1. How to Build and Grow Your CI Group: A Best Practices Approach
John McGonagle – The Helicon Group
September 14, 2018
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2. Copyright 2018 The Helicon Group
Approach
Identify sources of Best Practice models
Understand How yourown CI processes work
Compare your firm with Best Practice models in Key Areas
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3. Sources of Proven World Class CI Practices
APQC/SCIP Best Practices Studies
SCIP Team Excellence Award (TEA)
Tested
Baldridge Award Program (annual) Criteria
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4. Using This in YOUR Program
APQC provides a picture of the development process
Help in developing your own plan
Avoid mistakes and pitfalls
SCIP TEA application and Baldrige Criteria are pictures of finished products
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How To Look At This
Adapt, not adopt
Always keep in mind
age
industry differentiations
types of CI being provided
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6. Best Practice: Development Paths & Patterns
Typically moves through 4 rounds
Pre-start-up
Start-up
Established
World-class
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7. Development Paths & Patterns
Each is an upgrade and refinement of the previous one
To get to next one requires an affirmative promotional plan
Experience shows – you must continue to develop! There is no stopping!
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8. Copyright 2018 The Helicon Group
Prestart-up
Start-up
Established
World Class
Staff
Knowledge-
able in CI
Expand CI, industry, and company knowledge
Undertakes training of internal customers; experienced staff helps stability
Benchmarks against best practices
Structure
Preliminary administrative structure
Gradual expansion in numbers; deal with succession issues
Elect centralized or decentralized model
Some customers may assert ownership
Relationship with other research units
None
Informal contacts
Formalized coordination process; contact at staff level
Integration of strategic & tactical intelligence
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Prestart-up
Start-up
Established
World Class
Networks
None
Few key members; some weak ties (links). Develop ties to marketing
Some key members; many links. Develop ties to sales
Substantial number of key members; hundreds of links
Financial
Temporarily from other budget(s)
In budgeting process
Separate budget
Stable budget
Development
Prepare initial plan – with marketing focus
Internal marketing via “road shows” – missionary work; constantly identify company’s key goals (and changes)
Use training to expand awareness; provide products to non-customers
Embedded CI culture; customers become very sophisticated, calling for managing expectations
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Prestart-up
Start-up
Established
World Class
Ethics
Establish basic standards – usually SCIP’s
CI staff develops more focused standards
Standards reflect close working relationship with legal
Training on ethics includes customers as well as staff
Training (staff)
Ethics and communication
Basics of CI, including data collection
Analysis & general management issues
Advanced techniques, e.g., simulations & modeling
Training (non-staff)
Basics of CI for customers
Ethical limits & basic analysis for customers and potential customers
Ongoing awareness training for all employees
Education on defensive issues for all employees
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Prestart-up
Start-up
Established
World Class
Champion(s)
Driving force for creation
Helps to get foot in the door
Becomes a real customer
Becomes a partner
Customers
Limited to champion(s)
Gradually expand base; locate close to best customer(s)
Affirmative expansion efforts; increase frequency of contacts
Direct access to decision-makers; customers required to have CI input to act
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Prestart-up
Start-up
Established
World Class
Focus on customer needs
Stick-fetching - passive
Prioritization and analysis – mixture of passive and proactive
Direct role on key teams – heavily proactive
Targets
Identify targets of opportunity
Ad hoc requests dominate; establish process to prioritize focus
Formalized evaluation process
Right to “say no”
Products
Limited number of outputs, typically including newsletter
Expanded number and quality of outputs
Established product line; include implications, insights, recommendations
Constant pruning & upgrading of product line
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Prestart-up
Start-up
Established
World Class
Effect of output
Knows what
Knows how information flows
Knows why; high impact on strategic and tactical decisions – CI drives decisions
Feedback
None
Informal
Regular feedback from key customers during projects
Regular face-to-face feedback from all customers
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14. Success Requires Constancy
“I've paid my dues, time after time. I've done my sentence but committed no crime. And bad mistakes I've made a few I've had my share of sand kicked in my face. But I've come through. “We are the champions, my friends. And we'll keep on fighting till the end. We are the champions, We are the champions, No time for losers, cause we are the champions of the world”
We Are The Champions
Copyright 2018 The Helicon Group