informal reward systems to make certain that reinforcements are actually aligned with the behavioral changes being made, and that the reinforcements are in the “frame of reference” of the Targets. Telling people to change is not the same thing as <a href="http://hr.nd.edu/prodevelopment/tips_3.shtml">motivating people to change</a>.<br /><br />A Communication Strategy:<br />While it may appear to be much more efficient to use email to drive key messages, we know it is actually not a very effective delivery mechanism because there is no formal system for getting feedback on the message. This feedback is a critical source of information on where there is likely resistance.<br /><br />A Strategy for Building Change Agents<br />Too many organizations rely on subject matter experts to implement changes at the local level. These individuals may have the technical expertise needed, but lack the interpersonal skills and credibility required. Use the <a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/catalog.aspx">AIM Change Agent Assessment tool </a>(available at our website store at </span><a href="http://www.imaworldwide.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">www.imaworldwide.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">) to review individual capability to make certain that you are selecting the right people.<br /><br />By following the AIM structured framework, organizations increase their ability to make changes quickly. When speed matters, AIM is the fuel for driving implementation success.<br /><br /></span>Implementation Management Associateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12234844628356483786noreply@blogger.com0