BAU vs Transformation Project: How To Best Deliver Change?
As the Deecon team has closed out a record number of client engagements this year, we reflect on the challenges our clients face in the maintenance of business as usual (BAU).
Leading infrastructure companies are tasked with balancing the smooth running of day-to-day operations with implementing process improvements that serve to improve the quality and efficiency of delivery over the medium to long-term. Terms such as ‘change management’, ‘continuous improvement’, or ‘transformation’ have become increasingly familiar to support process efficiencies. We discuss the difficult path to meaningfully improving company activity sets.
The BAU Challenge
BAU refers to the day-to-day operational work that every stakeholder in any organisation has, making up their ‘core’ set of tasks and responsibilities. In short, "what they were hired for and get paid for" [1][2].
In PRINCE2 training, a project is defined as:
A project has the following characteristic: temporary, cross-functional, unique, uncertain (brings risks) and change. A project should, in principle, introduce some form of change to BAU.
Tasking internal, existing teams with delivering meaningful change to BAU can prove problematic. Internal stakeholders delivering transformation can often suffer from a constant interruption of their BAU activities, struggling to juggle a strategic project that may only realise benefits over the long-term against immediately pressing day-to-day tasks. These situations can, over time, hamper an organisation's ability to improve process efficiencies that enable lower costs - a crucial discipline that requires extended commitment.
Ultimately, the demands of BAU often detract from time spent delivering the transformation project, leading to delays which incurs ever-increasing costs. There is also risk of employee satisfaction being damaged as a symptom of containing transformation projects within a small group of internal stakeholders as the burden of carrying multiple hats leads to demotivation [4].
Factors that Influence Transformation Delivery
Leaders should consider the following factors, all of which have an impact on how companies can optimise change initiatives:
Industry – continuously seek to learn of the tactics and strategies of direct competitors. Differentiation of new processes or technologies is only possible through a strong understanding of the market
Time – define the return on investment required in a specified timeframe to reap the benefits of any new system, process, or procedure
Cost – seek to quantify and compare investment in resources, time, and technology upgrades against potential costs as a result of BAU disruption
Expertise – novel and innovative solutions often require specialist knowledge and experience which may not be within the current pool of internal resources. Upskilling of existing staff would again impact on time and cost
Culture and Behaviour – for the most part, people do not like change and the disruption to embedded activities it entails. Overcoming resistance must come from the top-down. Buy-in and encouragement from senior stakeholders is fundamental to ensuring a successful implementation of a transformation project
Achieving These Outcomes
Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet. Discovering the idiosyncrasies of each organisation and its individuals is crucial to tailoring change strategies. From experience, Deecon propose the following strategies to deliver consistent and successful results:
Strategy 1 – Secondment of Subject Matter Experts
Subject matter experts (SMEs) can supplement a core team of internal company stakeholders to deliver a transformation programme. SMEs provide knowledge and experience, whilst being embedded within the company. This enables a high level of engagement with client stakeholders and an understanding of the company culture. In most cases, the SMEs are free from BAU challenges, and working group stakeholders are provided more focus away from BAU activities.
Strategy 2 – Consultancies
The core premise of management or specialised consultancies is to act as a ‘catalyst’ for delivering innovation or change. Consultancies are well positioned to do the ‘heavy-lifting’ of implementing a transformation project. Additionally, consultancies engage with client stakeholders to open opportunities for expediting change, realising early benefits or quick wins. This enables long-term cost savings, knowledge sharing, and client upskilling.
High-performing organisations will appreciate there is always knowledge to capture, new approaches, and opportunities for efficiencies and value-add activities.
At Deecon, stakeholder engagement throughout the project lifecycle ensures that our clients are part of the transformation journey. We promote a highly collaborative approach to transformation strategies based on individual client requirements. Our bespoke delivery models provide sustainable benefits enabling continuous improvement.
A previous instalment of Deecon-Struct explains how our services as a Small and Medium Enterprise can be leveraged to support supply chain improvements - Increasing SME Participation in Supply Chains.
Get in touch to find out how Deecon can help your organisation to avert BAU challenges and deliver strategic transformation with successful and sustainable results.