Methods and Tools

The Methods and Tools aspect of business transformation is not shown on the business transformation roadmap because it is another example of a number of important background areas that extend across the entire roadmap as opposed to being confined to any single stage.

This is where things that are used, or to be used, as standard by an organisation or its business transformation initiative are spelled out.  These can include methods, tools, conventions, categorising & numbering systems, templates, data controls & housekeeping, approaches, techniques, etc.

The work of defining and encouraging compliance with this area generally falls to subject matter specialists in business transformation, project management and/or IT which is where this sort of knowledge is most often lodged.  Typically any organisation-wide standards (e.g. use of a particular office productivity suite) will serve as a starting point with additional standards being defined to meet any additional needs of the business transformation initiative as required.

Checkered Flag

An exemplar of a ‘typical’ set of deliverables or products from this area looks like this:

Commonly there are standards setting in some of the the following areas (N.B. this list is not exhaustive, just typical, you must consider your own needs accordingly):

  • Methods
  • Templates
  • Tools
  • Document Management
  • Change Controls

 

Methods Exemplar:

  • Repeatable Models as an approach to vision and strategy
  • EFQM as a business framework
  • TOGAF for enterprise architecture
  • BPR / Lean-Six-Sigma / Benchmarking for analysis and design
  • BPMN / IDEF for modelling
  • MSP for management of programmes
  • Prince2 for management of larger projects
  • Hoshin Planning for management of smaller projects

Templates Exemplar:

  • Project Terms of Reference / Handbook
  • Project Plan & Status Reports
  • Flow Diagrams & Documentation
  • Issue & Risk Logs
  • Change Requests / Impact Assessments
  • Business Case
  • Stakeholder Map
  • Communiques / External Communications Guide

Tools Exemplar (proprietary):

  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Microsoft Office Applications (i.e. Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access)
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Sharepoint / Groove

Tools Exemplar (open source):

  • OpenProj
  • Dia or OpenOffice Draw
  • FreeCAD
  • OpenOffice Applications (i.e. Writer, Calc, Impress, Base)
  • Linux
  • Thunderbird
  • TeamLab / Freedcamp / 03Spaces / Collaber

Document Management Exemplar:

  • Version control
  • Creation and / or revision date(s)
  • Naming conventions
  • Security / confidentiality level of documents and files
  • Pagination & paragraph numbering
  • Retention policy
  • Review and approval procedures
  • Project directory location (if a project workspace & store is available)
  • Author / sponsor / process owner

Change Controls Exemplar (statement):

A standard ECN type change control procedure will be applied to ‘substantial’ change requests; e.g. scope changes with significant time / quality / budget / risk impacts.  These will be elevated for approval from the project to the steering group as appropriate.

Bulls EyeThe main goal of a methods and tools set of standards is to establish a common working environment that will perform in a predictable and efficient way so as to help achieve the agreed work outcomes within the defined time frames, budgets and quality requirements.

To reliably achieve this goal a number of  rules and guidelines must be respected by those involved to ensure an adequate (i.e. NOT an over-the-top ‘thought-police’ regime) level of commonality and control over all key documentation and data formats.

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