Communications White Paper

Transcription

1 Intrductin The quality and effectiveness f the cmmunicatin between the prject and the stakehlder grups is a significant cntributing factr t prject success r failure. Cmmunicatin is abut sending and receiving messages, ideally cntrlling the interpretatin theref, and having sme influence f subsequent actins. In a SAP implementatin, prject cmmunicatin refers t messages sent and received between the implementatin prject and the stakehlders. Cmmunicatin seems best psitined within the Organizatinal Change Management (OCM) stream f activities. As with mst OCM activities, it requires the supprt and assistance f bth the business and the prject team. The Organizatinal Change Management team itself is respnsible fr the management and crdinatin f messages ensuring they are clear and well targeted: 1. Creating and distributing messages 2. Creating and maintaining an pen feedback lp. 3. Preventing cntradictry messages It is imprtant that the actual delivery f the messages, especially verbal r persnal mem, is carried ut by the spnsrship r leadership grup rather than the OCM team. The bjective is t minimize infrmatin that may lead t cnfusin and thus inefficient and ineffective behavir. One f the key success factrs f cmmunicatin is the perceived credibility f the message. If the stakehlder grups perceive the infrmatin as imprtant, infrmative and authritative, it is likely t be accepted and acted upn. If, hwever, the infrmatin is perceived as being trivial, r infrmatin is unavailable, the risks f inapprpriate behavir will increase. Apprpriate behavir, f curse, is critical fr the success f the prject, and thus cmmunicatin tends t be directed tward a critical stream f activities, and usually crss referenced against risks listed n the OCM plan. Hwever, cmmunicatin is nt nly a reactin t risks, it als helps identify risks that then require apprpriate behavir. Again, there is a link t the OCM plan. Please nte, that the detail f the cmmunicatin apprach, stakehlder analysis, and messages acrss the SAP implementatin phases, tends t require a separate cmmunicatin plan which, f curse, needs t be in line with the relevant activities n the OCM plan. The Cmmunicatins Prcess While OCM activities are highly dependent n the rganizatinal and prject requirements and cnditins, there is ne recmmended prcess t cllect and manage infrmatin twards a cntrlled cmmunicatin effrt. The prcess cnsists f three brad stages as shwn in Figure 1. It is a cntinuus, evlving prcess, which impacts ther prcesses such as spnsrship/leadership, team management and rganizatinal ptimizatin. The cmmunicatins prcess is, itself, als impacted by the ther OCM prcesses and, as a result, needs a detailed and sphisticated plan in its wn right that is a subset f the verall OCM plan. As it is an integral part f the verall OCM plan it is used t mitigate the risks n the prject and is subject t change t reflect the emerging and evlving risks. Typically these risks might be: Lack f supprt fr the prject at the leadership level f the cmpany Pr track recrd f success in the cmpany at implementing significant prjects successfully Unrealistic level f resurce prvided utside the prject team 1

2 OCM Plan as needed t mitigate risk Create/Mdify Cmmunicatins Plan Develp and publish Cmmunicatins Vehicles Feedback Mdificatins Update Risks and actins Mnitr/Assess effectiveness Figure 1 The Cmmunicatins Prcess The steps in the prcess are: Create/Mdify the Cmmunicatins Plan The first deliverable t cntrl and manage cmmunicatin is t create a cmmunicatins plan. The plan needs t explain hw cmmunicatin is managed and mnitred within the scpe f OCM activities. Activities need t be risk fcused, need t allw fr priritizatin f mitigating activities (based n the severity f risks), and be linked t clear measurement f success. In rder t decide n the apprpriate actins, the cmmunicatin plan at the beginning f the prject has t include the fllwing: Infrmatin abut the envirnment f the rganizatin and the cntext f cmmunicatins. Fr example, in an rganizatin which is accustmed t frmal briefing via mem it may nt be apprpriate t have face t face meetings. In a manufacturing envirnment where many f the shp flr wrkers d nt have access t PCs r it des nt make sense t have cmmunicatins. The envirnment is ften assessed thrugh interviews with prject team members, HR persnnel r managers. The OCM team members shuld inquire abut the mst successful cmmunicatins frm previus prjects. Strategy f cmmunicatin fr the SAP implementatin. This is an imprtant element f the planning activity. The strategy f cmmunicatin fr the prject shuld include infrmatin abut: The stakehlder grups and their needs 2

3 The expected messages t the different stakehlder grups at each phase f the implementatin Recmmended vehicles and their frmats fr cmmunicatin (including brand creatin) and hw they mitigate specific risks Measures f success fr the plan Hw ther cmmunicatins activities acrss the rganizatin synchrnize with this Hw the plan will be executed Guidelines abut the use f a central cmmunicatins functin (if ne exists) The rle f external cnsultants The rles and respnsibilities f the members f the OCM team The use f the rganizatinal risk assessment (see risk assessment and OCM Plan White Paper) and f cmmunicatins effectiveness assessments (see belw) in mdifying the actins f the cmmunicatins plan Once the plan has been created it needs t be agreed and signed ff by the prject team management and the spnsrship grup. Updates t the plan d nt necessarily need t be signed ff frmally but clear assignment f respnsibility fr risks and subsequent activities t mitigate these, des need t take place. At peridic intervals, preferably in synchrnizatin with the utput f the rganizatinal risk assessments and cmmunicatin effectiveness assessments, the plan needs t be revisited, updated and mdified t reflect the findings and need fr cmmunicatin. It is advisable t review and, as apprpriate, revise the cmmunicatin plan at least nce every three weeks. Ideally, a review f the cmmunicatin plan and activities shuld happen during weekly prject meetings. Develp and Publish Cmmunicatins This is the ding element f the cmmunicatins plan and will result in the develpment and publicatin f the messages and vehicles described in the plan. The main activities will be: Cnfirm the messages t be delivered and the target audiences Agree n the measures f success Create the message and vehicle fr cmmunicatin (e.g. newsletter, intranet, speech, mem, intranet) Gain apprval and sign ff the message and vehicle Publish/annunce Please nte that, while the cmmunicatin may nt be created and may nt be delivered by it, the OCM team shuld prvide guidelines t thse cmmunicating and ensure the cnsistency f the messages acrss the rganizatin. This tends t require invlvement f OCM team members in many prjects and cmpany meetings, even if the bjectives f a particular meeting are nt related t change management. 3

4 Mnitr/Assess Effectiveness Having executed a part f the plan, it is imprtant t gain feedback n the effectiveness f the individual cmmunicatin activities. The three main mechanisms fr achieving this are: The Organizatinal Risk Assessment See Risk Assessment and OCM Plan White Paper. This is a peridic assessment f the perceptins f risk t the prject s success. Many questins n the Risk Assessment are arund the quality f cmmunicatin, especially in the early days f a prject. The results f this assessment can be used as separate measures and/r traced ver time. The Cmmunicatins Effectiveness Assessment shuld be built int the cmmunicatins plan. It is an assessment specifically designed t mnitr the effectiveness f the cmmunicatin vehicles and messages. This assessment is likely t fcus n the interpretatin f the messages by asking stakehlder grups abut their understanding and awareness f prject prcess, r mnitring behaviral changes expected as a result f the infrmatin received. The Cmmunicatin Effectiveness Measures are built int the cmmunicatins plan. Ideally the measures are quantifiable and allw fr cmparisn and evaluatin f the findings cllected in the effectiveness assessment. All findings frm the assessments and measures shuld be cnslidated and dcumented in detail n the cmmunicatins plan, and crss referenced at a higher level n the OCM plan. As and where apprpriate, subsequent actins need t be reviewed r planned and executed. Cmmunicatin Gals by Phase Cmmunicatin depends very much n the rganizatin and the nature f the prject. The infrmatin n the cmmunicatins plan (described abve) shuld list the unique prject cmmunicatin apprach and recmmended activities. The recmmended activities, cmmunicatin vehicles, channels and messages t the different stakehlder grups can be gruped by prject phase. The phasing f a SAP implementatin prject and subsequent prject management activities are fairly standard and allw fr sme guidance based n cmmunicatin gals fr the prject. Please nte that each cmmunicatin activity shuld be tailred fr the stakehlder grup it is addressing. The minimum/typical gals by phase are: Prject Preparatin The rganizatin has n real knwledge f the prject. During the prject preparatin, cmmunicatin is typically aimed at gaining persnal cmmitment frm the members f the stakehlder grups. This is achieved when members: Are cnfident that the rganizatin and the deplyment team can cmplete the SAP implementatin 4

5 Believe the SAP implementatin will deliver a variety f tangible benefits t the rganizatin D nt have inapprpriate expectatins Are willing t speak psitively abut the SAP implementatin when they meet with their peers within and utside the rganizatin Are willing t make the changes in the way they wrk and/r their rganizatinal relatinships Gain feedback f the OCM activities that have taken place The gal f the cmmunicatins at this phase is t: Launch the prject Explain the reasns why the cmpany is embarking n it Prvide an verview f the scpe/timing f the prject Describe its imprtance t achieving the cmpany s visin Engage the rganizatin in the prject s delivery An imprtant pint t nte is that the cmmunicatin prcess starts as sn as the prject is annunced. It is unlikely that cmmunicatin planning will have been cmpleted at this time. The annuncement mechanism in itself is cmmunicatin and needs t be managed t reflect psitive and high level supprt fr the prject withut entering int t many (unknwn at this stage) details. Hwever, it is recmmended that, nce the cmmunicatin plan is created, the annuncement is listed and the gals and measures f this actin are reflected n it. Additinal cmmunicatin may be required t mitigate the risks that were targeted by the annuncement. Business Blueprint At this stage f the prject nly a minrity f peple in the rganizatin will understand the prject cnditins and aims, including scpe and timing. At this phase the messages shuld: Reinfrce the reasns why the cmpany is carrying ut the prject and its significance t the cmpany s visin Describe in mre detail hw the system is being develped Start t describe at a macr level hw sme f the cmpany s prcesses and their assciated benefits might change Celebrate/cmmunicate successful prgress t date 5

6 Realizatin The majrity f peple in the rganizatin shuld have a better understanding by nw f the prject but may nt understand hw it will affect them as individuals r the rganizatin in detail. Cmmunicatins shuld: Reinfrce the reasns why the cmpany is carrying ut the prject and its significance t the cmpany s visin Reinfrce at a macr level hw sme f the cmpany s prcesses and their assciated benefits might change Describe at a micr level the prcess changes and hw they affect individuals in the cmpany and the rganizatin itself see als the Business Optimizatin White paper Start t mitigate sme f the resistance issues that start t emerge as the system becmes clser fr the rganizatin Cmmunicate learning pints frm the prject Identify any new rles and prvide a frum fr feedback Celebrate/cmmunicate successful prgress t date Final Preparatin The majrity f peple in the rganizatin shuld nw understand the prject t the extent f knwing hw it will impact their stakehlder grup. They shuld als be able t explain the prject s strategic and/r cmpetitive ratinale fr the cmpany. If any f the stakehlders may be cncerned abut the prject s impact n the way the rganizatin is structured and perates tday, cmmunicatin shuld: Reinfrce the reasns why the cmpany is carrying ut the prject and its significance t the cmpany s visin Reinfrce at a macr level hw sme f the cmpany s prcesses and their assciated benefits might change Reinfrce at a micr level the prcess changes and hw they affect individuals in the cmpany and the rganizatin itself Cntinue t mitigate sme f the resistance issues that start t emerge as the SAP slutin becmes clser fr the rganizatin Cmmunicate learning pints frm the prject Describe the supprt strategy fr the SAP slutin and hw future changes will be implemented Instill user cnfidence Celebrate/cmmunicate successful prgress t date 6

7 G Live The SAP slutin has gne live and users are starting t live with the implicatins. The gal f the cmmunicatins prgram here is t: Reinfrce the reasns why the cmpany carried ut the prject and its significance t the cmpany s visin Describe at a macr level hw sme f the cmpany s prcesses have changed Describe sme early wins and the assciated benefits Cmmunicate learning pints frm the prject Celebrate/cmmunicate a successful cnclusin f the prject Cllect infrmatin fr future imprvements 7