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Triggering change - what for and how

"Too many managers expect their employees to correct 
the problems that are created by management. They 
cannot. Management must solve 80 percent of the 
problems that face most organizations." 
-- Dr. H. James Harrington 
 
Reasons for change can be expressed as a personal/departmental pain or desire, a business outcome, or a strategic focus (see tables below).
 
Regardless of the reason, fundamental changes aimed at improved process effectiveness and improved product/service potential are essential in today's marketplace.
 
Personal / departmental reasons for change:
Reason: Current Pains / Desires
Measures of Success
 Recommended initial approach 
a) tired of fire fighting 
b) maintenance costs are too high
c) need greater predictability
d) tired of loosing contracts to the competition
e) simply desire a new market requiring improved capabilities
Personal:
promotion
rewards and recognition
more challenging work with less overtime
 
Department:
less chaos
meeting objectives
less turnover
improved credibility
focus efforts -- apply the 80/20 rule
increase knowledge about enabling change (e.g., join associations like ASQ, attend workshops, ...)
document your core processes
begin tracking product/service defects
 
The ultimate business reason for change:
Reason: Desired Outcome
Measures of Success
Recommended initial approach
Competitive Advantage
Short-term: cost, revenue and profit
 
Long-term: market size and market penetration
To gain a sustainable competitive advantage takes time and is an outcome of effective strategies/objectives that often drive process change. 
 
Begin your journey by first determining your business goals (see the next table: "Strategic reason for change").  As a prerequisite, consider conducting market research and/or applying benchmarking techniques. Once the right goals are determined, focus your strategic planning sessions and then use a change agent (internal or external) to facilitate the achievement of the objectives--do only a few objectives at a time. 
 
Strategic reason for change (can be any combination of):
Reason:
Strategic Focus
Measures of Success
Recommended initial approach
Quality

and/or

Business Capability

 Product quality

Service quality

Work predictability

Sale success

and more...

 Most organizations begin their quality and business capability improvements by using a standard or model (at least as a guideline)--for software industry  relevance of the top 3 publicized standards/models, click here.

Regardless of the standard/model selected, begin your change efforts by first documenting your core process and its key supporting functions.
Work efficiency

and/or

Time to market

 Productivity

Cycle time
Today, profit is impacted by the speed (i.e., efficiency) of work being performed and the duration it takes to do that work.
 
Begin your change efforts with a self-assessment to determine the key areas of opportunity and the best course of action, including short-term wins, given your current situation and needs. Once known, implement the planned actions and frequently monitor your progress (adjusting accordingly).
Customer
Loyalty
 Customer referrals

Repeat business

Reliable/predictable
products and services

 Companies (like Hewlett Packard) that achieve success through customer loyalty continuously tailor and shape their products/services to fit the needs of their customers.

Begin your change efforts by measuring your products/services and by gathering/analyzing your customer needs.
Business
Alignment
 Operational excellence

Your organization is known as one of the top 5 in your marketplace

Strategic effectiveness

 Companies that apply this strategy, successfully become leaders in their industry--e.g., Federal Express.

Begin your journey by first determining your business vision and related goals. Assess the current situation against these goals, determine key areas for improvement, and use a change agent (internal or external) to  facilitate the implementation of the agreed actions.
 
 
Article written by Tantara Inc., a business consulting firm
specialized in software best practices and the improvement of
process effectiveness and software product/service potential.

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( Revised: May 21, 2001 )