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The Personal Dynamics of Change

Implementation Plan

The following is an Implementation Plan developed in 1998 for a client going through dramatic and comprehensive organization redesign. Types of changes they were experiencing included the following: Implementation of two new computer systems; Restructuring; Operations and Procedures redesign; shifting customer loyalties; new leadership and differing leadership styles; physical relocation, to name but about a third of the changes they were experiencing. Interventions that I used with the organization included the following:

• Team Buildings
• Establishment of a Steering Committee to lead and guide the redesign, and to create buy-in for changes
• Executive Coaching
• Executive and Management Team Facilitation
• Change Management Training to the entire workforce
• A "Whole System - Critical Mass Conference"
• Establishment of five task forces to develop operations improvements and to redesign the five core areas of their organization
• Procedural Flow Charting of Current and Proposed Operations

The following Implementation Plan was developed as "Guiding Principles" for the Steering Committee and Task Forces that were exhausted and doggedly trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. One of the elements that organizations seem to miss when implementing change is that the change efforts must occur at different levels. The following "plan" was an epiphany for the client, providing a plan for the Task Forces, and for the organization as a whole.

Developing Implementation Plans

I. Introduction

The Department is in the midst of a comprehensive review of existing and proposed operations and workflow for XYZ change. As part of this review, the task forces and the Steering Committee will develop credible and realistic implementation plans for the new policies, procedures and operations. There are two sets of implementation plans that will be established. The first are the task forces implementation plans. The second is the overall department-wide Implementation Plan. These are described below:

II. Task Force Implementation Plans

The Task Force Implementation Plans will be included as follow-ups to the final reports of the Task Forces. The implementation plans should include the following elements:

A detailed implementation plan for the approved preferred alternative:

• A suggested timeframe with key milestones, recommended set of major action steps required, and possible "phases" of the effort.
• A suggested responsible person or group for implementing them.
• A preliminary fiscal impact for these procedural changes, that includes a cost estimate to implement.

III. Department-wide Implementation Plan

1. Create a leadership structure to oversee and monitor the implementation of the recommendations (e.g. a Steering Committee and/or the Executive Team). They will ensure that the various planned change efforts that are occurring in the Department are integrated and that fragmentation of efforts is avoided. They will ensure role/responsibility clarity and accountability for important cross-department implementation. They will oversee all of the other points listed below.
2. Create a Master Action-plan that assigns responsibility for implementing the changes.
3. Develop a credible, flexible Master Implementation Timeline that integrates the task force implementation plans, and that consists of phases and major milestones. Prioritize the change activities, as necessary, from among the task force recommendations.

4. Convene Quarterly Meetings to monitor progress towards achieving the Key Success Indicators (KSI's). Conduct an annual review & update meeting.

5. Manage the process (When is the next meeting, what is the agenda, etc.)
6. Communicate, communicate and communicate. Develop and implement a detailed action-plan for communicating progress and results through newsletters, staff meetings, quarterly meetings, roll-out meetings, etc.

7. Ensure that Department-Customers Meetings are conducted.

8. Create task forces as necessary for further review of other issues.

9. Consider assigning the tracking and reporting of key success indicators (KSI Coordinator) to a person.

10. Consider having Divisions develop Division Implementation Plans that define how they will implement the changes within their division
11. Ensure that the costs associated with implementing the changes are identified and budgeted.
12. Ensure that Operations Manuals and Department Instructions are developed that document the new policies, procedures and workflow for the Department.

13. Consider developing an employee suggestions program. This will assist in forming a partnership with employees and will continue to identify areas of effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery.

14. Establish and implement internal staff development activities to develop the skills to implement the Department's goals & new ways of doing business.

Organization Improvement Plan Tracking Form

* Most Responsible Person

"There are two types of people, those who finish what they start and so on..." - Robert Byrne

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See an example of an "Implementation Plan"

The Resilience Continuum