Monday, September 25, 2023

The OPEN Transformation Roadmap

When looking at SAFe's "Implementation roadmap," we basically see "Training, training, training, training, do something, training, training, training, bye - have fun!" That looks great if you're a trainer - but it has little to do with how I, as a coach, perceive the journey of organizational change.
In this article, I'm trying to give you a short summary on how I personally perceive a change initiative - with "OPEN Transformation roadmap!"

Organize
Group Activities Objective
Change Direction
  • Formulate Change Objectives
  • Coalition Formation
A guiding coalition that agrees on clear, relevant change objectives.
Change Planning
  • Change Backlog
  • Change Coordination
  • Organize Calendar
An overview of the predictable activities - what, when and by whom.
Knowledge Foundations
  • Basics Training
  • Self-Study
  • Q+A Sessions
Everyone has a fundamental understanding of the changing principles, practices - and what it means for them.
Role Alignment
  • Role Clarification
  • Coaching Touchpoints
Those actively leading and conducting the change understand their roles and responsibilities.
Prepare
Flush the System
  • Identify hindering Tasks, meetings, roles & responsibilities
  • Identify incompatible Incentives & Measurement
  • Categorize current hinderances
  • Determine flushing actions
Hindrances to change and suitable resolutions are identified, and resolution begins.
Change Overview
  • Problem-Solution Fitness Assessment
  • Change Recommendations
  • Extend Change Backlog
There's a map connecting Status Quo, change opportunities and the desired future state.
Team Preparation
  • Team Structure Planning
  • Working Environment Setup
  • Tooling Configuration
  • Calendar Revamp
  • Kick-Off Event
Teams are known and have the necessary means to get started.
Content Readiness
  • Content Preparation
  • Feature Refinement
  • Establish Backlog
Content and backlog items are prepared, refined, and established to start development in the new ways of working.
Execute
Event Setup
  • Establish Events
  • Prepare Events with Role Holders
  • Coach-led Events
  • Team-led events with Coaching support
Events are set up, facilitated, and embraced by the people doing the work. Collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement thrive.
Continuous Support
  • Daily I&A Sessions
Regular sessions where the change coalition reviews and adjusts their ongoing application and learning on the new ways of working.
Next Steps
Ongoing Support
  • Active Coaching Disengagement
  • On-Demand Coaching
People receive Coaching support to address situational challenges and needs.
Change Review
  • Change Benefit Analysis
  • Closing Assessment
  • Further Recommendations
  • Update Change Roadmap
The current state is transparent, recommendations for adjustment and further change are acknowledged and pursued.
Conclusion
  • Celebration
  • Retrospective
  • Wrap Up
The Adoption itself is concluded, and the organization continues on their Continuous Improvement and Learning Journey.
And yes, the acronym was chosen deliberately: First, it's catchy and memorable. It radiates confidence that we know what we need to do. And most of all: it makes explicit what needs to be emphasized: The "roadmap" itself is OPEN, and it leads ... into the OPEN!

3 comments:

  1. And after Phase 4 all other than the 7 people "in the room" get involved? ;) any preferred size of coalition no matter how big organization or do you referring to Dunbar's nb or SAFe guidance? I'm affected of an transformation that should have a bit more of this guidance than "Old Phase Transformation change" as now..

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    Replies
    1. That*s extremely hard to comment on, because it seems like you're making assumptions that aren't mentioned anywhere in the article?
      The OPEN Roadmap is a universal template for change initiatives.

      It's fully compatible with, for example, Kotter's 8 Steps, Drexler/Sibbet's Team Performance Model or the Hackman Model.

      And it can facilitate any payload - from setting up a new department, over restructuring a team, introducing a framework or even operations sunsetting.

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    2. Thanks, and sorry for the unclear referring. So based on the size between department and/or team - the coalition you mentioning, is that including all, no matter of size of people affected? So if a team is "belonging" to the transformation, the whole team is the coalition. Same if its a department, all people is the coalition? (that's why i mentioned SAFe and Dunbar as they have some limitations on size..)

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