When starting any business change initiative, the enabling technologies you choose matter. Choosing the right technologies can mean the difference between business change success, or failure.
The growing business analysis industry is testament to the increasing need for new technologies as pathways for business change, innovation and improvement. Businesses that win out today are those that successfully use relevant and creative technologies to enhance innovation, operations, processes or customer interaction.
More and more we see clients selecting the technology, or setting their mindset before actually thinking through the detail, the why comes first and then shape the how.
1. What is it you want to achieve and why?
Start with why.
Why are you making a business change and how do you define the changes that need to be made? Explaining your company’s motivation for change inspires people to change their behaviours and to act. Business change is only effective if you can bring each stakeholder with you and help them see the value that the change will bring.
2. Define the business change
Are you embarking on a business change project or programme? Projects are unique, transient, with a set start and end. They are tactical in nature. Programmes are defined as a collection of projects, strategic in nature and delivering ongoing, cyclical changes and improvements. Make sure that each business change aligns with the business’ objectives, critical success factors and KPIs (key performance indicators).
3. Launch a fact-finding mission
Involve all stakeholders up front: from project managers and operational stakeholders to people in charge of governance like senior management and even, if necessary, external regulatory stakeholders. Find out what the pain points are within the organisation and, if relevant, what roadblocks you may encounter externally. Document all your findings and present them back to stakeholders.
4. Create the business case
Your business case should be a living, breathing document that justifies the business change. It is designed to evolve throughout the change process. It will define the feasibility of the change at the business, technical and financial level. It should include; a problem statement; business needs and technology options; a cost/benefit analysis; an impact and risk assessment and ownership of that risk; and an investment appraisal which illustrates payback, net present values, internal rate of return, and total cost of ownership for the technologies the business needs.
5. Create a list of requirements
Requirements can be tricky in that they are defined as being a stated or unstated need of the business. Quite often, stakeholders can think the business needs a certain solution and be, simultaneously, entirely unaware of what it is the business actually needs! Through observation, interviews, building user scenarios and prototyping, you can build up a rich picture of business processes and business needs that will help inform the requirements list and suitable technology options. This should include what solutions a business already has and how new technologies should integrate, how they can scale and how they can be improved upon in the future.
6. Think about the future
So many organisations realise that their current word won't let them scale or realise operational efficiency through say automation, however the desire to invest huge amounts of time mapping the current process immediately puts them into the mindset that risks them repeating the sins of the past.
Without being blunt, your business is special, but the way you do things is likely not. If you want to really embrace change then you need to enter the mindset of future state, leveraging solutions to modify you ways or working and operating model. if you need to 'bend' the new world that much, the chances are you are doing something wrong or at the very least challenging the status quo.
6. If in doubt, phone a friend
Talking to technology experts and consultants can help define which technologies are appropriate and provide valuable insights throughout the selection process. An expert’s guidance can help you navigate the tech maze and make sure you follow best practice.
If you'd like to discuss your change programme we offer free therapy to those in need! Reach out to our team and we'd be happy to arrange a fact finding call, free of charge. hello@incubusdigital.com.
