Why is the use of technology so challenging? How can we learn from others experience? Why do people fear change?
I think the answers to these questions are important and I will explore these questions.
Technology available for use in organizations is changing very rapidly and the opportunities for their use is sometimes overwhelming. Just when you think you have conquered one aspect, another comes along.
In the use of business intelligence, the insights some organizations get from the use of data is quite amazing. Just as amazing is the number of organizations who are are not using data well.
I do not think that the available technology or technologists is the differentiator. The vision of the business leader is the key. However the leader must collect around him people who are capable of implementing the vision.
In a recent blog I talked about Commanders Intent (CI) and the vision of the leader express in a simple CI is one of the key ingredients. The concept is that in the face of reality the best laid plans will go awry but a good CI keeps everybody's eye on the goal. Sometimes in business intelligence projects, the CI gets lost in the details and people's desire for perfection.
A leader who does not lose sight of the goal and keeps reminding people of the goal is very important.
If you are a technology person and you do not have this clear CI, what can you do to keep the project on the track? One suggestion is to create a statement of the CI which is your best guess and start promoting it and see if it gets traction. If one formulation does not work, try another. if you can verbalize the actual CI, the idea will develop a life of its own. At that point, you should just support the idea instead of claiming ownership.
The concept of a clear goal express as a Commanders Intent is important for every project.
What experiences or ideas do you have? If you would like to communicate them privately, send them to jhayward@pxltd.ca or post them on the blog. I welcome feedback.
