Part 3 of our continued focus is technology in People, Processes, and Technology.
Other Posts in this Series
Welcome back to our series on transforming technology organizations through the People, Process, and Technology (PPT) framework. If you’re just joining us, check out our previous posts, where we explored aligning business objectives with technology solutions and identifying areas for technology intervention. Let’s dive into the next exciting phase: making those much-needed adjustments.
This is a bit of a reminder of the process we are following within Technology.
Adjusting your technology infrastructure is like finally getting around to cleaning out that cluttered garage. It’s a bit daunting initially, but you’ll find those hidden gems (and maybe a few spiders) once you start. In this post, we’ll discuss how to balance urgency with futureproofing, gain buy-in from your tech team, prioritize incremental changes, eliminate unnecessary complexity, and manage documentation and change effectively.
By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear roadmap for making impactful adjustments to your technology stack without getting tangled in the proverbial cobwebs. Let’s get started!
Step 3: Adjust
Once you’ve identified the areas for technology intervention, the next step is to adjust and implement changes. This involves balancing urgency with long-term goals, gaining buy-in from your team, prioritizing incremental changes, simplifying systems, documenting adjustments, and managing change effectively.
Balance Urgency with Futureproofing
- Objective: Address immediate technology issues without compromising long-term strategic goals.
- Action: Use the decision matrix created in Step 1 to evaluate which technology solutions provide quick fixes while aligning with the product roadmap and future needs.
- Example: If your immediate goal is to improve system uptime, choose a solution that offers rapid deployment and minimal downtime but ensures it can scale as your business grows.
- Learn More:?For more on balancing immediate needs with futureproofing, check out?Harvard Business Review's article on balancing short-term and long-term strategies.
- Gartner Hype Cycle:?A graphical representation of the maturity and adoption of emerging technologies. This helps assess the viability of new technologies for both short-term and long-term goals.
- SWOT Analysis:?A framework to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of different technology options, aiding in balanced decision-making.
- Objective: Ensure the technology team supports and engages with the chosen solutions.
- Action: Involve the tech team in the selection process using the decision matrix to facilitate discussions around technology options. Highlight how these decisions align with broader business goals.
- Example: Conduct workshops or meetings to present the decision matrix and gather feedback from the tech team. Use their input to refine technology choices, ensuring they feel involved and committed to the changes.
- Miro:?A collaborative online whiteboard where teams can brainstorm ideas, visualize technology options, and collectively make decisions.
- Slack or Microsoft Teams:?Communication platforms to facilitate discussions, share information, and gather feedback from the tech team.
Prioritize Incremental Change
- Objective: Implement changes in manageable increments to avoid overwhelming the team and disrupting operations.
- Action: Use the decision matrix to prioritize high-impact, manageable changes that can be phased in gradually.
- Example: Start by updating critical infrastructure components, then move to less critical but necessary upgrades. This phased approach ensures that each change is effectively integrated and tested before proceeding to the next.
- Learn More:?Explore incremental change management techniques in?this guide from Lean.org.
- Trello or Asana:?Project management tools to create boards or lists for visualizing incremental changes, assigning tasks, and tracking progress.
- Kanban Boards:?A visual workflow management method to help teams visualize work, limit work-in-progress, and maximize efficiency.
Eliminate Unnecessary Complexity
- Objective: Simplify systems to enhance efficiency and maintainability.
- Action: Identify and remove redundant or overly complex elements within your technology stack. Focus on solutions that streamline processes and reduce the burden on your team.
- Example: Replace multiple overlapping tools with an integrated solution that offers all necessary functionalities. This reduces complexity and improves user experience.
- Learn More:?Learn more about simplifying technology stacks from?Gartner's article on reducing IT complexity.
- Process Mapping Software (e.g., Lucidchart):?Visualize and analyze existing processes to identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and opportunities for simplification.
- Code Review Tools (e.g., GitHub, GitLab):?Facilitate collaborative code reviews to identify and remove unnecessary complexity within software systems.
- Objective: Maintain a clear record of all changes and adjustments for future reference and accountability.
- Action: Document each change to the technology stack, including the rationale, expected impact, and any issues encountered during implementation.
- Example: Create a centralized repository (e.g., a wiki or a dedicated project management tool) where all changes are logged. This repository should be accessible to all relevant stakeholders for transparency and tracking.
- Change Management Objective: Ensure smooth transitions and adaptation to new technologies and processes. Action: Implement a structured change management approach that includes training, communication, and support for your team. Example: Develop a change management plan that outlines the steps for introducing new technologies, including training sessions, regular updates, and support channels for troubleshooting. Provide resources to help team members adjust to the new tools and processes.
- Confluence or Notion:?Knowledge management tools for creating structured documentation, wikis, and knowledge bases to track technology changes.
- Diagrams.net (formerly draw.io):?A free online diagramming tool for creating visual representations of system architectures and data flows.
- Objective:?Ensure smooth transitions and adaptation to new technologies and processes.
- Action:?Implement a structured change management approach that includes training, communication, and support for your team.
- Example:?Develop a change management plan that outlines the steps for introducing new technologies, including training sessions, regular updates, and support channels for troubleshooting. Provide resources to help team members adjust to the new tools and processes.
- Learn More:?For effective change management strategies, read?Prosci's change management guide.
Making the right adjustments to your technology infrastructure is crucial for driving efficiency and innovation. You can ensure a smooth and effective transformation by balancing urgency with futureproofing, involving your tech team in decision-making, and prioritizing manageable changes. Remember, eliminating unnecessary complexity and maintaining thorough documentation is key to sustaining these improvements.
Next up in our series, we’ll focus on measuring the impact of your technology interventions. We’ll cover how to set up effective feedback loops, evolve your tech stack, and continuously use quantitative and qualitative metrics to refine your strategy.
Stay tuned for more insights, and feel free to share your stories of tech adjustments gone right (or hilariously wrong) in the comments below. Your experiences can provide valuable lessons for others on their technology transformation journeys.
