There are two concerns that require resolution here: “Are we doing the right thing?” and “Are we doing it right?” Central to addressing the first of these is a compelling business case that is built on a strong benefits case. Even in the case of legislative change, there is a need to investigate available options to gaining compliance.
From the business case, we will have a clear set of business milestones that will shape the way we plan and monitor delivery of the change products (the deliverables). Additionally, we will have identified potential risks to the costs of making the change happen and the business benefits we expect to gain from making the change stick.
To know if we are doing it right requires us to link the desired benefits to the change products and the operational impacts they must make in the new business-as-usual. This mapping of benefits to operational impact to change products is developed from the benefits case. The mapping, along with the business milestones, provides the basis for planning for the realisation of benefits at the appropriate points in the change journey. It allows us to determine when each of the change products is needed, and what it must achieve, through highlighting the operational impacts the deliverable needs to make or contribute to. In this way, we can be confident throughout the change journey that we really are on track to deliver the benefits.
Things to consider
- Have the benefits been mapped to impacts and products, so we can demonstrate how the benefits will be delivered?
- Do we have achievable milestones against which we can plan the delivery of the change products (deliverables) to make the desired operating impacts?
- Do we have a reception strategy in business-as-usual for the adoption of the change products, so that the right operating impacts will be made and the benefits will be realised?
- Are we using product-based planning that focuses on achievement?
- Are key performance indicators (KPIs) in place and being monitored for the change journey?