TRANSFORMATION IS A FOUR LETTER WORD...HARD pt10

Success Factor #9 Closure Moving from “project mode” to “business as usual” mode too soon endangers your results. It also prolongs the learning curve for the “new normal,” and can create a knowledge and discipline vacuum which jeopardizes project goals and success measures. We were on a transformation project where operations were being moved from multiple locations to a single site. As part of this project, most of the people performing the activities changed. Leadership mistakenly felt the project was completed once the “go live” announcement was made, and their mindset and actions shifted to thinking in terms of “business as usual.” This premature closure significantly challenged the ability of all stakeholders to perform well, and for the changes to take root. Success Factor #6, Change Management, plays a significant role in how quickly an organization can move to true “business as usual” mode.   Recommendations:

1. Plan for and communicate expectations that there will be a stabilization period after go-live.

2. Keep key project and operations team members available for the stabilization period.

3. Develop a “punch list” of post go live updates and well as a plan for ensuring that the team has what is necessary to complete them.