10.4. Phase 3: Implementation

We have learned that implementing process improvements is not a simple matter of developing a plan and carrying it out. Organizations often have a history of designing changes and failing to implement them well. Resistance to change is often high. Widespread participation is essential, both because of the amount of work and the need to build commitment. Special expertise, in areas like job design and software development, may be needed. Project management is a significant challenge, due to the breadth of and connections among the actions to be taken. Executives who could (and, usually, should) avoid hands-on involvement in the nitty-gritty of process redesign have to take an active role in implementation.

In a large-scale project, Phase 3 includes:

• Transition to implementation, including:

  • Assessing and confronting the readiness for change and the impact that the change will have on the status quo

  • Defining the implementation infrastructure, which involves forming teams around recommendation clusters, developing a timetable, and determining communication and training requirements

  • Providing implementation training for the Design Team and for new members of the Implementation Team, as well as a "Should" walk-through for the new members

  • Beginning the ongoing communication to the organization at large

  • Developing detailed and integrated implementation plans, which include what, who, when, and risk analysis

  • Steering Team buy-off on the infrastructure, the plan, and the resources

• Installation, which includes "bringing to life " the steps, procedures, computer systems, jobs, job environments, and measurement systems identified in the detailed plans as being necessary to move to "Should." Installation often includes a pilot of the new process. Project management, Steering Team involvement, and communication are keys to success.

During Phase 3, the Human Performance System (see Chapter Six) is used as a tool to help ensure that the changes are supported by the work environment and that the Implementation Team itself is incentivized to carry out its often formidable task.