APM WiPM Conference 2019 speaker Jason West's presentation: Why diversity matters in business transformation.

1. Why diversity matters in business transformation
Jason West

2. Why do so many transformation programmes fail?
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Project Management Institute:
• 50% delivered late
• 45% over budget
• 36% failed to deliver original goals
• 15% were an outright failure
Standish Group
• 71% of software projects failed outright or had
significant challenges on time, budget or with
satisfactory results
What can we do about it?
What role does diversity play?

3. What is Business Transformation?
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4. Focus for today
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• 10 key success factors
• Your perspective
• Q&A

5. Programme Sponsorship
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• Clarity on who
• Accountable and responsible
• Engaged and engaging
• Visible
• Capable

6. Problem Definition
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• More than why… what and how
• Benchmark
• Opinion matters
• Multi functional, cross business teams
• Resist seeking answers

7. Preparing for Change
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• Change management starts now, not 3 weeks before go live
• Don’t get hung up on methodology, but use one!
• Genuine 2 way communication – listen & take action
• Engage broadly, be honest about certainty, ask for help
• Always hold a kick off meeting

8. Requirements Gathering
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• Don’t fixate on technology
• Gather requirements at all levels of
seniority…
• …from across the business
• …and from all functions
• Not all requirements are valid, decide
• Agile ≠ no documentation

9. Vision, Objectives and design principles
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• V: Compelling, concise and engaging - incites action
• O: Clarity on what needs to be delivered
• D: Guide decision making, validate through testing
• Document deviations and reasons why

10. Governance and Decision Making
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• Too high, too low or uncertain
• Process Owners: empowered and accountable
• Design Authority: multi-dimensional and resolution focused
• Indecision, delay and rework
• Avoid ground rush and scope bailing

11. Methodology and Approach
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• HR, Finance & Procurement rarely understand the
difference between projects, programmes and portfolios
• They need your help…
• …unless you apply a linear project management approach
• or treat transformation as a system implementation

12. Programme Management Capability
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• Programme & Project Managers required
• Risk of overstretch into functional design
• Beware underplaying uncertainty and
over stating confidence levels
• Enduring programme & project
management capability are essential

13. Solution Design Capability
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• Solution design capability is rarely a pre-requisite for operational
management success
• Shift from operational to architectural mindset
• Invest in problem solving, design thinking & influencing skillsets
• Focus on Target Operating Model System & Data Architecture
• Process design at appropriate level

14. Business Case
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• Must be described in hard £$€¥ terms
• Include strategic outcomes & enablers
• Balance cashable & non-cashable benefits
• Financial Controller = your advocate
• Sponsor MUST be across the detail
(implementation costs, tax treatment,
NPV, IRR etc.)

15. Poll – Top 3 Success Factors when Scoping Transformation
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16. Key takeaways
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• HR, Finance & Procurement functions are
under increasing pressure to transform
• Their natural instinct will be to look inwards,
rush to solutions and launch initiatives
• They need your help
• Please help them!

17. Staying connected
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jasonwestunderscore
@UnderscoreComms
Underscore Transformation Podcast