Technology implementations don't occur in a vacuum. In fact, the payoff of most new applications-which includes more efficient workflow, less manual intervention, and higher productivity-almost always involves work process changes."Let me provide an analogy," says William Speir Jr., change management portfolio manager at Hartford Technology Services Co. (HTSC), a subsidiary of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Hartford, Conn. "Think about a piece of fabric. If you start pulling one thread, the rest of the garment bunches up around it. It's the same way with change. One change affects many areas."
Hartford Technology Services Co. provides change management services to help companies focus on all areas of the organization that will be impacted by a new technology. The goal, according to Speir, is to manage those impacts effectively and avoid unintended consequences.
To that end, HTSC consultants work with companies to view the implementation of a new technology from three perspectives:
* The strategic point of view. What is the benefit of the change? How will it support your company's goals and objectives? How will it help your company respond to customers and shareholders?
* The operational point of view. How will the way work gets done be changed? What are the ripple effects? If you change activity in one area, how will that affect other areas of your organization?
* The organizational point of view. What new behaviors are needed? How do you enable those behaviors? And how do you make the change sustainable over time?
