Principles of management, automation, information and technology consultants

After studying more than 200 projects we have determined the underlying reasons technology projects and many management change initiatives fail (see our White Papers page), which led us to the development of a core set of principles used as the basis for all work provided by Performance Operations teams.

A principle is defined by Merriam-Webster's as 1) "a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine or assumption, 2) a rule or code of conduct, 3) a habitual devotion to right principles and 4) the laws or facts of nature underlying the working of an artificial device". Whatever definition you use, the following principles are those which we actively use.

Performance Operations teams create a set of principles to guide each project or program being addressed. While we may start with this list, the principles adopted by each team are unique to that team and organization. We have found that by taking some time out to discuss principles, the team discovers some about who they are, bringing them closer together for purposes of attaining a common objective.

Project Principles

The following principles are used in projects being led by Performance Operations teams:

Include the user	Apply Professional Project Management
Leadership	Address the root cause
Truth	Reduce "spin"
Continually improve human communications	Maintain focus on business, not technology
Humans are part of the system	Stick to a methodology, but don't be a slave to it
Stay focused but be open to change	Use the passion of people
Implement in phases	User's can't tell you
"Systems Thinking" not "Symptomatic Thinking"	Measure progress by achieving tangible results
Address maintenance and growth	Flexibility

Include the user - It is vital that all users of a system are identified and become part of the project from the outset. This means that users are involved not only in the system development process, but attention must also be provided to the user's work which is outside the scope of any technology solutions being proposed. We are committed to including all users in our systems implementation projects.

Apply Professional Project Management - It is highly unlikely that a project will be successful without there being someone providing professional project management activities. We can provide the Project Management services, or we can work for a PM who is assigned by the client, but either way it is part of our principles that an effective PM be on the project. See also Project Management on our Methodology page.

Leadership - We have found that effective, practical leadership is the most important factor in any type of project, whether it be technical or a management change program. While providing practical, effective leadership is one of our most unique qualities, we can be effective working for leaders assigned by the client. See also Leadership on our Methodology page.

Address the root cause - Successful technology projects and management change initiatives always strive to identify the root cause of things prior to moving forward. This is a fundamental principle of the Performance Operations approach. More on this topic is available on our Methodology page.

Truth - Speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth - We are committed to saying things the way we see them. This is not to say that we are not adept at understanding what can and should be said in certain settings, but it is part of our principles to speak up even when it may not be popular to do so.

Reduce "Spin" - While we are humans like everyone else, we strive to reduce putting "spin" on things so as to influence the client or another team member. We are committed to "calling each other" on this topic so as keep ourselves honest.

Continually improve human communications - We are very serious about individuals working on the topic of communicating with each other. We have found that most organizations do not work on this as one of their continuous improvement topics, much to their detriment. Using the appropriate tools, if teams and work groups can see ways to improve their communications, everything is improved, not only specific projects or change initiatives, but day to day operations as well. This principle is part of every one of our projects. More on this is available on our Methodology page.

Maintain a focus on the business, not the technology - Technology serves business, not the other way around. This is an important principle which is referenced most importantly during the design process, and then during project implementation so as to stay on track. Many technology teams actually reduce the effectiveness of systems by applying to much technology or too complex a technology. We address this topic up front and put methods for management and others outside the day to day workings of the development team to challenge the team in this regard.

Humans are part of the system - We have found that most projects do not adequately address the human aspects of a system. This includes not only the human factors which are part of systems design, but also the human aspects of a system's operation. While good systems designers may address ergonomics in the design process, they miss working how people interact with each other both within and outside the context of the system. This principle is one of the key ingredients in projects led by the Performance Operations team. More on this topic is available on our Consulting and Methodology pages.

Stick to a methodology, but do not be a slave to it - Methodologies are important, and it is important that they be customized to take into account the uniqueness of each project and team. That being said, if a methodology is put into place which is found not to fit the team, or a unique situation occurs which is best served by taking a shortcut or working around the methodology, a different approach should be considered. Humans are adaptable and if the guiding principles are not compromised, then the team should not become slaves to a methodology. More on methodologies is available on our Methodology page.

Stay focused but be open to change - Through the process of understanding work and requirements definition, a project or change initiative becomes focused. While it is very important that teams stay focused, there must be a careful balance in this regard. The best teams come up with new ideas once they are well into a project, requirements change as they are better understood and the basic objectives may change as new business challenges occur. In any event, it is a guiding principle of Performance Operations projects that the team doesn't get so focused as to reject challenges and change from within or from outside the team.

Use the passion of people - We have found that many organizations attempt to stifle emotions at work. This is due mostly to the efforts to provide a stable and safe workplace. While we agree with the concept of maintaining an appropriate workplace, we have found that the happiest, most effective and satisfied teams are those which can strike the optimum balance between "too professional" and "too emotional". People who become highly passionate about their work are the most effective and produce the highest quality work. The concept of working "in the zone" and "flow" is related to this topic and is discussed on our Methodology page. Performance Operations teams encourage emotion in teams and work groups without destroying an appropriate work environment.

Implement in phases - It is a fundamental principle that both technology systems and change initiatives be implemented in phases. The benefits include generating short term "wins" which help the project or program gain inertia, which leads to more people getting on the bandwagon. More on this is available on our Methodology page.

Users can't tell you - We have found that the users cannot tell you what they need or want, but they can respond to pictures, examples and, best of all, working prototypes. Therefore one of our principles is that we use a variety of mechanisms to draw the requirements out of users. While this takes significant time up front in a project, the time more than pays back in the subsequent project implementation. At the same time, users develop ownership in the system and take on change in their own work environments. Some of how we accomplish this is available on our Methodology page.

Replace "symptomatic approaches" with "systems thinking" - This is another way of saying "address the root cause". It stands alone as a principle, however, because symptomatic thinking is so prevalent in organizations. It may seem easy to directly address a problem, but without applying some systems thinking to the process, usually the "fix" just results in the problem showing up a different way. More on this is available on our Methodology page.

Measure progress by achieving tangible results - Many systems implementation teams measure their success in technical terms, such as "the system was installed", instead of the results which were obtained. Our principle requires that the results we are going to attain be identified up front, that they be clearly stated and measurable. Then, our methods specify that we take the time to measure our progress to these specific results. More on this is available on our Methodology page.

Address not only the system's use, but the maintenance and growth of the system - Many technology teams stop at the point the system is installed. In order to achieve "lasting results", which is part of the fundamental mission of Performance Operations, the system must be able to be maintained and updated by the client team, or, if it is the client's desire, but one or more contractors identified and developed during the implementation process. This means that the maintenance and future growth of the system must be part of the objectives and requirements of the system identified during the preliminary engineering phase, and these factors must be continually considered during all aspects of the system implementation. Additionally, the professional development of the client team must take these objectives into account.

Flexibility (today's needs are almost certainly not tomorrow's needs) - More than ever, systems need to be flexible as business needs change. This is perhaps the biggest benefit for a client team to consider the implementation of technology themselves as opposed to hiring a "turn key" systems integrator. This principle also includes the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) factor, because the simpler a system is, the more flexible it is. This principle dictates that each solution, whether it be a technology solution or a management change solution, be considered in the light of future flexibility.

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