Socializing the ROI Study
Please see Part I of this post for background information on this project.
Essential in this process is socializing the fact that we were going to be conducting an ROI study of the lessons learned process. We needed the support of the project teams in order to get data needed for the study.
Our goals for the lessons learned component of the processes implemented for the client included:
- Enable for sharing of best practices. In particular, our focus here is on lessons learned. Separate from the lessons learned, new processes/best practices in managing projects and regular meetings were set up to share information/best practices. For the use of lessons learned to share best practices we set a goal that within 6 months 50% of the staff would be sharing information, 70% within 9 months and 100% compliance after 12 months.
- Improve processes of how projects are managed. In particular, for the lessons learned component, a new process which needed to be followed was to capture, document and post lessons learned to the portal at the mid-point and end of each project and to evaluate lessons learned information at each new project initial kick-off meeting. We set a goal that we would have 50% compliance within 6 months, 70% within 9 months and 100% compliance after 12 months.
- Elimination in similar problems occurring on projects. While we understood that similar problems would occur on projects, we wanted to eliminate rework from not sharing information, utilizing lessons learned. We set a goal that we would eliminate addressing (from scratch) similar problems that occur as follows:
- From rework 45% of the time for similar problems to 30% within 6 months, 15% with 9 months and 0 rework within 12 months.
- Reduce budget costs and time to completion as follows:
- Schedule: From 10 days to 7 days due to implementation of lessons learned component only, we expected further reduction when other processes were implemented and/or fine-tuned.
- Budget: Reduce due to lessons learned component only by $1,800, other reductions would be realized through other initiatives.
Our biggest road blocks were going to be individuals who have been managing projects their way for a significant number of years and have been successful doing so. We needed them on board. Newer project managers would be easier to sell since they were experiencing the most frustration. So we not only had to sell what we were doing, but the ROI study too! Since this case study’s focus is the ROI study, let’s look at how we socialized that initiative. Bear in mind, we undertook preparing for the ROI study at the same time we undertook this initiative overall.
Executive Level
At the executive level, we focused on the benefits of conducting the ROI study (which was not too difficult a sell frankly simply because they were focused on the bottom line and wanted to understand the impact of the initiative from a bottom line perspective).
This included:
- 20 minute presentation at an Executive Leadership Meeting (which included Board members) to review the ROI process from a high level and provide a few case study examples
- Review the projected benefits of utilizing lessons learned within the organization (tangible and intangible benefits), linked to the organization’s long term strategic goals
- We needed to show how putting a lessons learned process in place would map to specific elements of the organization’s strategy
Project Managers
For the project managers, our focus was more on the benefits of their participation in the study, and the value such a study brought them personally.
This included:
- 30 minute presentation about the ROI process and the roles and responsibilities they would have in the study.
- The value of conducting an ROI study for this lessons learned initiative
- The benefits to project managers of conducting a study, specifically focused on how it helps them get approval for future improvements they want to undertake around how projects are managed.
- A roundtable about a week after initial conversations to answer questions and gather ideas/thoughts/comments about the process.
In this group, we included a number of mid-level managers who had been involved in projects. We would need input from them through surveys and potentially face-to-face interviews and therefore wanted to provide them an overview of the ROI process and why their participation would be of value.
We also discussed, as part of the socialization process, the value of having processes and procedures around lessons learned. We knew this would be considered “more work” to the group and wanted to be sure they understood the value of what we were doing. Without them being bought in to the lessons learned initiative, we would never get their buy-in (nor have a successful ROI) to the ROI study.
Staff Level (including project team members)
We needed the support of project team members in conducting the ROI. This included their involvement in interviews and surveys to gather data, and their support in applying the new lessons learned processes. Additionally, while we already knew that many of the project team members were frustrated and the increased work load was creating even more frustration, we also knew that they would be hesitant to be involved in this initiative. Other initiatives in the organization were not always very smooth and a few ended up creating more work rather than reducing workload. Given this, it was important to spend time socializing this upcoming initiative with project team members. We did this through:
- Small group meetings with departments
- Meetings with current project teams
- Meetings with past project teams who were both successful and unsuccessful in their initiatives
- A few one-on-one meetings with key project team members whose support was essential to this initiative
Additionally, throughout the organization we had posters that highlighted what we were trying to accomplish and why and held 3 one hour lunch and learn sessions to discuss this initiative and provide background information about it. Our goal here was to get as many people within the organization behind the initiative as we could. It didn’t matter if they were not personally involved – they were impacted by the success (or non-success) of projects and we wanted them to feel a part of the initiative.
We spent 3 weeks socializing the initiative throughout the organization prior to actually beginning work on the initiative. This enabled us to get the perspectives of others on lessons learned and how to improve the process overall in capturing/collecting, sharing and applying lessons learned. By spending time socializing it first, we were better able to engage others in what was happening rather than taking the approach of all decisions being made and here is what we are doing.
Next up – the study and the results of the lessons learned ROI study (Part III)
