The Art of Managing Change Reflections on Change Management for Technology Projects

“If you want to make enemies, try to change something” – Woodrow Wilson

Agenda What is change management ? Change management basics. Case study.

What is Change Management? Change management is the process of developing a planned approach to change in an organization. Objectives: Maximize collective efforts of stakeholders Minimize risk of failure

Icebergs

The IT Project Iceberg Technology Process People / Organization

The IT Project Iceberg Technology Process People / Organization Easy 10% Technology Process 90% - need to address these first People / Organization Hard

The IT Project Iceberg Failure to recognize that technology is just the tip of the iceberg will doom your project to an early grave !

Don’t Just “Wire it Together”

How to Manage Change Find a great sponsor. Have a clear sense of mission or purpose – develop a shared vision. Build a team. Pick people with relevant skills and high energy levels. Ask for volunteers. Identify and manage stakeholders. Communicate early and often. Train early and often.

Project Sponsor is Critical All IT projects must have a business sponsor or “owner”: Establish vision and business case for change. Provide overall project direction. Report status / significant issues to stakeholders. Ensure that system meets needs of users and managers. Ensure that resultant changes in business process are implemented consistently. Ensure that project benefits are realized.

Make a Case for Change Develop a business case that… Addresses a problem or opportunity Recommends a solution Defines the boundaries Creates a compelling case for change

Make a Case for Change Everyone sings off the same sheet of music…

Manage Stakeholders

Identify and Map Stakeholders People / Organizations Stake Expected Disposition Proposed Role Internal: Process owner Affected business units System users IT organization Support organizations (HR, Finance, Admin) External: External customers / users Public OFT Control agencies Media Define each individual’s and group’s interest in the project and describe how it impacts them Support, Neutral or Oppose Describe how you would engage each individual or group in the project. Some individuals and groups play direct roles (approver, decider, builder, user, operator, etc.). Others have indirect roles requiring you to keep them informed.

Understand Stakeholders Supporters Neutrals Opposers

Understand Stakeholders Stakeholder management -The “Wild West” approach: Pioneers Settlers Outlaws

Leverage the Pioneers Pioneers Unbridled enthusiasm for the project -- they can see the promised land. Good source of project “champion” or sponsor. Early adopters to demonstrate initial success. Project spokesperson -- keep the settlers informed and get them on board for implementation.

Bring Along the Settlers They’ll follow, if you have a good leader (pioneer). Important to communicate the “message of opportunity” early and often: What’s in it for them ? What will things “look like” after the project ? How will their job change ? What new opportunities will the project create ? How can they participate ?

Listen to the Outlaws Outlaws Equally important to identify. Change resistant -- lurking in the cubicles to ambush your project. Expend some energy to convert as many as possible. Listen to their concerns – encourages due diligence to ensure your change strategy is sound.

Total Support is Impossible “If your horse is dead, dismount !” Alternatives to dismounting: Buy a stronger whip. Change riders. Declare: "This is the way we have always ridden this horse." Appoint a committee to study the horse. Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses. Create a training session to improve employees' riding skills. Change the requirements and declare the horse undead. Outsource contractors to ride the dead horse. Harness several dead horses together for increased speed. Provide additional funding to increase the horse's performance. Promote the horse to a supervisory position.

Stakeholder Management Capability Maturity Most Organizations at Level 1 (or 0/-1), Striving to Achieve Level 2 5. Optimized Process Lessons learned drive continuous improvement of stakeholder management process. 4. Managed Process Sponsors fully engaged. Stakeholder commitment and communications strategies routinely reviewed and adjusted as required. Performance measured. 3. Standardized Approach Stakeholder management processes fully defined and documented with full buy-in throughout the organization. 2. Basic Capability Basic stakeholder management procedures are identified for some projects. Sponsors informally committed to the project. 1. Ad-hoc Few processes in place. Projects succeed by happenstance and heroics. Key stakeholders known but not formally identified. No stakeholder communication actions identified.

Communicate, Communicate Project Business Case Plain English description (business purpose, resource requirements, expected outcomes). Sends clear message of agency commitment to project. Weekly Team Meetings Keeps project team on point. Surfaces issues for resolution.

Communicate, Communicate Project Steering Committee Meetings Maintain agency focus on project. Keep project “owners” engaged. Decide major issues -- scope, budget, resources. Opportunity to update key stakeholders.

Communicate, Communicate Project Status Reports Weekly reports on Intranet. Pilot surveys. “Strut Your Stuff” Agency newsletter. Press articles. Agency’s external web site. Town hall meetings with stakeholders

Key Skills People Political Analytical Business Systems

Training is Critical Change agent skills: Leadership Visioning Listening and inquiry Coaching and facilitation Dealing with complexity Analyzing systems and processes

Training is Critical Business training: New organizations and relationships Changed staff roles and responsibilities Changed business operations New policies, procedures

Training is Critical Technology and tools training: New forms and documentation New information systems

Case Study

The Problem Law enforcement workers need quick and easy access to crime fighting data from state, local and federal sources: Criminals don’t heed jurisdictional boundaries. Heightened need for intelligence sharing post 9/11.

The Problem Traditional agency-centric (e.g., “stove pipe”) approach to technology gets in the way: Individual agency resources strained supporting redundant systems and databases. Limited resources available to build new capability. Users forced to deal with multiple entities to get the data they need. Multiple PCs and devices in the field.

The Vision for Change

Coordinated delivery of criminal justice information Single Point Of Access Easy to use Graphical Interface

The Strategy Individual criminal justice agencies keep their data and applications. Give users access via a single web portal. Build new / upgrade old applications to provide improved capability. Consolidate agency infrastructure (networks, mainframes, servers, etc.) for improved efficiency and lower cost.

Managing Change Leadership communicated the vision. Project sponsor and change leader identified. Key participants trained in consensus building. Agencies established a governance board: Coordinate budgets Prioritize and oversee common projects Manage consolidated technology services Incremental change initiated: Mainframe migration to OFT Single network organization created Common architecture and portal environment designed

Parting Thoughts… Building and managing relationships is critical to success. Figure out what’s required to inspire individual stakeholders to work together toward a common project goal.

Parting Thoughts… “Things do not change - we do.” – Henry David Thoreau

Thank you !!!