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Change and IT Projects. Dr Andy Wilson Director of Capability Enhancement Loughborough University. Purposes. To share some thoughts on change... ...and on change wrt IT projects To invite your reactions To identify some recommendations. Comment.
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Change and IT Projects Dr Andy Wilson Director of Capability Enhancement Loughborough University
Purposes • To share some thoughts on change... • ...and on change wrt IT projects • To invite your reactions • To identify some recommendations.
Comment • I am currently Project Manager of Loughborough’s move from 3 faculties and 20 departments to 10 schools • I’ll offer some comments on this experience!
Change concepts • The “burning platform” • Dilbert and Senge on change • Change and loss • PESTLE and MORTAR • The DICE model • What managers can do to help.
The “burning platform” 2 • Sometimes proposed as a way of encouraging change • Refers to Piper Alpha disaster 1988 • Gas platform in the North Sea • 167 people died • The 59 survivors jumped 200 feet into the water • This is not how you encourage change.
Dilbert on change • Change is good. • You go first.
Senge on change • People don’t resist change. • They resist being changed. • Peter Senge
Change and loss • Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, On Death and Dying (1969) • Often applied to change, sometimes in a rather simplistic way, but… • People don’t neatly followthe model • The downs and ups arenot straightforward • But loss is often a part of even “good” change.
The stages ~ DABDA(M) • Denial ~ They can’t do that! • Anger ~ They can’t do that to me! • Bargaining ~ Well, if they’re going to do that then I want… • Depression ~ It’s awful and I feel miserable • Acceptance ~ OK, it’s going to happen • Moving on ~ Well it’s not so bad, I can deal with this.
The ABCD of Drivers • Altruism ~ lip service, maybe • Business case ~ benefits to...? • Compliance ~ they do it – reluctantly • Desperation ~ they do something…
The Hard Side… • …of Change Management • “Companies must pay as much attention to the hard side of change management as they do to the soft aspects. By rigorously focusing on four critical elements, they can stack the odds in favor of success.” • by Harold L. Sirkin, Perry Keenan, and Alan Jackson • Harvard Business Review Online, 2005.
DICE Model of Change • Duration • Integrity • Commitment • Effort • Get these right, and change is much more likely to be successful.
DICE 2 • Duration = the amount of time between reviews (or the duration of change programme) • Integrity = the ability of the team to deliver what is required • CommitmentC1=commitment to change of top managementC2=commitment to change of employees affected by change • Effort = the perceived effort over and above normal workload that the change initiative demands.
DICE Score • 1 - 4 (low is good), fractions OK • D + 2I + 2C1 + C2 + E • <15 Win • 15 – 17 Worry • >17 Woe • Double weighting for: • Integrity = the ability of the team to deliver what is required • Commitment C1=commitment to change of top management.
What managers can do • With all that as a starting point… • If you were going through a significant change, what would you want from your manager?
Give us time Listen Acknowledge our feelings Encourage the expression of feelings Describe reality Explain the drivers Explore options Nudge us forwards Discuss the consequences Ask difficult questions Help us to imagine how it could be Analyse risks Rehearse behaviours Feed back on our mood Celebrate successes. We’d want them to...
IT aspects of change • WIIFM? • The impact of IT change • Group think • The computer says, “No”.
WIIFM? • What’s in it for me? • Institutional-level benefits may not look like benefits from the individual’s perspective • With IT change some of the institutional benefits may seem fairly obscure… • …and some of the personal impacts may seem substantial.
The impact of IT change • Consider the “worlds” of different staff groups • The academic world...? • The support staff world...? • And the degree of control people have over their worlds • Then think about the impactof IT change.
Group think • The tendency for members of a cohesive group to reach decisions without weighing all the facts, especially those contradicting the majority opinion. • allpsych.com/dictionary/dictionary2.html • Technical expertise – or the lack of it – can reinforce boundaries.
The computer says, “No”. • Remember Senge • IT change may seem less negotiable.
Stakeholder analysis • I’m seeing stakeholders as those people who have an interest in – or can have an impact on – your change project • If you don’t understand who your stakeholders are – and how they feel – then successful implementation will be very hard • This tool helps you with this • Please agree a project from within your group that you’re going to work on.
Stakeholder straplines 2 • In the top part of the circle write the name of the stakeholder or stakeholder group • Then, for each stakeholder, try to identify a pithy phrase or strapline that captures their view of the project • Here are some examples from the Loughborough project...
Stakeholder straplines 3 Depart-mental admin staff Academic staff Senior managers It’s the second envelope! Will I be made redundant? This must happen
Stakeholder straplines 4 • Your straplines? • Do they tell you anything about what you need to do to make your project work?
People and Technology... ...your recommendations • It’s not rocket science • People do tend to get forgotten • Especially teams • What recommendations would you offer concerning IT-related change?
Stakeholder straplines? Academic staff IT staff Senior managers So what am I not going to do? You should have asked us about it beforehand So now it will just happen
Fundamentals • Establish the case for change • Visualise how the new world will be better • Establish a set of shared values • Resource the change initiative appropriately • Lead by example • Assess capability and capacity • Engage the team in the change process • Communicate the change in a timely and sensitive way • Ensure senior management commitment is visible.
