Classic Approach

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Monday 08 of February, 2010

A Typical Approach to an Assignment

• See Generic Term Assignment
• See Approaches

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See Also SVT in Partnership for engaging with GP in bids and pursuits.

• We start each case with a short preparation phase (Phase One below) (A week or two of background and preparation)
• We work towards an intervention phase, Phase Two Discovery, Development(D1, D2) (Often these are two or three days of Intervention Sessions)

• There will often be a further round of data importation and assessment.(Off line work between us and the client team over a two week period)
• Then we would hold a Decision part (D3). Phase Three. (A 'Two-Day' Intervention Session)(D2 Reprise. D3)
• We would then deliver highly focused documentation and collateral. We will capture much insight, content and context throughout this assignment. We work closely with the client at each step to be sure we give them whatever is the best support at each phase. Often the prize will be the final strategic road-map and the tactics and initiatives of transformation of change.See 4D Deliverables
• We will then be a part of sustainable engagement, Health Checks, Deep Dives, Experience Frameworks and systems. SVT Live
• The final recommendation. Documents and Presentation.Whatever is required. See Also 4D Explained

We work in large scale and format ensuring we make a big difference and impact on the teams ability to be engaged and confident in the thought process. The image illustrates a wall in a room approximately 30 feet wide and 8 feet high...See Technical Specifications
See Also SVT in Partnership

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A Classic 4D Approach

"It's all about one thing: creative problem-solving to get the story out." - Robert Greenberg, R/GA, 2006

The 'Classic Approach' represents a typical case and is therefore a generic explanation.

We've explained in some detail how the initial phases and the intervention part of the assignment would work.See Also 4D Explained

Time and cost

"The commonality between science and art is in trying to see profoundly - to develop strategies of seeing and showing." - Edward Tufte, 2005

We would expect the work to take around 3 months of elapsed time although it could be achieved quicker. Typically clients will often find it quite hard to get the dates locked down straight away so it needs careful planning and logistics.

We run programs at a wide variety of cost levels but we work closely with each client to ensure they feel comfortable and match investment with the outcome and that will vary the task and cost as outlined here.

The Program

Client X – Defining the Optimal ABC Strategy

For the purposes of this explanation we’ve called the assignment ‘Engineering the Optimal ABC Strategy for Client X’.

Phase One: Observe and Frame

Observe:

In any given business situation, an answer - an outcome to a task or an initiative – without thorough observation can mean that there exists a risk that the bigger context might be ignored. And this is easily done as in reality the required facts upon which to base a conclusion are often hidden or obscured. Insights, clues and factual evidence exist everywhere but they are easy to overlook. Often they may have become marginalised by familiarity or they may reside in the heads of a few. Ensuring we 'baseline' given these associated problems (in getting to a valid context) is therefore an important first step.

In 4D we apply the following disciplines to remove the risk in this area.'

1. Gather all available input. Documents, articles and materials from the organisation. Closely related exhibits and general material.
2. Generic survey across functions. A set of specific questions directly linked to the GP Index, the maturity model related to the 4D framework approach.
3. Initial focus on the Exam Question. What is the context, causal link between the exam question and the business context.

Competitive Context. What cases, examples of differential pain or opportunity is being stated as to the commercial imperative for change. This activity adds up to our Observation phase. Taking stock by stepping back and ensuring we remove subjectivity and conjecture from the context. What is observable rather than what is given. What is worth discussion or further consideration before we fix on a track.

This is our opportunity to get up to speed with what, if anything, has already been developed. Taking all existing information and assessing the current context as much as possible. Possibly creating stimulus components from this material to test/provoke discussion or to confirm a baseline for where we are. This would build specific stimulus or pre-populating what we know into our Discovery Framework.

This stimulus or background ensures that we don’t reinvent work unnecessarily. It can either be distributed for discussion ahead of a session or as a part of Expectation Setting, encouraging further comment or as a part of a pre-session ‘one on one’ interviews with key people ahead of the session. We can discuss these options.

Phase One: Expectation Setting and Getting Ready

We will send briefing materials to the agreed audience and work with you on logistics for the intervention parts of the assignment. We have standard materials but we would advise making these as specific to the task as possible. We would agree the Exam Question EG: - ‘Engineering the Optimal ABC Strategy for Client X’.

Phase One: The Aim, Approach & Objectives

Our aim is to review and in so doing ensure we build a highly robust strategy for Client X that effectively reviews the market opportunity, assesses the stakeholders and channels and builds the vital context for decision making and investment for the longer term. We would be using both our D1 Discovery and D2 Development Frameworks as the first step tool to design the optimal strategy. These interventions over two days would start the process. They would explain the - ‘what we need to do’ and - ‘how and when and why’ for the strategy. This would take the form of a clear documented plan against a clear roadmap/blueprint for Client X.

We would then use our D2 and D3 frameworks to bring the final decisions to conclusion armed with the data and market knowledge you are collecting and we would introduce that into the frameworks. We would also be building significant alignment across the team as we apply a very interactive and collaborative approach. The sharing and collegiate nature of the approach ensures that a clear outcome is a highly charged and motivated team ready to enable and deliver the strategy that we agree during the session.

Phase Two - The Intervention Session component of the assignment

Create an Environment for thinking through the ‘Engineering the Optimal ABC Strategy for Client X’ Assignment.

• Imagine a White Wall 30feet long and 8 feet high. We will bring that but the venue needs to be arranged that suits.
• When the following series of modules (Questions below) have been concluded, imagine the content, decisions together in an integrated plan that has been debated, decided, concluded and shared by the team.
• The wall is built as a collaborative discussion, causing the correct debate and the imagery is constructed as an engaging, fresh and lively debate.

Order Of The Sessions

The following order is the order of the day(s) and not the left to right sequence of the framework in the attachment.

Schedule One: The Discovery Phase in 4D™. (D1)

Module One: The Goals and Objectives of the Optimal ABC Strategy for Client X’.

The session starts with this conversation. Knowing what the clear goals and objectives are and having them agreed is the difference between an optimal or a high risk plan or outcome. What do we want to achieve in this program of work. E.G. ‘Engineering the Optimal ABC Strategy for Client X’. A higher performing culture, systems, processes? Suitable capability, resource and structure overall? An evolved framework and system design (System/Organisation/Capability) (Effective/Efficient) for the development of the overall operation.

Module Two: Core Assets/Processes/Systems. (What do we mean by our current asset base?)

The group will discuss what they physically do. We will develop a coherent set of 'things' that make up our real/fixed assets. This will quickly demonstrates the degree of alignment or coherence around these critical questions. It will also allow the team to define the true scope of its capability and resource. We define what the whole of the business does in context has and its ambition to deliver and perform in its current state.

Coffee 11-00am

Module Three: Stakeholder Prioritisation. (Who will be critical in reviewing the Strategy?)

This conversation will cover the whole set of market/partner and ‘routes to market’ in our context. From which channels, influencers and intermediaries to which suppliers and partners. We discuss all the leverageable options which will be important in our plans if we are to be successful with our strategy. Who cares about us? Who do we care about? What are the closer and more distant connections in our world. Our network?

Module Four: Market Trends/Competitive Pressures. Business Context. (What do we need to understand in reviewing the Strategy?)

The team will discuss the needs/aspirations of each priority stakeholder group. The stakeholders that are agreed as critical. We will debate these important influencers or channels in terms of the major pressures or 'points of pain' that need to be understood and then overcome. These insights will inform how we address their needs and how we should best communicate or engage with them.

Module Five: User Segments/Clusters. (Who will be our customers in reviewing the Strategy?)

The team will debate the way in which it is best for the business to think about and classify or categorise its most likely and most valuable users/partners but classed as consumers or clients.

Lunch 1-00pm

Module Six: User Insights and Aspirations. (What will our customers needs be in reviewing the Strategy?)

The team will discuss the thoughts and hopes, aspirations and needs of the key users – consumers/clients of the business. The needs represent crucial components of the framework as they will drive the thinking in terms of the businesses response and tactics. These insights will govern the value proposition development, service experience, product design and so on.

Module Seven: Distinguishing Factors/Differentiation. (What are the big themes we might develop in achieving the strategy?)

We discuss the added value/new, opportunities, force the discussion around what might be and allow the blue sky to emerge. How we create EG: growth. We will build a series of opportunities and possibilities now that we can see the framework emerging and the team scans the gaps between goals and objectives in K and the realities of our assets in E. This is where the team is encouraged to consider the future, be innovative and push the bar. Show what are the activities that will bring additional value to the business.

Module Eight: The Value Proposition/Story. (What is our story and message to assist us in reviewing the Strategy?)

The group will by now have created a lot of insights in the way they have described the business, the words and phrases which define the essence of the business. With gating criteria we will ensure that whatever story we tell about the sum of the differentiators in F and the goals we want to achieve in K then they must be matched by the capability to deliver.

Coffee 3-00pm

Module Nine: The Strategic Criteria/Decision Quality. (What are our criteria for making choices in reviewing the Strategy?)

We will build a set of criteria by which decisions will be made. A shared set of 'gating' rules. These rules will determine the method by which choices get made. It will determine how alternatives are prioritised and will communicate how the enterprise recognises its direction.

Module Ten: The Capability & Culture to Deliver. (What resources/skills will be critical in delivering the Strategy?)

What are the constraints, barriers and changes we need to make in our structure. What roles and responsibilities. What are the values we share. What governance, policies, standards and protocols do we need. What skills and talent do we lack and will we need to deliver the goals in K with all of the implications as laid out in the framework.

Module Eleven: The Roadmap and Action Plan (What is our plan/roadmap in delivering the Strategy?)

During the session there will be many indications of actions, next steps and activity or initiative that may be important. Subsequent sessions and in particular the Decision Framework would develop the detailed roadmap with all the granularity in place.

Close 6-00pm

Schedule Two: Development Session. D2

9-00am start.

The session would begin with the following question.

H. What is the Strategic Outcome of ‘The Optimal ABC Strategy for Client X’. The very first question we ask the entire team in order to get a shared goal. What is it we are expecting/aiming to achieve? A shared definition of success. The Strategic Outcome - the overall ambition and goal for the Strategy. State what is the strategies place/ambition in the overall scheme of things in Client X. In most organisations the lack of this clear outcome or set of outcomes will cause unnecessary confusion and frustration. It should become the motivational thread running throughout the Strategy, its mission and all of its initiatives.

9-30am. Next we will unpack what that means'

G. Develop the “What will it be like, and how will we know” - ‘Redefined Effects and Conditions’ of an Optimal Strategy. (Immediately adjacent to the Strategic Outcome)

This is the first real deep dive into the practical objectives for our strategy and where we start to understand just what would it really be like when we have fully succeeded in delivering an Optimal Strategy right across Client X. This framework will flesh out the key metrics, measures or effects (KPI's) that we will be driving for and represents the Optimal Strategy.

(NB. There is a direct line of sight between the actions and initiatives in The Key Themes (D) part of the framework which we work on later.) We decide what we believe the intended effects are in the future. What we will be aiming for is the critical target and all of the activities in the preceding modules and are therefore contributory. It is important that we monitor our strategy and ensure we stay on track against the realities of our performance against these measures.

10-30/11-00am Coffee

A. What is the Current Reality For Client X?

What is the current market or organisational 'picture' of Client X really like? - What are the clues that we need from around the place that need to be considered, resolved, unearthed, refreshed or changed? - what is it we need to understand and identify with as we accelerate Client X away from this current reality. What are the real insights that will help us migrate and evolve from this situation. What are the burning issues and pressures on the enterprise that will be important to take account of as we consider the way to think about the future. We want to unpack the stakeholders needs right across the market for Client X.

12-00am we will start to build a shared impression of the future

C. What is the Future Vision for Client X?

The team can now debate, and we will build in 'live' capture, an expression of the vision that the whole team shares. What will it look like - what will it be like? A single version of Client X and its 'applications' right across the piece removing inefficiencies and duplication. A connected set of departments, initiatives and solutions bringing groups of people together so they can know each other personally and what they do professionally so that they can deliver more effectively. A powerful and liberated machinery that leverages the real talent and communicates seamlessly. What are the primary aspects - the features of our shared view of the future for Optimal Client X? We describe and literally 'picture' the experience - the properties that we want to strive for as a team. What are the aspirations of the team, how would they describe and define the way it will be. We build thus appropriately against the given time-line and in order to achieve the Strategic Outcome (H) and the Redefined Conditions in (G).

Lunch 1-00pm

B. What are the Business Imperatives for the Strategy?

A clear focus for the remainder of the day will now be built in this module. We will build a list of key imperatives – they will form a powerful/positive tension and will force the team to consider the true priorities if the mission is to be accomplished. What 'must' happen if we are to get to the declared vision - those imperatives that will drive us to focus on what we need to do. Those themes and 'must do's' that will focus and clarify the direction we must take to achieve our declared Future Vision of ‘An Optimal Strategy’. The conversation can be intense because by now we will have discussed the Strategic Outcome and the Future Vision and the scanning of the framework ensures a very sharp focus on the critical elements of change.

D. What are the Key Themes/Initiatives and Tasks for Optimal Strategy?

The team will begin to build the tasks, the ‘how’. The large areas of action and the initiatives that underpin them. The things that we ‘need to do’ to deliver the vision - in this part of the session we must define the components, the 'how' we will achieve our plans - our strategy. The major themes of work underpinned by the projects and initiatives that will get us there. The key part of the process in many ways and importantly there must be a direct correlation between the 'levers' we build into this framework and the effects we have agreed will be delivered if we achieve our Strategic Outcome (H) and Redefined Condition (G).

3-30 Coffee

E. What will be the Optimal Roadmap/Action Plan?

Often a core part of a far more detailed next step but the group will describe the early phases of how to plan the implementation - the detailed program of events - the actions, timelines, milestones and descriptions of when and what we will be doing over an agreed period of time. In some cases we would go on to perform a 'Stay, Stop Start’ exercise to ensure that the tasks are not additional or discuss the things that we can stop doing.

F. What is the Capability & Culture now Required to Deliver?

The team will discuss the values, environmental and cultural aspects along with the barriers as well as the practical requirements of governance and organisation design. Ensuring everything is aligned and resourced - given that we have agreed the themes and the resulting roadmap this module enables the team to consider the required skills, talent, resources, governance, policies and values to deliver the strategic outcomes. Often the cultural and more intangible aspects of the business are captured as barriers to delivery. What do we need to have in place to achieve our Strategic Outcome (H) and Redefined Condition (G)

5-30 Close.

Phase Three

See Also Causing Behavioral Change

Engage and Communicate.

ONE: Sustaining the approach, engaging the enterprise.

Using this high level narrative as the simple summary framework together with a skeletal digital framework of how we got here. We take either the next line of command or any stakeholder community deemed valid through the work we have done.

We would typically run a series of two hour sessions in the same place so 3 sessions per day. These sessions take questions and encourage deeper engagement and definition around the outcome. We publish mini guides or intranet records of the capture and its meaning.

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TWO: Health-checks.

3 months or so after the session we get a smaller team from the original sessions together to pressure test the outcome and status on all actions. We apply the SVT outcomes as a print, half size to to the wall, review each module, check for change and revise track accordingly.

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THREE: 'What's in it for me?' Session.

A series of small group sessions that allow the deeper interrogation of each of the 19 conversations or the entire Discovery or Development sessions. This engages and then translates the high level strategy into personal and more relevant practice for the individual or team. This can be applied to initiative or strategic theme level.

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FOUR: Systems of Sustainability.

Digital systems which can hold information/capture for induction or onboarding or enable further conversation and dialogue on a per module basis or stimulate new input combining all of the above. These systems are used to probe stakeholders ahead of sessions or to ensure input on a per module or whole framework basis. See SVT Live