The UNITY way forward

Ultimate success in any complex change programme not only calls for the most appropriate people to be involved but also that good practice principles are observed and practised in a highly disciplined and diligent fashion. Unfortunately, in the IT arena, the emphasis in the past has too often been on simply following the agreed procedural disciplines, rather than on focusing on the cultural, behavioural and attitudinal elements of good project management.

There have been some notable examples of project successes at various times over recent years, where an enlightened view was taken of the need to put considerable emphasis on dealing with cultural issues as well as the procedural disciplines. Such projects often tended to be key ‘cross organisation’ developments, where the CEO became intimately involved because he or she could not allow internal power politics to jeopardise the wider interest. However, such projects have undoubtedly been the exception rather than the rule.

Whilst best practice principles in IT related change, that incorporate essential cultural imperatives, have been largely disregarded in the past, they are now essential in order to deal with today's challenges. Failure of highly integrated projects can have an earth shattering and ultimately cataclysmic impact on business or government activities and their achievement of key results, and there have been many recent examples of such failures.

Fundamental change that spans the old traditional business and IT boundaries is now required. It needs to spawn new management alliances in bringing about change, with a clearer delineation of business management accountability for change issues. Such wide ranging structural and cultural change needs strong support from the top of the business in order to give the process a kick start, and thereafter to become absorbed throughout all levels of the organisation.

The thrust of much of this cultural and management process change is towards the best of the ‘Master Craftsman’ culture. This is characterised by the need for a fusion of knowledge concerning the use of the IT tool and of the business processes to be fashioned by its use. The most talented and successful craftsmen are undoubtedly those who not only thoroughly understand the full capabilities of their tools, but also have an intimate understanding of the material with which they have to work.

Closing the IT/business culture gap to generate a fusion of minds, which in turn produces a faultless end product, lies at the heart of the UNITY initiative. This fusion of business and IT management, sufficient to produce the required cost-effectiveness benefits, can be a difficult and painful process for business management as well as for the established IT organisation. The longer established, often the more painful the change.

Within the UNITY scenario, board level participation in the IT exploitation process becomes more proactive, with a relatively small but quite distinct shift in the boundary where their personal engagement with the subject is called for. This increase in directors' personal participation in the IT enabled change process leads to better informed top level direction of change and to clearer business accountability for results.

The UNITY management model also provides a constant focus on the need to learn from our mistakes, and the need to support a communication conduit for the generation of ideas and process improvement initiatives to deal with present and future challenges. These are both important elements in the UNITY scenario, resulting directly in less duplication of effort across the business and more effective and productive use of senior peoples’ time.

Everybody gains. The organisation is assured of more cost-effective and potent IT exploitation, the individual businesses are more in control of their own destinies, and at the same time they have ready recourse to the significant benefits that derive from organisation-wide collaboration in high technology ventures. Finally, the IT fraternity gain from the much improved credibility that flows from being recognised as an important contributor to business success, and from the more varied and fulfilling role thus created.

IN SUMMARY

The costs associated with introducing these changes are not enormous and can generally be spread over several years. It is also important to note that the initiatives involved are not about making significantly more time available for this subject. They are however about using time more effectively, making the management process more efficient, and clarifying accountability more clearly.

Such change results in substantial bottom-line business benefits that flow from adopting the UNITY way forward. These derive largely from the resultant erosion of the business/IT culture gap at all levels, thus producing significant changes in business people's perception of IT and in their attitude to its exploitation. This in turn brings about important behavioural changes which typically show themselves in a variety of ways.

The top management team gradually develops a more aware and 'instinctive' understanding of how information technology can improve or even transform their business performance. At lower levels the providers of the systems, and the business people who use them, work more closely together in a more productive partnership, each having a much better understanding of the other's needs and concerns. The business units also understand the advantages of sharing IT experience so that all may ultimately benefit.

Much more on all of this can be found in The Drowning Director.

"Start with some early wins and build the momentum that ultimately takes
  over the company"

Jack Welch CEO GE