Information Technology Centralization and Modernization Efforts and the Impact on Organizational Culture at a Federal Statistical Agency By Joseph L. Parsons & Brandon W. Duxbury Presented by Joseph L. Parsons United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service

Key Points IT projects are often the tools and face of change Significant change always creates conflict This leaves us with challenges, opportunities, and risks to manage Leveraging a framework to consider sources of conflict may help us successfully manage change

Introduction Formerly a decentralized organization Modernization effort to centralize NASS’s: – Business processes – Network, applications, and databases Architectural transformations affect: – How employees work and interact – Staff resource costs – Quality of statistical products – The overall culture of the organization

Organizational Culture & IT Leidner and Kayworth – Culture is: Fundamental aspect of how an organization operates Coherent set of beliefs, basic assumptions, shared sets of core values, important understandings, and collective will Manifested through artifacts and creations (i.e. technology) – Three types of cultural IT conflict System Contribution Vision

Types of Conflict - System System - group values are in conflict with values assumed by a particular technology – The greater the cultural difference between the champion group and the user group, the greater the system conflict – The greater the breadth of IT implementation across groups, the greater the system conflict – The greater the system conflict: The less likely the group is to be a forerunner in adopting the IT The greater the modification of use to support the user’s values

Types of Conflict - Contribution Contribution - group values conflict with the values associated with IT – Do key players in an organization see IT as a strategic asset? – If key players see IT as a strategic asset, then those aspiring to be key players probably will too – The greater the contribution conflict experienced by a group: The less strategic a role that IT will play in that group The less likely the innovative uses of IT by the group

Types of Conflict - Vision Vision - group values conflict with the values embedded within a specific technology – The greater the difference between the champion group’s and user group’s values, the greater the vision conflict – The lesser the involvement of the most powerful people within a group, the greater the vision conflict – The greater the vision conflict: The lower the adoption rate of the IT The greater the potential change to the group’s IT values

NASS IT Projects Review, Estimates, Comments, Approval, and Publish (RECAP) Database Integrated County Estimates (DICE) Centralized Survey Management System (cSMS) Centralize and Virtualize Network (OE1)

General Business Process Model SMS RECAP DICE Operational Efficiency #1

System Conflict Experience with legacy systems (DICE) Fears that a new system would not support user needs (RECAP & DICE) System - group values are in conflict with values assumed by a particular technology – The greater the cultural difference between the champion group and the user group, the greater the system conflict – The greater the breadth of IT implementation across groups, the greater the system conflict – The greater the system conflict: The less likely the group is to be a forerunner in adopting the IT The greater the modification of use to support the user’s values

Contribution Conflict Single project manager (RECAP & cSMS) Existing system administrators not heavily involved in project design (OE1) Contribution - group values conflict with the values associated with IT – Do key players in an organization see IT as a strategic asset? – If key players see IT as a strategic asset, then those aspiring to be key players probably will too – The greater the contribution conflict experienced by a group: The less strategic a role that IT will play in that group The less likely the innovative uses of IT by the group

Vision Conflict Business needs versus IT resources (RECAP) Unrealistic schedule (cSMS) Transfer of responsibilities (OE1) Vision - group values conflict with the values embedded within a specific technology – The greater the difference between the champion group’s and user group’s values, the greater the vision conflict – The lesser the involvement of the most powerful people within a group, the greater the vision conflict – The greater the vision conflict: The lower the adoption rate of the IT The greater the potential change to the group’s IT values

Lessons Learned Users are reluctant to transition to new applications Fears are alleviated with a cohesive champion group A business-side and IT-side project manager should be assigned Project managers should garner feedback from users and IT personnel Use of a multi criteria decision making process was incorporated

Conclusions Pilot tests Scaled development and deployment Agile development Getting key players involved early Communication Education

IT projects are not just the implementation of technology. They are the tools and manifestation of organizational cultural change. Change  Conflict  Challenges & Opportunities to Anticipate and Manage