Opinion: The Strategic Execution Framework - Computer Weekly

The Strategic Execution Framework helps you identify gaps and barriers to successful strategic execution and can be adapted depending on your ... Sharethisitemwithyournetwork: By TimWasserman Published:12Mar2014 Innovation.Agility.Performance.Scalability.Aretheseamongthekeyinitiativesforyourcompanythisyear?Whenweposethisquestiontoourcustomersinarangeofindustriesincludingtechnology,financialservices,energy,manufacturingandothers,theresponsesarestrikinglysimilar.Infact,arecentsurveybyU.S.-basedTheConferenceBoardofnearly800CEOsfromaroundtheworldontheirmostpressingissuesfoundconsistentresults.Innovation,humancapitalandglobalexpansiontoppedthelist–andallrequiresignificanteffortbyITteamstosucceed.   BuildingBlocksforStrategicExecution Sohowdoyoubreakthisdownandmakeitdoable?ConsiderfirstthatthebuildingblocksforstrategicexecutionareoftenITprojects–activitiesputinplacealongsideregularoperationstoachievespecificgoals.Newbusinesses,products,services,channelsandmarketsareoftendrivenbyITproject-basedwork.SuccessfulstrategicexecutionthereforerequirestightlyaligningtheITprojectportfoliototheoverallcorporatestrategytoensuretheseeffortsareaddingvalue.   It’snosecretthatachievingalignmentandmaximizingperformanceofITproject-basedworkiscriticaltosuccessfullyexecutingstrategy.Butifyourcompanyislikemost–havinginvestedintrainingtoensuremanagershavetheskillstobalancescope,time,cost,qualityandrisk–whydobarrierstosuccessfulexecutionstillexist?What’sneededisabroaderframeworkthatconsidersITproject-basedworkwithinthecontextoftheenterprise.   BreakingDownBarrierstoSuccess TheStrategicExecutionFramework(SEF)wasdevelopedtohelpcompaniesstayontrack,aligningITprojectswithkeyinitiativestoachievedesiredoutcomes.TheSEFgoesbeyondatypicalchecklisttoaddressamoreholisticand,therefore,moreeffectiveapproachtomovingthebusinessforwardfromanenterprise-wideperspective.   Asyouhaveseenthroughouttheseries,theSEFconsistsofsixdomainsrememberedbythemnemonic:INVEST.TheframeworkhasbeenproventimeandagaintohelpcompaniesfocussothattheyareselectingandexecutingthemoststrategicallyadvantageousITprojects,andareexecutingthoseprojectseffectively.Asareminder,thedomainsare: Ideationisyourcompany’sunderstandingofwhatitisandhowitappearsintheworld,expressedthroughitspurpose,identityandlong-rangeintention. Naturecreatestheconditionsforstrategicexecution.Itembodiesthecultureandstructurewithinwhich,youoperate. Visionincludesthegoals,metricsandstrategythatformthefoundationforyourbusiness. EngagementconnectstheenterprisestrategytoITprojectportfolioinvestmentsandclearlydemonstratesthatyourcompanyisfundingtherightITprojectstofurtheritsstrategy. Synthesisiswhereengagementmeetsexecution,ensuringyou’resuccessfullyexecutingITprojectsandprogramsinalignmentwiththeITportfolioaswellastheenterprise’soverarchingstrategies. Transitionistheultimatemeasureofsuccess,whereyoumovetheresultsofITproject-basedworkintothemainstreamofoperations.   TheRealWorld Frameworksanddiscretedomainsareeasytoexplain,howeverapplyingthemasaworkingecosystemtorealworldchallengescanbedifficulttoenvision.Duringthelastcoupleofyears,oneglobaltechnologycompany’sglobalcustomerdeliveryPMOhassuccessfullyusedtheSEFtoimproveclientsatisfactionandincreasesales.   ThePMOteamhadbeenstrugglingwithhavingtheperspectiveandagilityrequiredtohelptheircustomersmaketheirwaytothecloud.AfterseveralfailedattemptstoadjusttheirvantagepointandbehaviorstheydecidedtoadopttheSEFastheiruniversalapproach.Over24monthsthe300plusPMOteamreceivedextensivetrainingonapplyingtheSEF,whichprovidedabasemethodologyandvocabularyforthehighlydistributedteam–andimmediatelyimprovedinternalcommunications.   ApplicationoftheSEFsignificantlyshiftedclientconversationsfromtacticalexecutionofproject-basedworktomoresubstantivediscussions.PM’snowbeginbyexploringtheclient’slargerstrategicgoalsfortheinvestment,whatmetricstheywillbeusingtoassesslongertermsuccess(notjustinitialprojectcompletion),andwhichdomainsmaycurrentlybemisaligned–asonePMleaderputit,“beingabletoseeatroubledprogramcomingfromadistancebecausetheclientisoutofalignment,whichallowsustoincludethatinourriskassessment.”Thiskindoftransformativechangeisnoteasytoachieve.Withoutaprovenframework,it’spracticallyimpossible.   EnablingTransformation Eachofthedomainspresentsopportunitiesforimprovement.TheStrategicExecutionFrameworkhelpsyouidentifygapsandbarrierstosuccessfulstrategicexecutionandcanbeadapteddependingonyourcompany–oryourclient’s–strengthsandweaknesses.Somecompaniesknowexactlywhotheyareandwhattheywanttobe,butdon’thavethestructuretosupportit.Othersmaytendtofocusonthetacticalandveerawayfromtheportfolio.AndstillothersmayhaveparticulardifficultymakingthefinalstepofinstitutionalizingtheresultsoftheirITprojectsandprograms. DownloadTheStrategicExecutionFrameworkguides Partoneoftheguide:Ideation Parttwooftheguide:Nature Partthreeoftheguide:Vision Partfouroftheguide:Synthesis Partfiveoftheguide:Engagement Partsixoftheguide:Transition   Nomatterwhichdomainsoftheframeworkaremorerelevantforyou,orwhatyourkeybusinessandITinitiativesmaybe,theSEFprovidesacommonlanguageandwayofunderstandinghowbusinessesandtheirITteamssuccessfullyexecute,innovate,changeandgrow.Youcanassessyourorganizationwithinthiscontextandmakenecessaryadjustmentstocreateafoundationforbalancedstrategicexecution.WhencombinedwiththeSEF’sproven,innovativetechniques,allmanagersleadingITproject-basedworkcantransformthemselves–andtheirorganizations–intotruebusinessleaders.   TobeginaconversationonhowyoucanusetheSEFtohelpdriveyourbusinessforward,contactanIPSLearningexpertat+1866.802.1152,or[email protected]   TheStrategicExecutionFramework(SEF)wasdevelopedbytheStanfordAdvancedProjectManagementprogram,apartnershipbetweenIPSLearningandtheStanfordCenterforProfessionalDevelopment.TheSEFisdescribedindetailinthebookExecutingYourStrategy:HowtoBreakItDownandGetItDone(2007,HarvardBusinessSchoolPress). TimWassermanistheCLOIPSLearning&ProgramDirectortheStanfordAdvancedProjectManagementProgram ReadmoreonITmanagementskills strategicmanagement By:Linda Tucci AccentureacquisitionwillexpandservicesthathelpcustomersbemorelikeTesla By:Karl Flinders NHSseeksnewnationaldataguardianforhealthandcare By:Lis Evenstad Goleanandembracepartnershipstoplotapathforrecovery By:Cliff Saran LatestNews CMAissuesproposalstopreventemergencyservicesbeingoverchargedforAirwavenetwork IR35reformsrepealscrapped:Governmentlabelled‘spineless’overu-turn GlobalITandbusinessservicesspendingslowsamideconomicfears ViewAllNews DownloadCWAsia-Pacific InTheCurrentIssue: APACorganisationswarmtocloudnetworking Cloudflare:Ournetworkisourproduct TataCommunicationsfurtherstrengthensIZOInternetWANforglobalenterprises DownloadCurrentIssue LatestBlogPosts PerconaonPostgreSQLversion15:whatshouldyoulookoutfor? –OpenSourceInsider Oracle,fearandloathing –CliffSaran'sEnterpriseblog ViewAllBlogs RelatedContent Kioxiagiveshyperscalersnewcustomflashdrive... –SearchStorage ITstrategicplan(informationtechnologystrategic... –SearchCIO strategicmanagement –SearchCIO LatestTechTargetresources CIO Security Networking DataCenter DataManagement SearchCIO Sustainableprocurementgoesmainstream,influencesITbuys ESGconsiderationsaddanewdimensiontoITpurchasingcriteriaand,morebroadly,couldhelpbridgethegapbetweenbusiness... 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