The planning process, along with related activities such as interviews with stakeholders, helps to build an initial Commitment to move forward. It won’t get everyone off the fence, but it will help start the key individuals moving. I suggest starting a major implementation with both a senior leadership group or steering team and a slightly lower-level implementation team.
- The steering team gives planning advice and approval.
- The implementation team does the more detailed planning.
They all have a say in what happens.
After some level of commitment comes implementation work, in order to create Value. Remember to communicate the value for all the key stakeholders. Many kinds of value can be created and the benefits will be different for different people.
How do we know that the value was achieved?
It must be measured.
The following table outlines some sample implementation measurements.
| Player | Value | Sample Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| CEO | improved predictability | On-time delivery |
| reduced cacle times | Standard cycle time vs. benchmarks, anecdotal evidence | |
| increased efficiency | Number of projects completed vs. headcounts | |
| Project Manager | More credibility of schedules | Surveys |
| Better understanding of problems and their magnitude | Surveys | |
| Increased chance of hitting requirments dates | On-time delivery | |
| Functional Manager | Better ability to predict and communicate resource requirements | Budget overruns / shortfalls, surveys |
| Simpler assignment and management of tasks | Surveys | |
| Ability to say “no” or “not now” when appropriate | Interviews | |
| Individual Contributor | Clear, stable priorities | Task progress statistics, surveys |
| Reduced chaos and multitasking | Survey | |
| Financial Officer | More reliable budgets | Deviations from Plan |
| All | Consistent, disciplined communication | Checklists to determine process adherence |
It is never enough just to measure. The measurements must be validated against different people’s expectations. In addition, once that Validation has taken place, the results must be communicated to key stakeholders. If the results are what we expect, we will reinforce that what was promised is coming true.
People are much more likely to acknowledge value and continue with change if the value is shown to them explicitly. If senior leaders are consistently shown the value captured by project teams, they will be far less likely to cut funding. They will better understand the connections between continued funding and success.
But what happens if expectations are not met?
Find out in my next blog.
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CORE: developed by ProChain Solutions
This Article is based on Rob Newbold, Making Change Stick, from the book Cox III, James F.,
and Schleier Jr., John G.,eds. Theory of constraints handbook. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 2010. p. 108-112