{"id":49914,"date":"2024-01-26T07:23:44","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T12:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/?p=49914"},"modified":"2024-01-26T07:23:44","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T12:23:44","slug":"meet-your-problem-solvers-in-st-louis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/blog\/meet-your-problem-solvers-in-st-louis\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Your Problem Solvers in St. Louis"},"content":{"rendered":"
While helping find solutions to our clients\u2019 toughest problems, we\u2019ve learned a thing or two. In this series, we share insights from our St. Louis team<\/a> of seasoned solvers on overcoming today\u2019s business, technology and people-related challenges.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n One of the biggest challenges my clients face is defining a problem. Often, stakeholders view a problem differently based on how it impacts them, whether directly or indirectly. They may also have difficulty establishing a goal that is SMART \u2014 specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Typically, they don\u2019t have the data they need to know where they are currently \u2014 what their starting point is.<\/strong> If senior leaders say they want a 20 percent decrease in cycle time, stakeholders don\u2019t know what that 20 percent decrease looks like. As a result, they are reluctant to buy into the goal.<\/p>\n A 360-degree view can help stakeholders define a problem. Such an approach looks at the problem through multiple perspectives: people, processes, technology, data, and systems. The 360-degree view gives them a holistic, innovative viewpoint that helps them frame the problem in a way that defines success and sets them up to deliver both short- and long-term business value.<\/p>\n Gaining this perspective can be challenging, especially for more siloed organizations.<\/strong> A stakeholder analysis of the various perspectives helps obtain that 360-degree view and captures how each stakeholder defines success. While difficult, this process is critical as companies race to embrace technology or use innovative tools such as AI, ChatGPT, mixed reality devices, and so on. Failing to define problems or to set SMART goals risks a company\u2019s ability to keep up with competitors and to be leaders in their industry or business segments.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Today\u2019s rapid shifts in economics, technology and customer preferences pose difficulties for many organizations. For example, an organization might find itself forced to integrate disparate systems and coordinate contributions from various departments, all while consistently delivering value. Agile is one of the primary strategies<\/a> for managing such challenges.<\/strong> It breaks work down into smaller, value-centric segments, allowing organizations to adapt regardless of external circumstances. However, Agile\u2019s success within an organization depends on how it is implemented.<\/p>\n While Agile implementation<\/a> will vary based on the company\u2019s culture, a collaborative approach is generally better than a top-down or rigid methodology. Employees from various levels and perspectives should work together to identify their unique requirements, classify pain points as people, process or technology issues, optimize prioritization and execution processes, and pinpoint the most pivotal, value-driven deliverables.<\/p>\n A collaborative approach also encourages experimentation, a significant benefit of Agile. Experimentation empowers employees to swiftly deliver value to their customers by making changes while obtaining vital insights through prompt customer feedback.<\/strong> Armed with real customer input, they can know sooner which strategies are effective and which are not, allowing them to pivot as needed to fulfill their customers’ evolving needs.<\/p>\n The pace of change is poised to escalate further, but taking a collaborative approach and leveraging Agile allows businesses to be ready for the future.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Companies often struggle to make the connection between projects and impacts across functional organizations or teams. While a project upstream may have downstream impacts, clients often operate in functional silos with limited visibility into other areas. This results in a solution in one area that causes a problem in another.<\/strong><\/p>\n Successful change management<\/a> considers all stakeholders across functional teams and projects to ensure multiple disciplines are working together to understand impacts and achieve objectives. Having a \u201ctriad\u201d between strong program and project management (EPPM), operational excellence (OE), and organizational change management (OCM) ensures the program and associated projects are managed holistically, with business process and change management practices driving teams toward business outcomes that are good for all.<\/p>\nBusiness<\/h5>\n
Meet Your Problem Solver<\/h3>\n
David Wilkinson | Senior Manager and Practice Lead, St. Louis | Operational Excellence<\/h3>\n
BUSINESS PROBLEM<\/h4>\n
OUR INSIGHT<\/h4>\n
Technology<\/h5>\n
Meet Your Problem Solver<\/h3>\n
Heath Hunsaker | Senior Manager and Agile Coach, St. Louis | Modern Software Delivery<\/h3>\n
TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM<\/h4>\n
OUR INSIGHT<\/h4>\n
People and Change<\/h5>\n
Meet Your Problem Solver<\/h3>\n
Jennifer Oertli | People and Change Lead, St. Louis | Organizational Change Management<\/h3>\n
PEOPLE PROBLEM<\/h4>\n
OUR INSIGHT<\/h4>\n
Technology<\/h5>\n
Meet Your Problem Solver<\/h3>\n