Successful I/T implementations hinge on four pillars: People, Process, Tools & Data. So, what is meant by “People” in I/T implementations?
From an organizational perspective, people are vital to any company’s success. However, for an I/T implementation, the latitude to select the end users within an organization is generally not an option. So, if we cannot change the people, then what does ”people” in this context really mean? For Bullwhip Solutions, “people” means ensuring that the end user is prepared and ready to use the new and changing technology in the proper manner. This concept is often referred to in many ways, such as Change Management, People Transition, Implementation Management to name just a few. Regardless of what’s it’s called at your organization, if you attempt to implement I/T without bringing the end user along for the ride, you’ll quickly find the car in a ditch.
Change Management is a pretty nebulous concept. In my earlier days, I never gave it enough credit or attention. As a result, I found myself often frustrated by the end user. Why didn’t they use the beautiful new system that we just implemented? Clearly, it’s an improvement over the old one. Yet time and time again, we would find end users reverting to their old systems to get their job done.
Personally, I experienced this phenomenon as a passenger on a cancelled airline flight. I’ll keep the airline’s name confidential, but it was around Christmas, and the weather was horrible. Our flight got cancelled, and here we were, waiting in line for the gate agent to help rebook us. When we finally reached the desk, I asked if I could see the system she was using for the rebooking. I was floored! It was an ancient, 1980’s IBM mainframe system (you know the black screen with green block letters). The gate agent had to type in a 20+ digit line that included our ticket number, the date, where we were & where we wanted to go. All in strange codes and embedded into this long, single line of code. There was even a time when she mistyped one letter and had to retype it.
When I asked her if there was any newer software, she pulled up another application that looked much improved, more like the typically flight booking website you are familiar with. When I asked why she didn’t use the newer software, she simply shrugged her shoulders and said, “I dunno, suppose I’m just more comfortable with the old system.” Wow! That is an example of a complete failure in I/T implementation, and further highlights the importance of Change Management.
The “build it, and they will come” strategy just doesn’t work for I/T.
So, how do you accomplish effective Change Management? Well, below is one example of how to manage it.
First, you must understand what Process changes are happening. Process changes are the fundamental reasons behind why things are done, and they often add to the complexity of any new technology implementation, therefore they must be fully understood. If you have significant Process changes, most of your change management effort will be explaining the Process changes rather than the I/T changes. Do not underestimate the impact of Process changes and do not underestimate the time it will take your organization to make these changes.
Second, you must understand and appreciate how the work is getting done today. How is the end user doing tasks today in the system? You may not agree with what is being done today. It may be low value-add activity, but you cannot ignore it simply because you don’t believe it adds value. If somebody is performing the task today, you need to be aware of it and consider it, because this knowledge is used as a basis for the change management strategy. It’s called the “As Is” state.
Third, you must know how the work is going to be done in the future. Once the new technology is implemented, how will the end user engage with it. This is called the “To Be” state.
Finally, we connect the dots between the “As Is” and “To Be” states by figuring what specific education, training, or advocacy work needs to done to get an end user from “As Is” to “To Be”. Usually, this involves a lot of discussion and communication over a period of several months, depending upon the level of change. Ultimately, it’s your map to help the end user transition from old to new.
In the end, People must be guided, educated, and trained for any implementation to be successful. Simply sending an email with an attached user manual, however, just doesn’t cut it.
Before you trot off and start conquering your implementation, it is vitally important you understand that there are many Change Management tools available. Above is one example. Think of Change Management like the tools in your tool chest. You never use all of them for a specific task. In some instances, you may only use one or two of them. Ultimately, you need to understand what the various Change Management tools are, what they do, and how best to deploy them.
Only then can you develop a Change Management plan that will truly prepare the People and ensure the success of your I/T implementation.
If you still have questions, give us a shout at rob.jones@bullwhipsolutions.com.