Why applications are not all the same

1
Why applications are not all the same?

• Degree of Impact
• from individual effectiveness to organisational
  gain
• contained within or transcending organisational
  boundaries
• concerned with activities or processes
• degree of criticality to business operations
• Effect on bottom line
• from increased revenue to efficiency savings
• changing the game v playing the same game better
• different v smarter
• leading v following

2
The Applications Portfolio Definitions
Strategic
High Potential
Applications which are critical to sustaining
future business strategy
Applications which may be important in achieving
future business strategy
Gaining Advantage
Gaining Advantage
Applications upon which the organisation currently
depends for success
Applications which are valuable but not
critical to success
Avoiding Disadvantage
Avoiding Disadvantage
Key Operational
Support
3
Organisational Chart for the Micro Muddle
Chief Executive (George)
Marketing Director (Mike)
Other Directors
Financial Director (Keith)
Secretary (Sheila)
Accountancy
Marketing Manager (Jeremy)
IT Manager (Asif)
IT Development Manager (Cheryl)
Secretary
User Services Manager (good old Grant)
4
Points to Consider

• Track the application around the portfolio
• Consider the dynamics through the eyes of the
  key players
• How did each believe the application should be
  managed?
• What were the major areas of contention?
• What needed to be done to make this opportunity
  successful?

5
The Micro Muddle Explained
MIKE
JEREMY
CHERYL
GOOD OLD GRANT
6
The characters as seen through the eyes of ..
MIKE
JEREMY

• Arrogant
• Insensitive
• Task orientated

• Self opinionated
• Lazy
• Careless

CHERYL
GOOD OLD GRANT

• Professional
• Service oriented
• Hard working

• Technically competent
• Responsive to the strategy
• Responsible attitude

7
The characters as seen through the eyes of ...
MIKE
JEREMY

• Visionary
• Saw the practical application
• Broke through the bureaucracy

• Innovative
• Creative
• Dedicated to pursuit of a good idea

CHERYL
GOOD OLD GRANT

• Bureaucratic
• Defensive
• Inflexible

• Techi
• Lacking in sensitivity
• Thought he knew best

8
IMPLEMENTORS SJ

• Plan-makers
• Delight in the use of flowcharts, Gantt charts,
  Project Management tools and methodologies
• Organisers
• Data-centred rather than vision-oriented
• Devoted to measuring and monitoring progress
  against plan (You get what you measure)

9
VISION DRIVERS NJ

• Architects of the grand plan
• Clarity of vision and certainty - the full
  picture is available
• Evangelists and enthusers of others
• Natural leaders
• Prepared to devote selves fully to the future

10
EXPLORERS NP

• Imaginative, often unrealistic dreamers
• Excited by possibilities
• Keep the dialogue going
• Hold back (a better idea may come along)
• Unpredictable, volatile
• Abandon plans easily if new idea posted

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ADAPTORS SP

• Workshop tinkerers
• Trouble shooters
• The ultimate realists
• Deep mistrust of theory and visionary nonsense
• Fiercely independent and self-reliant
• Risk-takers (often for the thrill of it)

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STAGES IN CHANGE
Tailoring and fitting (4)
Weighing up the possibilities (1)
Strategy development (2)
Project Management (3)
Exploring options Divergent thinking Seeking
the best way forward Reviewing all the
possibilities Brainstorming Trying to make sure
no viable option is overlooked Creative,
innovative, open Lets not move on until we are
sure weve exhausted all the possibilities
Adapting plans to changed circumstances Tweaking
systems and processes to fit the
realities Modifying and trading-off priorities
and what is achievable on the ground Shifting
the goals and targets pragmatically Making the
plans fit to the way things actually work round
here Compromising Thats all very well in
theory, but we need to tailor the plans to fit
our own environment
Defining the future Creating and driving the
strategy Gaining buy-in from everyone Painting
the big picture for the future Providing the
broad rationale for the chosen option Leading
and driving - providing direction Clarifying the
goal Follow me to the promised land - its
going to be great!
Drawing up the detailed plans Setting budgets
and targets Allocating roles and
responsibilities Progress chasing and
reviewing Checking actions and placing new
actions Marking off milestones, interim targets
and rewarding achievement Stick to the plan
its the only way of ensuring we are all singing
from the same hymn sheet
13
Breakout Session

• Draw a morale graph for each stage of the change
  model
• For the high points - ask yourself why do you
  like this stage?
• For the low points - ask yourself why you dont
  like this stage?
• What are your key contributions to a change
  programme?
• During a change programme where should we seek
  help from others?

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STAGES IN CHANGE
In your group, consider each stage of change -
Levels of excitement/motivation/engagement - How
you feel, compared to other stages Draw a
morale graph which reflects these
Morale/etc
ve
-ve
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EXPLORERS
Excited, energised, enthusiastic, committed,
innovative, creative.
General enthusiastic and committed, but
potentially disruptive due to desire to re-open
debates.
Bored and frustrated by detailed plans feeling
of being hidebound by rules and restrictions.
Generally a bit more enthusiastic but likely to
move from adaptation to a complete rethink of the
entire change.
Weighing up the possibilities
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
Strategy development
16
EXPLORERS
Relatively
Positive about the change
Negative about the change
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
17
VISION DRIVERS
Excited, energised, enthusiastic, but wanting to
close down options and get on with defining the
way forward - easily frustrated by unproductive
chat.
Highly enthusiastic and committed. Key role in
painting the big picture and selling the benefits
of the chosen strategy for change. (Almost)
evangelical. Happy to take the leadership role
and gain buy-in from people.
Beginning to lose interest as practicalities take
over. Feeling of loss of excitement as the
vision becomes mundane. Less charismatic now
and likely to become less visible.
Almost totally out of it as the grand plan is
spoilt by perceived expediency, compromise and
excessive pragmatism.
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
18
VISION DRIVERS
Relatively
Positive about the change
Negative about the change
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
19
IMPLEMENTORS
Highly frustrated by lack of direction and
progress. Continual demand for people to get
real and start to define roles, goals,
responsibilities and measures.
Becoming more involved as strategy becomes
clearer, but still a bit frustrated at all the
theory. Desire to put some actions in place.
Completely absorbed and committed as plans are
drawn up, progress is mapped against plan and
things happen on the ground.
Still committed, but irritated as sloppiness
sets in and plans are continually redrawn, and as
compromises are made. Frequent referrals back to
original detailed plans as the only
certainties. Losing grip.
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
20
IMPLEMENTORS
Relatively
Positive about the change
Negative about the change
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
21
ADAPTORS
Generally un-interested in the process, but
flashes of brilliance concerning how things
will/will not fit into the real world.
Switched off completely by theoretical talk and
big ideas (this months fad). Bored,
distracted and likely to absent selves from the
scene.
Getting back on board but maverick tendency to do
things their way in defiance of the plans. Often
ahead of the game to the detriment of cohesion.
Fully engaged as they turn the sterile plans
into the way things actually work. Brilliant
at modifying processes to fit, and at getting
round unforeseen problems.
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
22
ADAPTORS
Relatively
Positive about the change
Negative about the change
Weighing up the possibilities
Strategy development
Project Management
Tailoring and fitting
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WHAT IF THIS FOCUS IS MISSING?
Weighing up the possibilities Strategy
development Project Management Tailoring and
fitting
Chasing the wrong strategy Running in all
directions Everyone doing everyone elses
job Bureaucratic stagnation
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WHAT IF THIS FOCUS IS OVERPLAYED?
Weighing up the possibilities Strategy
development Project Management Tailoring and
fitting
No decision is made Excessive evangelising Plann
ing becomes the product in its own right The
final product bears no relationship to the
original solution