How to Advertise Project Management Software

Transcription

1 Successfully Deploying Software Across Teams by Rodney Brim, Ph.D. CEO, Performance Solutions Technology, LLC All rights reserved. Please do not copy with out permission from Dr. Rodney Brim

2 Why talk about deploying Project Management Software? 1999 PMI survey study MS Project ranked as most popular PM tool, lowest in overall satisfaction and lower than MS Word as most frequently used PM tool Less than 30% of all change efforts actually succeed in meeting the expectations of key stakeholders. Conquering Organizational Change by Pierrie Mourier & Martin Smith the most frequent, but often overlooked cause of implementation problems is ignoring people issues. from a 5 year study by Cavanaugh Leahy & Co. 1999

3 Successfully Deploying PM Software Missionaries, the gospel of productivity and Cannibals Isaac Newton, Thomas Kuhn and the Deployment Wall Deployment as PM and the Technology Usage ladder Change Management and the Push-Pull leadership model

4 Missionaries, Cannibals and the gospel of productivity Early adopters as missionaries for improved productivity Missionaries eaten by cannibals within first six months Most people adopt software if easy and mandated, not to be more productivity The BIG SECRET ABOUT DEPLOYING SOFTWARE it s not productivity, it s a combination of change management and leadership

5 Isaac Newton s ( ) perspective on software deployment 1 st Law: An object maintains its state of uniform motion unless it is acted upon by an external unbalanced force. Translation: The Power of Habit People maintain and are at rest in their patterns unless activated by an external unbalanced" (i.e. judged to be not-fair) force

6 Isaac Newton s ( ) perspective on software deployment 2 nd Law: The acceleration of an object varies directly as the external unbalanced force applied to it and inversely as its mass. Translation: Implementation Speed How fast users adopt new software and incorporate change will vary directly with (a) how much force is applied and (b) how much resistance to change exists/remains.

7 Isaac Newton s ( ) perspective on software deployment 3 rd Law: For every action force there is an opposite and equal reaction force in the opposite direction on the object exerting the action force Translation: Push Back For every new software deployment effort, there will be an opposite and equal force applied to the change effort... the question is only who will persevere

8 Isaac Newton take-aways 1. Software adoption is driven by an outside force upsetting familiar habits, not intrinsic evolvement 2. The speed of software adoption is dependent upon level of force behind the change effort (including insistence from above) and the effectiveness of resistance removal 3. Resistance is part of the experience, not an alarm signal

9 Thomas Kuhn (1962) Structure of Scientific Revolution Paradigms Rule: One's paradigm predetermines the conclusions about reality, and new facts that don't fit an existing paradigm are ignored Translation: Rejection Response Introducing new software into a person s work system that is already defined by a paradigm of customary processes, steps and preferred tools will evoke a rejection response Most people when confronted with either changing their mind or proving why they don t have to get busy on the proof. John Galbraith

10 Thomas Kuhn (1962) Structure of Scientific Revolution Crises & Paradigm Shifts Paradigm shifts seldom occur as soon as a new paradigm is invented, but rather only when the old one is shown to be inadequate Translation: Shake it Up Introducing new software changes paradigms, the success of which is dependent upon proving the old is inadequate

11 The Software Deployment Wall Proof of Inadequacy Active Push Back & Resistance The Inertia Power of Habit and Paradigm

12 Deployment Paradigms Needing an Update Purchasing drives usage Training drives usage Efficiency drives usage Past success drives usage

13 A new paradigm for software deployment Treat it as project management effort escorting people up the 4 step ladder of software adoption Treating it as a change management effort. Treat it as a leadership effort, using PST s Push-Pull model

14 Software Deployment as PM with the PST 4 step Usage Ladder Use pm steps of defining scope, deliverables, installation, training, configuration, start date, milestone due dates, etc. Step 1 Usage match up at the personal level Step 2 Usage as described and defined by job function and compensation structure Step 3 Usage as defined by projects being tracked Step 4 Usage as defined by strategic management and business navigation

15 Deployment as Change Management and the ADKAR model - ADKAR Change Knowledge

16 Software Deployment as a leadership, Push-Pull, effort Pull Motivation from the bottom up Identifying and measuring the software deployment as a specific solution to one or more problems to empower motivation from the bottom up Push Insistence from the top down Alignment with the vision and standardization by using output for meetings and reports

17 Summary: Successfully Deploying Software Across Teams Expect, plan on the Deployment Wall Passive resistance from some via the inertia of habit Active resistance/pushback from others The need to dismantle old paradigms before proceeding Treat as a project evolving through 4 steps Personal use-ability and organization Defined as job function and part of compensation package Embodies key projects Use for strategic management Treat as a change management and leadership effort Pull enlist motivation by solving felt problems Push drive utilization with insistence, vision and standardization