benefits dependency network short guide
DESCRIPTION
A short explanation of the purpose and contents of the Benefits Dependency Network. The BDN is one of the key tools for Portfolio, Programme and Project Teams to realise benefits.TRANSCRIPT
Benefits Dependency Network
The preoccupation with the “How” diminishes the “What”
• Ask someone what they are doing and chances are they’ll tell you how they are doing it.
• “What are you doing?”• “We are working as one enthusiastic team to deliver our
project on time and in budget.”• “What is it?”• “It’s a relational database of millions of records, accessed by
hundreds of concurrent users in milli-second response time.”• “What does it do?”• “It records transactions between suppliers and purchasers
across the region.”• “What’s it for?”• “Dunno”
The official definition:An advantageous change realised from the transformation of resources to deliver new or improved value adding activity
The simple definition:A benefit is a result that a stakeholder perceives to be of value
What is it all for?What is a benefit?
The Benefits Dependency Network
MEANS WAYS ENDS
• The BDN is a key tool in Benefits Management. It shows the chains of cause and effect between ends, ways and means, i.e. what you want, do and use.
• These are the areas to consider.
• What people, processes and technology are in use?
• Who are the stakeholders who get benefit?
• What does the organisation want to achieve?
• What business environment is it in?
Start with the End in Mind
Why did Nelson fight at Trafalgar?
It’s not only what you do, it’s also why you choose to do it
B) Use up the old gunpowder before its sell-by date
A) Destroy the French fleet and remove the threat of invasion
C) Impress Lady Hamilton
Answer: A (if you didn’t pick A you are not taking this seriously)
Blueprint - Endgame
• The game ends when:
a) You are checkmated, or
b) My King is in g3, my Queen is in c5, etc….
This is manageable
This is not
Spot the Objectives
Increase spare cash
Increase spare cash
Stop smoking
Stop smoking Change jobChange job
Reduce blood pressure to 120/80
Reduce blood pressure to 120/80
Exercise regularly
Exercise regularly
More stressedMore stressed
Increase disposable income by 20% this year
Increase disposable income by 20% this year
Eathealthily
Eathealthily
Increase salary
Increase salary
Can’t pay billsCan’t pay bills
Improve wellbeing
Improve wellbeing
Write these items on Post-It notes and put them into a Benefits Dependency Network. Sort them into:
Activities
Benefits
Objectives
Drivers
Spot the Objectives
Activity Benefit Objective Driver
Can’t pay bills
Can’t pay bills
Increase salary
Increase salary
Increase disposable income by 20% this year
Increase disposable income by 20% this year
Eathealthily
Eathealthily Improve
wellbeing
Improve wellbeing
Stop smoking
Stop smoking
Change jobChange job
Reduce blood pressure to 120/80
Reduce blood pressure to 120/80
Exercise regularly
Exercise regularly
More stressed
More stressed
Increase sparecash
Increase sparecash
Phraseology matters
• Means – what you use• Ways – what you do• Ends – What you want
What drives the drivers?
• Programme objective becomes project driver
• Project objective becomes workstream driver
Setting some boundaries
• Decide the limits of your responsibility
INTERDEPENDENT NETWORKS
Stakeholder Analysis
•Who are the key stakeholders?•What will they gain/lose?
•What impact will they have upon your objectives?
Observations
• Lack of radical change– SMART implies small - strategic objectives get de-scoped– BM to validate / justify existing plans– Inappropriate benefits
• BDN helps rationalisation– The amount of activity required to deliver each benefit– The validity of projects mapped to strategic objectives– Re-defined objectives
• Iteration works– The third draft BDN will look very different (and much better) than
the first
DiscussionDavid Waller
07780 533876
www.keldale.com
www.goalmodelling.com
http://consultyorkshire.com