Your organization will also undergo a digital transition. It is therefore of the utmost importance that your information provision is aligned with your new information needs. The crucial factor for a successful digital transition is the organization's ability to embrace and embed these changes.
This transition is usually directed, initiated, and implemented by ICT, while the greatest benefits can be achieved through process optimization and the associated shift in responsibilities within the organization.
Of course, outsourcing services will bring about many changes for the IT organization, but the biggest change will be the result of the digital transition, and this will be felt within the organization itself.
The question then is, are the people in your organization ready and willing to change across the board to make the transition a success?
Proven method for dealing with changes in IT projects
In recent years, IT changes have been happening at an ever-increasing pace, and in a competitive market, it makes sense that management teams are paying attention to this. They increasingly see IT as an enabler or a necessity for achieving their goals. But what if you hear all these great stories from suppliers, but find it difficult to assess what effect it will have on your business? How do you determine what your business really needs? And how do you ensure that your organization deals with these changes in a positive way? We are happy to give you a few tips.
The above organizational questions often receive insufficient attention before an IT change process is started. Too often and too quickly, it is assumed that such a project can be easily implemented. However, good preparation is half the battle. Gaining insight in advance can save a lot of money, frustration, and time. Therefore, before starting a major IT change process, consider its usefulness and the willingness to change. If you, as management, know what is going on within the organization, you can respond to it in a smart way.
5 questions you should ask yourself
An IT change process involves much more than just an Excel exercise and a business case with a compelling narrative and so-called figures. In a process, you need to obtain answers to the following five questions in advance:
- Why is the change necessary?
- When is the change a success?
- What is actually changing and what impact will it have?
- How open to change is my organization?
- What (critical) business risks does this change entail?
These questions seem simple, but are often difficult to answer unequivocally. Even if the answers are clear, careful consideration must be given to the development, implementation, and adoption of the change. How do you ensure that there is sufficient focus on mutual cooperation between departments and individuals? And that risks are mitigated in a smart way and your organization is provided with the support and resources it needs to make the change a real success? This often requires extra attention during the change process, which ultimately pays off in the implementation.
Focus for a successful journey
You can bring about successful change by assigning actions to the project team or setting up a separate team for this purpose. The severity of each measure is closely related to the impact of the change and the resilience of the organization. By also setting up good governance and reporting, you will see that the IT change process will run more smoothly and setbacks can be remedied more easily. Focus is the keyword here.
For all of this, we use a proven method, starting with a transition impact assessment and then developing a customized plan for the organization. This plan provides management and the change manager with the tools they need to maintain a clear focus during these sometimes difficult processes, make the best choices, and ensure that the change proceeds in a controlled and successful manner.
The change will be managed on three axes: value creation, operational focus, and transformation focus.
An example of the aspects that are included in a process is shown in the figure below.
If the above has given you food for thought, you are always welcome to exchange ideas with us, without obligation, and explore whether the above approach could work in your organization.
AuthorBranka Dessens – Director/owner of BMLD
Branka Dessens, founder of BMLD, has earned her stripes internationally by leading various major change processes in a range of management positions at home and abroad. She did this for many years for, among others, the listed company Vopak, but also as CEO for Cloud Managed Service Provider Stepco and the German company Twinsec. She has also been included in the well-known Goudhaantjes top 100 list published by management magazine MT.
Throughout her career, she has seen that without the right focus and attention, many change processes, including IT programs and acquisitions, fail. She has therefore set herself the goal of helping organizations arm themselves against these failures and to further apply her knowledge and experience in this area. LinkedIn
