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3. The ‘answer’ is a significant IT system
implementation or upgrade?
But exactly how, and by how much, do we expect this new IT system to raise
our performance?
Of course, appropriate IT system projects can make a
valuable contribution to commercial performance. But is there a clear and
testable explanation of how the new systems will deliver the promises being
made? If not, why not? The worrying characteristics here include: -
-
The missing Cause-&-Effect explanation. The
question is "how exactly, by what specific mechanisms, will this
‘solution’ work in conjunction with our organisation, resources and
processes to improve our commercial or operational performance"?
-
The techniques for linking IT projects to
business objectives are not widely known;
-
IT projects therefore tend to prioritise
technical goals over those of the business.
In many organisations,
rather than achieve improved business performance, the goal has become
simply the implementation of an IT system.
Whether those system implementations deliver significant business benefits
is often far from clear.
Some of
these warning signs may be evident to you within your organisation. If so, it means that time, money and energy is being
spent without the return you are due in terms of operational and commercial
improvements. Fortunately,
on the other hand, a great deal can be done to rectify the shortcomings and
it can be done quickly.
A first step is to
understand how commercial organisations unintentionally constrain their own
progress by the use of traditional business project methods.
Traditional, structured
project methods tend to be rigid, resource-intensive and slow to deliver
business results. Specialist practitioners have been able to phase out
and replace the traditional approaches.
The next step in
achieving improved results faster, is to introduce slightly different but
critical concepts in how major projects and initiatives are established and
carried out. Often of course, it is human nature to resist new thinking.
Hence, leadership at a senior level is required to bring about the
transition to the next levels of project effectiveness.
So exactly how would
your senior managers benefit if introduced to these slightly different
concepts? The answer is in their capabilities to reframe and structure
projects or initiatives to work directly, demonstrably and measurably
towards corporate objectives. Those capabilities will enable them to: -
-
quantify project
goals to predict and measure their benefit to corporate objectives;
-
streamline the
projects and initiatives portfolio but simultaneously improve its results;
-
design projects to
deliver business results early and onwards in continuous cycles each of 2-4
weeks;
-
reduce costs and
prioritise the most profitable results for early delivery within projects.
You might wish to take a first step in testing the approach in
a controlled, small-scale setting. A good way is to work on the
design of a current or planned project of your choosing. The choice would
most valuably be a project for which you would especially welcome earlier or
improved delivery of beneficial results.
You can find out more about how
these methods work at btt
technology or use e-mail to raise
questions.
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