incomplete projects are monuments, not trophies

04/07/23

PRO/Axios: Organizational Insight

INCOMPLETE PROJECTS ARE MONUMENTS BUT NOT TROPHIES.

04/07/23

THINGS YOU OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT

WHEN YOU START A NEW IT

IMPLEMENTATION

Dr. Jim Bohn

PRO/Axios

Ten Things you ought to think about …

1. ROI Blindness

2. Lack of Organizational Preparedness

3. Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do

4. Denying the business impact of the change

5. Wheels on the bus

6. The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome

7. I get by with a little help from my friends

8. Ado Annie syndrome (“I can’t say ‘No’”)

9. Doing Technology before process

10.Counting the cost

04/07/23Organizational Insight Leading to Organizational Transformation

Why am I offering this caution?

I gained these operational insights through experience with several major IT implementations.

Many (not all) IT consultants avoid telling you about these risks.

Most companies don’t do enough IT implementations to get ‘good’ at IT.

Few internal IT teams stay together long enough to share learning from the last system implementation.

System introductions touch the very DNA of your organization. The risks are VERY HIGH.


1. ROI Blindness

2. Lack of Organizational Preparedness

3. Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do

4. Denying the business impact of the change

5. Wheels on the bus

6. The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome

7. I get by with a little help from my friends

8. Ado Annie syndrome (“I can’t say ‘No’”)

9. Doing Technology before process

10.Counting the cost


Ten Things you ought to think about …

ROI BLINDNESS

ROI Blindness – Perceived ROI sometimes makes rational people irrational. Rare is the organization that goes back to check the original ROI. Be brutally honest about the true financial and human toll required.

Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


1

ROI BlindnessBring DATA!

Not anecdotes …

04/07/23PRO/Axios: Organizational Insight

ALERT:Executives do

not respond well to complaining

1

LACK OF ORGANIZATIONALREADINESS

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness – The old gospel

song asks “Are you ready?” Have you thought through how this implementation will affect your organization? Do you have the capacity for this change?

Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


2

Lack of Organizational Preparedness • Bring

experience!• Raise

questions!• Have you

considered?• Get the risks

into a project plan.


2

USING THE “B” TEAM

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do -

Are you fooling yourself into thinking that those with spare time on their hands are the right people for the job, simply because they are available? Think again.

Denying the impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


3

Using the “B” Team when only the “A” Team will do.

• Bring experience.

• Recommend.

• Have alternatives.


3

DENYING THE BUSINESS IMPACT

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the business impact of the change - Research

shows your organization will not perform at the same level during the introduction of a new system. There are revenue and profit implications. What is your plan?

Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


4

Denying the business impact of the change

Bring research.

From experts.


4

WHEELS ON THE BUS

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the business impact of the change Wheels on the bus – Your organization needs to continue to

serve customers and care for employees during the change. You are changing a tire on a moving vehicle – what are your contingency plans?

The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


5

Wheels on the bus• What’s

our backup plan?

• Build it!


5

JIMMY HOFFA SYNDROME

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the business impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa Syndrome – Your system will discover

unexpected software patches that must be integrated with the new system, some built in COBOL = $$$$. Uncover those pitfalls early in your due diligence!

I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


6

Jimmy Hoffa Syndrome• Be diligent

about due diligence!

• Boring, painful but necessary work.


6

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

ROI Blindness

Lack of Organizational Preparedness

Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do

Denying the business impact of the change

Wheels on the bus

The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome

I get by with a little help from my friends – Your implementation is going to impact a LOT of unforeseen individuals and teams. Discover who will be impacted. I can assure you: The impact matters to them!

Ado Annie syndrome

Doing Technology before process

Counting the cost04/07/23

Organizational Insight Leading to Organizational Transformation

7

I get by with a little help from my friends• Study direct

and indirect impact for all teams affected by the change.


7

ADO ANNIE SYNDROME

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the business impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie Syndrome – “I can’t say ‘No’”. Without

discipline, projects grow into monstrosities, becoming impossible to implement. Scope happens.

Doing Technology before process Counting the cost


8

Ado Annie Syndrome isbest met with “Maximus”• HOLD

THE LINE!• Remind team

members of the goal.

• Show the $$$ impact of scope creep.


8

RUSHING TO IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the business impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Rushing to Implement Technology before Analyzing

Process – Do not write Technical Design Documents without first having gone through Process Design. Resist this impulse or you’ll automate a bad process.

Counting the cost04/07/23

Organizational Insight Leading to Organizational Transformation

8

Rushing to Implement Technology before Analyzing Process• Boring but

essential.• Don’t automate

junk!• People will push

you to cut this corner: budget, timing, pressure.


9

NOT COUNTING THE COST

ROI Blindness Lack of Organizational Preparedness Using the “B” Team when only the “A” team will do Denying the business impact of the change Wheels on the bus The Jimmy Hoffa syndrome I get by with a little help from my friends Ado Annie syndrome Doing Technology before process Counting the cost – The Biblical adage about ensuring you

can finish what you start is wonderful ancient wisdom. Considering the whole cost – people, process, finances, are you determined to complete the project?


10

Counting the cost• Do you really have

the resources to finish this thing?

• Unfinished projects are monuments but not trophies.

• Are your leaders committed to the project for the long-haul?


10

Ignoring the details …

Agree on the meaning of terms – make sure there is no ambiguity on what something means. This is crucial on global projects.

Develop standard definitions of terms. Design consistent revision controls and stick to

them. Ensure consistent issue management. Construct common databases for efficiency. This is painstaking work, but worth the

investment of your time.


11

04/07/23

PRO/Axios: Organizational Insight

INCOMPLETE PROJECTS ARE MONUMENTS BUT NOT TROPHIES.

Pro/Axios

We offer plainspoken guidance for those who do the work.

Check out the Rapid Diagnostic @ www.ProAxios.com

[email protected]

651-302-1574

Minneapolis, MN, USA

@DrJimBohn


incomplete projects are monuments, not trophies

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