overview of program management.docx

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Program Management

Program Management: Overview

Organizations often fail to recognize the importance of managing a business change program as

an overall strategic initiative. It is common to apply project management discipline to specificcomponents of the change - particularly the IT systems. Even greater focus and rigor should be

applied to achieving the overall business objective.

By definition, a program will involve several parts of an organization. Participants need to be

shepherded together to deliver the results. This means that every strategic change program

should be directly owned and controlled from board level. Programs also deserve and require

full-time attention from a senior manager - someone who can command action from all parts ofthe business.

What is Program Management?

A program is a set of related projects which collectively deliver an overall change for the

business. Most significant changes involve many aspects of the business.

It is a common misunderstanding to think of change programs as a technology issue. Certainly,

technology is normally involved in the change and the IT staff have well-developed methods and

skills for managing technology projects. Technology is, however, only one of many aspects ofthe overall change.
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There will be two levels of management focus. At the program level, the program management

team is focused on driving change across all relevant parts of the organization. Below that, each

individual initiative will have its own leadership, focused on delivering a specific component ofthe solution.

The characteristics of these two levels can be strikingly different. Program managers often needto be politically astute ambassadors, negotiating with the leadership team in different parts of the

business to bring about the overall corporate goal. They will often be dealing with imprecise,

evolving concepts. They will need to establish the business case and persuade others of its merit.They will be visionaries who understand that there should be a better way of conductingbusiness.

Contrast this to the character of a project manager. The project manager will doggedly strive to

deliver a specified overall deliverable for the business. They will focus intensely on their target,

getting involved in the detailed issues. They deliver the goods - but rarely step back to considerthe bigger picture.

Some aspects of program management are similar to the management of projects, albeit

conducted at a higher, more strategic level. For example, a program manager will address risks

and issues - but focusing on impacts for the overall initiative and the best interests of theorganization as a whole. A project manager performing the same tasks would, in contrast,

address risks and issues to delivering the specific defined deliverables.

Managing a program

Initially a program will be ill defined - just a set of ideas that merit exploration and testing. The

concept will evolve until a change program can be defined, along with its associated business

case and blueprint for the overall change.

Before work starts on individual deliverables, the key components need to be defined and

agreed: things such as the vision, objectives, scope, architecture, approach, resourcing,responsibilities and dependencies. Attention should be given to the human change aspects of the

change - usually a major consideration in strategic change programs. These building blocks form

the framework within which individual projects can be conducted.


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Of course, program management does not stop with the launch of the individual projects. The

program will inevitably evolve over time - even within the timeframe of the scheduled projects.

The program management team will continuously focus on delivering optimum benefit for theorganization - always ready to make further improvements or change direction to meet the best

interests of the business.

Program management also provides oversight of the individual projects:

to ensure they stay on track to identify and manage inter-dependencies between the projects to monitor, report and influence the net benefit to the business.

Put the right team in place

Program management is a specialist discipline in its own right. It is not a routine line

management task, nor is it a task for an IT project manager. It merits top-level direction and an

experienced program management team.

Recognizing the required skills and sponsorship is essential. The team must have the ability,

positioning, sponsorship and support to drive the overall business change. They will require

sound business competence, diplomatic skills, the ability to comprehend a wide range ofdisciplines and functions within the organization, and a deep understanding of program

management techniques.
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The relationship between Programs and

Projects

What is a Program?

In theProgram Management overview, we defined a program as follows:

A program is a set of related projects which collectively deliver an overall change

for the business.

It can be hard (and often pointless) to identify whether a given undertaking is a large project or asmall program. Perhaps the most useful test is to look for the two levels of management - a

strategic management team guiding the overall change program overseeing project managementteams charged with delivering the specific changes.

Here are some more guidelines contrasting the characteristics:

Programs: Projects:

Address the entire business change Deliver a specific change component

Focus on strategic goals Focus on tactical delivery

May have imprecise definition Have a precise objective

May have uncertain timing Are defined with a specific timeline and

budget

Evolve over a period of time to derive

optimum benefit for the organization

Try to avoid change to the defined scope

in order to ensure delivery

Require much senior management

attention, often including strategic and

political debate across organizational

boundaries

Require management communication

primarily at an operational level

concerning operational details

Produce an overall improvement in the Produce specific pre-defined
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business that may be multi-faceted and

not fully defined at the outset of the

program

deliverables

Require a manager who is high-powered, high-level, visionary, strategic,

political, sales-oriented, and works with

people at the top and across the

organization

Require a manager who pays attentionto detail, has good team leadership,

plans in detail, follows a disciplined

approach, and delivers the goods.

Program lifecycle

The lifecycle of a program is not as distinct as that of a project. The key ingredients often happen

before any identifiable program has commenced. Much of the early thinking will be more in thenature of senior management discussions about business strategy. At some time, those ideas willcondense to the extent that a change program can be defined.
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The Program Definition will identify:

the overall vision and objectives, the scope (eg geography, departments, products, functions, market segments) the business case, the business architecture of the solution in terms of a blueprint for the various aspects of

business change, eg people, organization structure, technology, processes, etc (see diagram),

the overall approach to achieve that target business architecture, proposed budgets and timelines, senior-level ownership, sponsorship, and accountabilities, other initiatives within the organization which are connected (eg dependencies, overlaps,

conflicts),

Projects that will be required to deliver the change.Although the main definition work will happen at the start of the program, the business will

evolve over time and circumstances will change. Those parts of the program definition thatdefine either the overall business solution or how it will be achieved should be viewed as anevolving model that should be managed actively during the program in order to achieve optimum

overall benefit.
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Programs deliver through projects

Only the strategic leadership of the initiative is normally conducted directly by the program

management. Specific changes are usually achieved by the definition of a number of projectswhich collectively deliver the overall goal. These are defined and instigated by the program

team, but will have their own project management teams.

Once started, the program manager should not intervene directly, but will need a degree offeedback and control. The Program Manager is concerned with project-level information where

it has a potential impact on the overall program, eg progress, issues, risks, costs, projected

benefits, dependencies, etc. It is unwise to feed all such data to the Program Manager. It is only

those items affecting the overall change program that need to be communicated. Certain lifecycleevents in the projects will raise flags for the attention of the program management team.
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Business Change Programs

Business change can be a complex, multi-faceted undertaking. It can be deceptively hard to

achieve. Many, if not most, change programs fall short of their expectations and objectives.

Organizations form complex, interacting ecosystems, often resistant to attack and self-healing.

There is a growing realization that many business changes cannot be accomplished solelythrough structured, planned, logical activities. Their nature may be explained by the tenets of

chaos and complexity theories as much as the laws of logic. However clear the vision and

strategy of the organization, the desired change may remain incomplete, even formless andvague. Change is increasingly being seen as a continuous process. In some cases it may be

achieved in definable stages. In others, it may be an endless pursuit of the organization's

evolving goals.

In this section we examine how to deliver those business change programs where structure can

be applied. We start with some definitions then build up to an overall model for business change:

what is a business change programand how to distinguish it from similar concepts such asportfolios and projects

howbusiness changeaffects multiple aspects of the business thechange journeyfrom concept to delivering the benefits the manyaspects of business change Thecomplexityof real-world change programs.
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In the second part we summarize the approach and some of the techniques:

who should participate theactivitiesin a typical business change program The importance ofprogram management.

What is a Business Change Program?

Program vs Project vs Portfolio

The terms "program", "portfolio" and "project" are often confused. They do share similarities

and many project management concepts apply to all three. There are also important distinctions

to be made.

Type of Endeavour

ProjectA project is an undertaking for a limited duration which is not part of

routine operations. A project team will be temporarily assigned,

reporting to a single Project Manager. A project has a defined objective

and scope. The overall deliverable will be of value, but does not

necessarily generate benefit on its own.

PortfolioA portfolio is a group of projects with no common objective other than

the overall well-being of the organization. It is often convenient and

efficient to manage unrelated groups of projects, for example, to

balance priorities, to manage resources, to apply common standards,and to achieve economies of scale.

ProgramA program is a group of projects (or related initiatives) which

collectively achieve a beneficial objective. The projects may address

different aspects of the overall change and may follow different

timelines. Programs often have a long duration such that some future

activities are only aspirational ideas when the program is first defined.

There will be a management team guiding the overall program in

addition to the project managers for each individual project.

Further commentary can be found in the section dealing with therelationship between Programs

and Projects.
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Business Change vs IT Change

Further confusion arises between IT activities, business change, and other forms of changeinitiative. For example, when you talk to an IT Project Manager about operational readiness the

emphasis will be on whether the technology works correctly. If you talk to a business manager

you will have a much broader conversation - for example does the workforce have the requiredcompetency, are the customers aware of the changes, how accurate is our information?

Type of Change

IT ChangeIT initiatives primarily address technological change. They deliver

components such as new systems and technical infrastructure.

Contact with other parts of the organization is typically limited to

establishing requirements, acceptance testing, end-user training and

operational support.

Business

Change

Business change initiatives usually address all the aspects required to

make a change in the way the business works. Even in a technology-

driven change, there will be many non-IT aspects, for example, initial

evaluation of the case for change, securing the funding, commercial

deals, introducing new business processes, organizational change,

recruitment, facilities, internal communication (stakeholders,

management, workforce) and external communication (customers,

suppliers, partners, third parties).

OtherProject and program management is applied to many other forms of

change, for example, construction, engineering, product

development, and social change.

All combinations of these concepts exist. Here are some examples:


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Type IT Business

ProjectReplace the General Ledgerapplication

Investigate whether there is amarket for a new product

Portfolio All projects reporting to the ITDevelopment Manager All initiatives handled by theMarketing Director

ProgramIntegrate the CRM system withvarious customer facing systems

Set up an eCommerce channelto market

Business Change

While you are following this section you might like to page through theFlash animationor take

a look the PowerPoint presentation "Business Change Programs".

There can be many drivers of business change and many targets for the change. Drivers are thosecompelling reasons to undertake the change, for example:

increase market size, eg awareness, market share, product lines, geographical coverage develop new products and services sustain better margins and volume achieve faster time to market deliver in shorter lead times operate more efficiently make better use of human capital innovate to keep ahead of the market

Increase profitability and stakeholder value.

The targets for the change are the various aspects of the organization - its nature, structure,

modus operandi, product lines, technology etc.

Here are seven common targets for business change. In each case, changing that aspect might be

a prime objective of the business change program - or it might just be an inevitable consequence.
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People: the skills, competencies, knowledge and behaviors of the workforce that equip them toconduct business in the most effective manner

Strategy: the organization's strategy - its mission, vision, goals, objectives, key performanceindicators and modus operandi

Product: products or services offered Process: the method by which business operations are conducted Culture: the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of the leadership and workforce that give this

organization a unique character

Structure: organizational structures, divisions, departments, roles, responsibilities, jobdescriptions

Technology: IT applications, systems, hardware, technical infrastructure, transaction processing,information management, automation, equipment, machinery

Even in technology-driven projects, the technological change is not usually the central issue. To

build a business-to-consumer eCommerce system we can use well-established concepts and

many off-the-shelf software components. That change may be easy in comparison to shifting the

organization's market strategy, building new call-center capabilities, hiring new staff,establishing new roles, introducing new administrative processes, setting up fulfillment through

partner agreements, marketing the new channel to the public, and achieving a profitable new

business model.

The heart of the business is usually its people. It is the leadership and workforce who are behind

every aspect of every change. The imperative is to harness their support, enthusiasm, and effort.They will make the change a success.

Business change is rarely confined to one area of the business. Any significant change is likely to target

several aspects of the business and have implications for even more. A movement in one aspect will

distort the others. If I change one part of the model I must make changes in them all if it is to continue

to fit.

When you change the shape and nature of one aspect, you will probably need to makeadjustments to other aspects. When contemplating and planning a change program you should

think through the desired changes and consequences across the organization.

There is no point changing the strategy unless it affects the things the organization does such as

its products and services. New products or services may mean new processes. Different ways

of doing things also means new processes. Processes are performed by people. The way the

people operate is managed through organizational structure. The way people behave is driven

by culture. Processes are enabled by technology.


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The Change Journey

Business change is a difficult journey into the unknown. However well we imagine the

destination and however well we plan the trip, we can be sure that things will work out

differently. The further we are into the journey, the less likely it is that we will have held to ouroriginal plans and expectations. We can usually see what is immediately ahead, but we must

climb to the next ridge before we know what the next stage will look like.

By the time we reach the destination it might well look very different to our expectations. Maybeit is not even the destination we intended and, maybe, we do not want to or cannot stop travelling

when we get there.

Business Change Journey
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Case for Change

The first step in a business change is to realize that change is required. No methodology canexplain how the leadership of an organization comes to such a conclusion (although many try).

Typically, the idea is tentatively raised by an individual with the inspiration to realize that the

organization could be more successful if changes were made. There follows a period duringwhich various loosely knit ideas are proposed and evaluated until there is a persuasive argument

in favor of a definable change. This is refined until there is sufficient detail to present the board

with a compelling case for change.

Conceptual Design & Business Case

Before we start work on the change, we need a reliable view on how to achieve that change and

what its true resource requirements, timing, costs and benefits will be. A conceptual design

should be made for every aspect of the change. It is common to speak of conceptual design interms of technology components, but we should also be looking at things such as changes to

roles, organizational structures, competencies, culture, processes, etc. We should also beconsidering how to achieve those changes - not just the desired end-state.

Detailed Design

Using the conceptual design as our framework, we can then start the real work. We design the

detailfor each aspect of the business change. For example, we should design people and process

solutions just as we do technology changes - albeit using different methods, tools and techniques.We should also design the specific approaches and activities that are required to achieve those

goals.

Bear in mind that not all business change can be defined or designed in a formalized manner. Insome cases, for example a cultural change, the desired change might remain a loosely-defined

concept and the steps to be taken would encourage movement in the desired direction rather thanfollow firm designs. Even so, you should be able to specify many of the actions to be taken,

whether or not you can design the desired end-state.

Development

The detailed designs are used as specifications for the developmentof content for the change, forexample:

the new organization chart new job descriptions plans and preparation for workforce transition activities (hiring, job changes, layoffs) internal and external communication messages and media training courses transition timetable IT components.


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Deployment

Completed components are tested and validated, ready to be deployed. Deployment is rarely aninstantaneous activity. Many components are required in advance of the main change, for

example training, organizational change, equipment, publicity, etc. As well as the time taken to

achieve the immediate transition, any significant change is likely to require continuingpromotion and support to achieve optimum business benefit. Deployment work should evolve

into continuous, pro-active management of the business area, always with a view to achieving

optimumbenefit.

We take a more detailed look at this change journeybelow.

Aspects of Business Change

We looked before atseven core aspects of business change. These are the areas that are most

commonly addressed by business change programs. There are, however, many other aspects

which might be a focus of change or affected by a change elsewhere. Here is a more completelist:
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People: the skills, competencies, knowledge and behaviors of the workforce that equip them toconduct business in the most effective manner

Strategy: the organization's strategy - its mission, vision, goals, objectives, key performanceindicators and modus operandi

Product: products or services offered Process: the method by which business operations are conducted Culture: the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of the leadership and workforce that give this

organization a unique character

Structure: organizational structures, divisions, departments, roles, responsibilities, jobdescriptions

Technology: IT applications, systems, hardware, technical infrastructure, transaction processing,information management, automation, equipment, machinery

Market: Marketplaces for the organization's products and services, their characteristics, theirvalue and how best to approach them

Customers: customers the organization seeks to transact with, for which products or services,using which methods

Channels to Market: how the organization communicates and transacts with its customers Regulation: legal requirements and other regulations the organization is obliged to follow in its

various spheres of business and locations

Suppliers: providers of products and services to the organization, using what processes andtechnology, and under what terms

Geography: geographical areas in which the organization operates Facilities: locations, premises, equipment, infrastructure, service providers, support and

maintenance

Partners: collaborative ventures with other organizations Knowledge: knowledge and information the organization has access to, how it is harnessed,

how it is exploited

Research & Development: activities to develop leading-edge products, services and methods ofoperation

Funding: sources, methods and terms of investment funding for the business change or ongoingoperations

Ownership: how the organization (or part of the organization) is owned and controlled - its legalform, stakeholders, relationships with associated organizations, executive structure

When we speak of the aspects of a business change we might mean any or all of these.

Moreover, we often find several significant aspects within one of these headline aspects. Forexample:

there might be different major areas of technology development required (eg web store-front,call center, supply chain integration, integration with financial systems)

there might be different new facilities required (re-siting warehouses, building a global callcenter)

there might be different marketplace, cultural and regulatory considerations in differentcountries

we might need to distinguish between things done at different times in the overall changeprogram.


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We need to recognize each significant aspect and guide its progress through thechange journey.

Each will take its own course, but form an essential part of the overall transition.

Real-World Complexity

Let us take a look at what is going on inside the various work streams of the change journey.

You might imagine there is a continuous stream of activity, following the overall lifecycle,

delivering each aspect of the change. Real-world programs are rarely so simple.
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In the real world you will probably find:

many projects contribute to various aspects of the change some projects start and finish at different times several projects progressively build the overall change the various projects will follow their own lifecycle within the overall change program not all aspects of the change are delivered through structured projects not all projects are fully aligned with the overall goals.

In a world without program management there may be much worse to observe. Even with clearlystated corporate objectives, there is likely to be chaos in the individual initiatives and projects

undertaken by the many managers concerned. However good the individual managers, they are

unlikely to create changes that fully align to the strategy, fit together without gaps or overlaps,deliver the change in an efficient manner, and stay on course to deliver the desired collective

change.


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The natural tendency is towards chaos. The imperative is to guide individual efforts towards the

organization's goals. It is unlikely that any complex change could be managed with such rigidity

that the results of each project fit perfectly. The art of program management is to create

harmony, order and direction from chaos.

You will need the support of the executive and sponsors. Establish a regime such that:

projects are defined to address all aspects of the desired business change all projects and related initiatives are defined and mandated as part of the one change program all projects should be under the direction of the program management team (but preferably

with localized project management)

relationships between projects are examined, eg boundaries, conflicts, gaps, overlaps,dependencies, sequencing, resource utilization, cross-impact

no investment funding nor approval is granted for any project unless it supports the changeprogram's objectives

unrelated projects and proposals are tested for compatibility with the change program Non-compliance is unacceptable.


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Bear in mind that corporate objectives and the organization's environment will inevitably vary

over the lifespan of the change program. In the illustration above, there has been a noticeable

change of direction. Some projects were able to take up the new direction from the beginning,

some had to make mid-life changes, and others required supplemental projects to complete thechange.

Strong program management is required from start to finish - not to rule with a rigid stick but to

define, instigate, promote, guide and co-ordinate the many initiatives throughout the change

journey.

Participation in Business Change Programs

Much of the work in a business change program is best done by the organizations own people,

guided and facilitated by specialists. There are four clear advantages. Participation of themanagement and workforce:

promotes ownership and buy-in exploits business experience and knowledge retains knowledge within the organization, and Reduces costs.

Conversely, there is benefit in bringing in people from outside. For example:

a specialist business change program management team who understand the approaches,complexity, issues and best-practice management techniques

change management specialists who can assess the issues and guide the organizational change industry specialists who are aware of trends and state-of-the-art approaches specialist facilitators who can guide the participants through the change journey


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business process analysts and modelers to create clear, structured results from business-focused workshops, discussions and interviews

Specialist architects and advisors for specific technological components.

There are many valuable sources of knowledge, ideas and guidance that should be exploited

throughout the change journey. For example:

Corporate strategy

input and guidance concerning overall corporate goalsOther divisions and specialist functions

incorporate and amplify current thinking from related activities, egmarketing, HR, etc

Workforce

source of knowledge and new ideas their participation and support are vital to deliver the change

Customers

What do our customers want?
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What can they tell us about best practice they have seen elsewhere?Suppliers

How can we best work with our suppliers?

What can they tell us about best practice they have seen elsewhere?

Competitors

What can we learn from our competitors solutions?Other industries

What can we learn from parallels in non-competitive industries?

Business Change Activities

Case for Change Conceptual

Design

Detailed Design Development Deployment

Program Charter

Vision

Key Performance

Indicators

Focus Areas

Stretch Targets

Case for Change

Current Position

Best Practices

Options

Future Solution

Quick Wins

Transition

Strategy

Business Case

Pilots & Prototypes

Detailed ProcessDescriptions

OrganizationalDesign

Technology

Design

Training Design

Change

Management Plan

Technology

Acquisition,

Development and

Installation

ProcessDocumentation

TrainingDevelopment

ChangeCommunication

OrganizationalTransition

Deployment Plan

Training

Readiness Checks

User Acceptance

Solution Rollout

Continuous

ImprovementProcess

The detailed approach to business change programs is a subject for specific methodologies andwill vary depending upon circumstance. Here is a summary of typical activities.


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Business Change Activities

Case for Change

Program Charter In the earliest stages of a business change initiative there is

unlikely to be a formalized definition or structure for the

work. When the change is sufficiently well understood, a

change program should be defined. The definition will include

initial descriptions of:

objective and description of the change scope - organizational boundaries, products,

processes, systems etc.

organization, responsibilities, participation,sponsorship

tentative timeline and plan Indicative or aspirational benefit case and mandate

for initial funding.

Vision The work may involve reviewing the vision for the overall

organization. If the corporate vision is already clearly defined

and understood, the vision for the change program (within

the defined scope) might be derived from the organization's

overall goals.

Key PerformanceIndicators

Key Performance Indicators identify specific measures ofcorporate performance. These may be used in two ways:

in conventional performance management, themeasurement, tracking and publication of these

encourages management and workforce to improve

performance in line with the organization's strategic

objectives

in a change program they identify important targetsfor change and may be used to measure the success

of the program.

Focus Areas The initial definition of the desired change is often very

broad. Not every aspect of change will deliver the same

degree of benefit. Which specific areas are worth focusing

on?


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Stretch Targets If dramatic change is desired, there is no point setting easily

achievable targets. Stretch targets identify how good

performance would be in an ideal world. Although it should

be understood that the team is unlikely to achieve perfection,

everyone should strive as far as possible in that direction. For

example, do not say our target is to improve lead times by

50% - maybe the ideal target would be zero lead time. Then

see what you could possibly do to come close to that.

Case For Change By now you should have enough understanding to define a

compelling case for change. The case should explain:

why there is a need to change what the change will be how it will support the organization's vision, strategy

and objectives The initial benefit case showing in broad terms how

much financial, non-financial and intangible benefit

should result.

Conceptual Design

Current Position It is usually important to understand the current position

regarding each aspect of the change. This would include such

things as:

organization structure, responsibilities, capabilitiesand competencies

processes Technology - applications, functionality,

infrastructure.

The rationale is that:

the analysis defines the starting position for thingsthat will be changed

some current components may remain in theeventual solution

some current components may be temporaryelements of the solution if it is to be phased in stages

It allows measurement of the planned and achieveddegree of change and benefit.

If the current "as-is" analysis does not contribute to one


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of these needs, it is probably not worth doing. Similarly,the amount of analysis performed should not exceed thatwhich is valuable.

Best Practices For each aspect, define what current best practice is. Call

upon internal and external sources of knowledge. Seek

benchmarks and "world-class" solutions. Look for the latest

industry and subject matter wisdom. Investigate what further

developments are likely during the course of the program.

Options Using the results from the fact-finding, formulate options for

how the change might best be achieved. Analyse the pros and

cons of these options such that the best options may be

proposed. Agree the preferred choices with leadership and

sponsors. Seek and obtain buy-in from other parties involved.

Future Solution For each aspect of change, define the target solution and how

it would be achieved. Use sufficient detail such that:

the future solution is unambiguously described, and the work packages, resources and timing can be

accurately estimated.

Do not create unnecessary detail - this might restrict the

freedom of the solution designers to create the optimum

solution.

Quick Wins Although it might not be part of the main change journey, it is

possible that the analysis has uncovered improvements that

could be achieved rapidly, without waiting for the main

change program to produce its results. Suppose, for example,

that daily stock reports were desired. It might be the case

that the IT department could run the existing report daily

instead of monthly with no development effort whatsoever.

Transition Strategy Change programs are often long, complex processes. Change

is rarely achieved in a single step. Consider now the best path

to achieve the overall change.

Business Case You will identify costs and benefits at several stages. By now

you will have reliable definitions of the work, timing, costs

and benefits. A formal business case should be created,

presented and agreed. It will form the prime basis for


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measuring the success of the program.

Detailed Design

Pilots and

Prototypes

Designs can be created theoretically on the drawing board, or

they can evolve from trying things out. Pilots and prototypes

may be valuable design tools when feasible.

A prototyping style may also be used in rapidapplications development techniques - particularly

with eSolutions. A component is completed then

tried out. Feedback from that experience is used to

refine its next version.

Prototyping is normal practice with package softwarewhere the full functionality is provided immediately,

but needs to be configured and parameterized todefine the precise way in which it will work.

Processes can be prototyped manually or usingmodeling tools.

It may be possible to set up small sections of theoverall business to try out potential solutions, for

example, experimenting with different layouts of

retail premises, trialing new machinery, and test-

marketing products.

Detailed Process

Descriptions

The new business processes will be mapped and described in

complete detail. These descriptions may form the basis forprocedural development, IT systems design, training

materials, communications etc.

Organizational

Design

Changes to organizational structures, roles, responsibilities,

capabilities, competencies, job descriptions and resource

levels will be defined. Transition strategies and plans will also

be formulated. Timing is usually important. People cannot be

changed, educated, moved, hired or terminated overnight.

Where significant changes are being made to job descriptions

and contracts, there may be legal requirements for noticeperiods and consultation. There will be organizational change

management consequences affecting willingness to change,

loyalty, motivation, etc. These should be a major input to the

change management planning (see below).
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Technology Design Technological aspects will be designed in detail. These may

include:

applications and functionality infrastructure such as hardware, networks, operating

software, services, and support other equipment and machinery operational procedures, for example schedules,

controls, backup, recovery, contingency plans, etc.

Training Design Identify all populations that need to be educated and what

skills or knowledge they need to acquire. Establish the best

timing for the education and assess the practicalities of that

timing. Consider the best format, styles, media, locations, and

personnel for the training. Design the contents for each

training component.

Change

Management Plan

Organizational change management(ie changing behaviours

and attitudes) is an important aspect throughout the

program. By this stage you will have established what change

is required and what resistance is expected. Formulate the

plan for overcoming the barriers and delivering the change.

Development

Technology

Acquisition,

Development and

Installation

Based on the detailed designs, the various technology

components will be constructed. For some components it will

simply be a case of selecting, acquiring, installing and

configuring standard components. In other cases, it may

involve a long, complex process of software development.

Process

Documentation

New business processes should be supported by good user

documentation. These days, it is unlikely to mean huge

volumes of text. It is more likely to be contained directly

within the computer applications, or specific workflow and

knowledge management systems.

Training

Development

Content for the training modules should be developed. Note

the need to have reliable input. Subject matter needs to be

described and incorporated in its final format - for example,

computer applications, procedural documentation, and
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forms. This will affect the timing of the training development

work.

Change

Communication

Communicationis an important tool throughout the change

program. It is used in building the case for change,

establishing commitment, encouraging participation, and

ensuring the designs are right. Typically, however, it becomes

a weapon rather than a tool when the organizational and

behavioral change is brought about. During this period the

major change communications will be prepared and

broadcast. There are two main types of message:

to support the organizational change managementplan

to issue detailed instructions and information.

Organizational

Transition

Many of the organizational changes will need to be in place

before the deployment of the new business solution. The

process may need to commence months earlier. The

transition will also continue into the deployment stage.

Deployment Plan The Deployment Plan provides the final tactical details for

switching over to the new business solution.

Deployment

Training Training is delivered in accordance with the Training Plan. A

management process should be in place to ensure all

individuals achieve the required competency and knowledge.

It is inevitable that some people will miss planned sessions or

fail to achieve required levels. Adjustments to schedules and

remedial training may be required.

Readiness Checks Before deciding to proceed with the change, the readiness of

all aspects should be checked. It is not just a question oftestingthe IT systems. It is equally important that all aspects

of change are ready, for example:

the workforce is ready, willing and able customers have been informed new equipment, stationery and supplies are
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available.

User Acceptance User acceptanceis the formal acceptance by the organization

that the solution is sufficiently fit for purpose. Bear in mind

that no complex solution is ever perfect. Criteria will havebeen set in advance to define what type and degree of non-

conformity might be tolerated for the sake of achieving live

operation. User Acceptance should always be conducted in a

planned, structured and scientific manner to ensure reliable

results.

Solution Rollout The business change is made, for example, new IT systems

and processes become operational. This might be an

instantaneous event or it might be a phased change over,

possibly involving the simultaneous operation of old and newregimes for a limited period.

Continuous

Improvement

The work of the change program does not finish with live

operations. After deployment there will be a need for high

levels of encouragement, guidance and support. Beyond that,

there should be a permanent focus on deliveringoptimum

benefit.

Program Management

Business change programs involve activities across an organization, addressing different aspects

of the business, following a complex timetable. These activities are blended by the programmanagement team to deliver the overall collective benefit.

The program management team needs to act as visionaries, entrepreneurs, politicians,

ambassadors, coaches and planners, as well as controlling the individual project managers.

Program managers concern themselves with every matter that collectively adds to the success of

the business change initiative. They will act with direct power from the board, cutting acrossorganizational divisions.
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Program managementis a highly specialized skill. It requires great experience to derive optimumbenefit from a change program. Given a choice, look for the manager who knows how to deal

with transformational business change rather than one who is only specialized in one aspect suchas the industry or technology.
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