In this topic, you will learn how to handle the changes you want to make in your organisation's ICT systems. You will build on what you studied in the previous chapter. It will involve checking the organisation's plans. You will also have to look at its ICT systems and make sure everything matches up.
You must also analyse the proposed changes, making sure they fit with what the organisation wants to do. Doing so will help you identify which changes are most important and how to tell your bosses about them.
By the end of this chapter, you will know how to turn your ideas into real changes that help the organisation's ICT infrastructure work better.
Change can be challenging because it is different from what you're used to. It can have positive or negative effects, depending on the situation. As an organisation, you always want the best, and even small changes can make a big difference. That is why it is important to monitor and evaluate how changes might impact your ICT systems and products.
Understanding the potential effects of these changes is like predicting the outcome before making a decision. It helps you see the benefits and potential problems. This way, organisations can make informed choices that align with their goals and avoid unexpected issues. Specifically, these changes can bring the following benefits:
- Better efficiency: Implementing automation tools can make workflows faster and smoother, thereby increasing overall efficiency.
- Improved performance: Utilising quality assurance tools can significantly enhance the quality and reliability of ICT systems and products.
- Cost savings: Adopting predictive maintenance tools can pre-emptively identify issues, reducing the need for expensive repairs or upgrades.
- Enhanced security: Changes could make systems and products more secure, protecting sensitive information from threats.
- User satisfaction: If the changes improve the experience for users, they will be happier and more productive.
On the other hand, these changes also have negative impacts, such as:
- Disruption: Changes might disrupt regular operations, causing temporary inconvenience and confusion.
- Compatibility Issues: New changes might not work well with existing systems or software, thus causing conflicts and glitches.
- Learning curve: Users might struggle to adapt to the changes, leading to a slowdown in productivity.
- Security risks: New components could introduce vulnerabilities, putting sensitive data at risk.
- Cost overruns: Some changes might end up costing more than expected due to unforeseen issues.
This is why evaluating the impacts of your proposed changes holds great significance. By doing so, you can proactively prevent these negative effects and ensure your organisation's seamless and efficient operation.
There are many methods to evaluate the impact of your proposed changes against the strategic objectives. Here are some examples of the methods you can use:
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
To recall, KPIs or key performance indicators are quantifiable metrics. It is used to measure and assess the performance of an organisation. It also assesses the progress of an organisation toward achieving its strategic objectives. KPIs provide a clear and objective way to gauge how effectively an organisation is meeting its strategic goals. KPI analysis is about looking at these numbers to understand how things are going and make good choices.
This method can be used to set KPI target values or thresholds for each strategic objective. These goals should show how well we want to do or what we want to accomplish for the big plan. To assess if strategic objectives are met, continuously monitor the KPIs over time. Track performance against the established targets. This way, you can determine if KPIs consistently meet or exceed their targets or fall short.
Generally, to check for KPIs, you would have to:
- Identify relevant KPIs – Determine which KPIs are most relevant to your organisation or project. These should align with the strategic plan and objectives.
- Gather data – Collect data related to the selected KPIs. This data can come from various sources, including financial records, customer feedback, or operational reports.
- Analyse trends – Examine the historical data to identify trends and patterns. Are KPIs improving, declining, or remaining stable over time?
- Set targets – Establish clear, measurable targets for each KPI. These targets should reflect your organisation's desired performance levels.
- Compare against targets – Compare the actual KPI performance against the strategic plan and objectives. Identify any gaps or areas that require improvement
Return on Investment (ROI)
This is a financial metric used to evaluate the profitability or effectiveness of an investment. It measures the gain or loss generated relative to the cost of the investment. A positive ROI indicates that the investment has generated more profit than its cost, while a negative ROI suggests a loss. It is an important tool for determining how well investments, projects, or ideas are financially doing.
The ROI method can assess strategic objectives by aligning each objective with a specific task and a metric. This alignment ensures that every task completed directly contributes to meeting an objective. It also ensures that any resources invested in the tasks yield the expected results necessary to meet the objectives.
Generally, to check for ROI, you would have to do the following:
Determine the total cost of the investment needed for the proposed changes. Include all possible expenses associated with the proposed changes.
Assess the financial gains or benefits resulting from the investment. This can include increased revenue, cost savings or improved efficiency.
Use the ROI formula to calculate the ROI percentage. [(Net Gain from Investment / Investment Cost) x 100]
Analyse the ROI percentage to determine whether the investment in the proposed changes is profitable. A positive ROI indicates a gain, while a negative ROI suggests a loss.
Risk Assessment
This means figuring out what bad things could happen, how likely they are to happen, and what the impact would be if they did happen. You are looking for possible problems, thinking about how likely they are to occur, and understanding how much damage they could cause. By doing this, you can be better prepared to deal with or avoid these problems and keep things running smoothly. Risk assessment is important in making decisions and planning to keep things safe and secure.
This method can be used to assess the alignment of strategic objectives with the organisation's risk landscape. It ensures that objectives are pursued to mitigate potential risks and maximise opportunities.
Here are some general steps for risk assessment:
Identify all potential risks and uncertainties that could affect your organisation once the proposed changes are implemented. These risks may include financial, operational, legal or strategic risks.
Evaluate the potential impact of each identified risk on your organisation's goals and objectives. Consider both the likelihood of occurrence and the severity of consequences.
Rank risks based on their significance and potential impact. Focus on addressing high-priority risks first.
Create strategies and action plans to mitigate or manage identified risks. These strategies may involve risk avoidance, risk reduction, risk transfer or risk acceptance.
Continuously monitor the risk landscape and periodically review your risk assessment. Update mitigation strategies as needed to adapt to changing circumstances.
Goal Alignment Check
This method helps make sure that the technology goals and projects of an organization are in line with its plan and are working well together. This method can be used to track if objectives are met by maintaining a comprehensive list of strategic initiatives and projects. It includes noting which objectives these initiatives intend to support. This method can also track the progress, status and outcomes of these initiatives. It will help determine if they contribute to the achievement of strategic objectives. Here are some general steps you can do to perform a goal alignment check:
Gather detailed information about the strategic objectives, vision and mission. A deep understanding of these three is important to align ICT activities effectively.
Compile a list of ICT-related goals, projects and initiatives. A clear inventory of ICT activities provides a basis for comparison with objectives.
Align each ICT goal, project or initiative with specific objectives. This mapping ensures that every ICT activity is linked to a strategic goal. It validates their relevance.
Evaluate the alignment between ICT goals and strategic objectives. Identify areas of congruence and any disparities. Assessing congruence reveals if ICT activities are directly supporting the strategic objectives.
Identify gaps where ICT activities do not align with objectives. Recognising gaps enables targeted adjustments. It ensures that no critical strategic areas are left unsupported.
Develop strategies to bridge the gaps. For example, you can adjust ICT activities or refine the strategic objectives. Mitigation strategies ensure that misalignments are addressed, fostering a coherent organisational approach.
Implement the necessary adjustments in ICT activities or strategic objectives. It ensures that the organisation's ICT activities sync with its strategic direction.
Continuously monitor the alignment of the activities and the objectives. Continuous monitoring safeguards against future misalignments, allowing prompt adjustments as the organisation evolves.
These are three of the many methods that can help you see how your changes might affect things. It is important to check these because they ensure that your ideas fit what your organisation wants. In the upcoming chapters, you will explore these three methods further.
Implementing the proposed changes to the ICT systems and products can be difficult. This difficulty refers to how hard or easy it might be to make these changes successfully.
Evaluating the difficulty of implementing proposed changes is crucial because it helps you do the following:
- Plan. You can create a well-prepared and effective implementation plan by anticipating potential challenges.
- Allocate resources wisely. Understanding difficulty levels allows you to allocate the right amount of resources.
- Manage expectations. Realistic evaluations prevent over-optimistic expectations and ensure stakeholders understand the potential hurdles.
- Minimise disruption. Adequate evaluation helps you identify ways to minimise disruptions. With fewer disruptions, you can ensure a smoother transition.
Evaluating the difficulty will help you better prepare for the implementation. When you evaluate, you can use project management software. For example, software like Jira or Asana can assist in planning, resource allocation, expectation management and minimising disruptions.
Common Types of Difficulties During Implementation
You might face various difficulties when implementing changes to ICT systems and products. These difficulties can include the following:
Technical Problems
These problems are the restrictions imposed by the existing specifications of the ICT systems and products. These problems can include the following:
- Compatibility issues: Compatibility issues occur when different software, hardware or systems cannot work together effectively. It can be due to differences in their design, protocols or formats. Compatibility issues can cause errors or data loss during the implementation of changes. If new components or software are not compatible with existing ones, it can hinder the smooth functioning of the system. You can address these issues in many ways. One way is using API-based integration. This method allows different systems to communicate effectively, ensuring compatibility.
- Software dependencies Software dependencies occur when a new software application or feature relies on others to function properly. Software dependencies can cause conflicts or errors during implementation. If required software applications are not available or compatible, the new software may not work correctly. There are many ways to manage software dependencies. For example, you can use containerisation solutions like Docker. Containerisation solutions are technologies that enable container creation, deployment and management. Containers are lightweight, portable, isolated environments that package applications and their dependencies. Containers allow applications and their dependencies to run consistently across different computing environments.
- Hardware limitations: Hardware limitations refer to physical equipment capabilities that may limit the performance of new changes. This physical equipment can include servers, computers or other devices.Hardware limitations can lead to the following:
Changes may not achieve their intended objectives due to insufficient hardware resources. You can address hardware limitations in many ways, such as cloud computing. You can use cloud computing solutions that offer scalable resources to overcome hardware limitations.
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Security requirements: Security requirements encompass the measures needed to ensure system integrity. These measures are in place to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access. Examples of these measures include basic security measures and advanced measures like multi-factor authentication. Advanced security measures can enhance system integrity. Security requirements can affect implementation by adding complexity to the process. The more complex the process becomes, the slower it can proceed. Failure to meet requirements can result in vulnerabilities, breaches or data compromises.
Resource Limitations
These limitations can prevent the proposed changes from being implemented. These limitations can include the following:
- Insufficient budget: This means there is not enough money allocated to cover the implementation costs. It can cause delays in the progress of the implementation.
- Insufficient time: This means there is not enough time to complete the implementation. Lack of time can result in rushed work, incomplete implementations or missed deadlines.
- Lack of skilled personnel: This means there are not enough experienced or knowledgeable people to complete tasks related to the implementation. Without skilled personnel, tasks may be done incorrectly. Tasks may also take longer or not meet quality standards.
- Vendor lock-in: This happens when an organisation depends on one vendor's products and services. It can limit the flexibility of the implementation. It makes switching to alternative solutions necessary to implement the changes difficult.
Resistance to Change
People within the organisation might resist the new changes. This resistance can be due to the following reasons:
- Unfamiliarity: It means not being acquainted or comfortable with new technology, processes or systems. When people are unfamiliar with the changes, they might feel unsure of how to adapt. It can lead to resistance because they may worry about making mistakes. They may also worry about not understanding how the changes work. This is why training programs are necessary. Training can better prepare employees to use new technology. It will help them become more comfortable with the new technology and less likely to resist.
- Fear of disruptions: This refers to the worry that the new changes could interrupt the progress of tasks. When people fear disruptions, they may resist changes that might cause problems. These problems can include downtime, change in processes or confusion. They prefer to stick with what they know to avoid potential issues.
Communication Breakdown
This breakdown refers to poor communication, leading to misunderstandings or misalignment.
Data Migration Challenges
Data migration refers to moving data from old systems to new ones. It can be complex and prone to errors. That is why it is necessary to use data migration tools to simplify the process. With a simpler process, it is easier to manage data migration and minimise errors.
Unforeseen Complications
These complications are unexpected problems that arise during the implementation process. These complications can vary. An example would be the occurrence of errors during the integration of changes. Errors can happen during the installation of new applications or updating old ones. When these errors occur, they can momentarily pause the implementation, leading to delays. You can use automated testing frameworks to catch errors early and avoid delays.
Methods to Evaluate the Difficulties
Here are some methods you can use to evaluate the difficulties that might affect the implementation of the proposed changes to ICT systems and products:
- Technical impact analysis: Technical impact analysis is a method used to evaluate and assess potential consequences. It also evaluates the effects of technical problems or issues in ICT systems and products. This analysis is typically conducted to understand the severity and implications of a technical issue. This can range from software bugs to hardware failures. It can also be security vulnerabilities and performance bottlenecks. You can do it by implementing monitoring mechanisms that capture technical issues. Issues can be in the form of software crashes and performance degradation. You can use this method to identify technical issues by implementing monitoring mechanisms. The mechanisms can identify issues, such as software crashes and performance degradation. The method can also be used to assess the impact and severity of the issue by gathering data related to the technical issue. Data can include error messages, logs, system metrics and security threats.
- User acceptance testing (UAT): User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is a method of evaluation. It is used to assess technical problems. It also ensures the quality and functionality of ICT systems and products. UAT is primarily focused on the end-users perspective and their acceptance of the system or product. This method is used for evaluating the user interface. It helps identify technical issues in design, navigation, responsiveness, and accessibility. These issues can affect the user's experience. Users can test the system or product to check data integrity and accuracy. They can check for any technical issues related to data input, storage, retrieval and manipulation.
- System integration analysis: System integration analysis is a process. It concentrates on integrating various components and subsystems. The goal is to make sure they work together effectively. This method is used to find and fix technical issues. These issues are about how parts of a system interact, their compatibility, and how they work. It checks how different system parts communicate with each other. It ensures they work together effectively. It also identifies and solves issues that might impact the system's overall performance.
- Stakeholder consultation: Consult with relevant stakeholders, including IT teams, developers, users and management. Gather input on potential technical challenges that may occur from their perspectives. You can also consult on possible communication breakdowns that might happen along the process.
- Feasibility studies: Conduct feasibility studies to evaluate the technical feasibility of implementing the proposed changes. You can use simulation software for more accurate feasibility studies. Assess whether the required technology is available. Check whether it can be integrated and whether any technical problems or resource limitations exist.
- Expert consultation: Consult with technical experts who have experience in similar projects or technologies. Seek their advice on potential technical pitfalls and solutions. For example, you can ask for issues that could occur during data migration. In addition to consulting experts, you can also check online forums or communities like Stack Overflow.
- Performance evaluation: This a method used to assess and measure the performance and efficiency of technical aspects in a system or organisation. This process includes collecting data. After data collection, the information is carefully analysed. The goal of this analysis is to make informed judgments. These judgments help find places where technical operations can be made better or more efficient. Performance evaluation helps find and understand technical problems. It does this by checking how well technical parts are doing and spotting odd things in data. It also compares how well things work now with how they should work. It finds the real reasons for problems. It listens to what people say, uses automatic checks and does regular inspections. This is to make sure things keep working well. This method is good for finding and fixing problems quickly. It keeps technical stuff working as it should.
- Vendor evaluation: If the changes involve third-party products or services, evaluate the vendors. Check their technical capabilities and reliability. You must also check the vendor’s certifications and accreditations to ensure their capabilities meet Australian standards. Check also the vendor's reputation among existing customers. Check what type of support they provide to customers. You can also track records of complaints about their products.
- Lessons from similar projects: It means looking at other projects that are like yours to learn from them. You study what worked and what didn't in those projects. This helps you understand what might go wrong with your project and how to fix it. You can use these lessons to make your project better and avoid making the same mistakes. It's like getting advice from people who had similar experiences.
- Documentation review: Documentation review means looking at written records, reports, or documents about a project. This helps us understand how it works and what happened before. You use this to check if what the documents say matches with what is really happening. If they do not match, it shows there might be technical problems. By looking at past records, we can see if there were similar issues before and how they were fixed. This way, we can understand and solve technical problems better and make things work well.
- Benchmarking: Compare the proposed changes to industry best practices and benchmarks. Identify gaps between the current state and desired outcomes. You can combine benchmarking with feasibility studies for a more accurate analysis.
How to Evaluate the Difficulty of Implementing the Proposed Changes
There are a variety of ways you can do your evaluation. Here are some steps you can consider:
Recall the organisational needs for implementing the proposed changes. Organisational needs are the important things a company must have or do to work well and achieve its goals. Clearly define what needs to be changed and understand its complexity.
Check the gaps in your current organisational ICT operations that the implementation will address. Check if implementing changes to address these gaps may result in operations efficiency or will do further harm.
Determine how the changes might affect existing ICT systems and processes. Identify the technical problems that may occur during the implementation. You can use impact analysis tools to better understand the impact of these changes and to identify technical problems.
Dependencies refer to connections between factors tied to the ICT systems and products. Figure out if the changes rely on other ongoing projects or external factors.
Gather input from stakeholders to understand potential challenges from different perspectives.
Check if you have the time, budget and people needed to complete the changes successfully. Identify difficulties that arise concerning these three resources.
Compile all the difficulties that you identified as you completed each step above. This will be helpful when doing a risk assessment. Recall that these difficulties can include the following:
Risk assessment means figuring out and lessening the possible problems when changing ICT systems and products. A risk assessment will help you identify the difficulties' likelihood and severity. Likelihood refers to the possibility that the risk will happen. Severity refers to the impact or harm that could result when the risk occurs. When you do the risk assessment, follow your organisation's risk assessment policy. Doing so will ensure that your steps are aligned with what is accepted in the organisation.
How to Conduct a Risk Assessment
The specific steps might vary, but here are some examples that you can follow:
Identify the risks associated with the difficulties
Identify potential risks associated with the difficulties identified. For example, you identified the difficulty to be compatibility issues. You found out that the old system and the new software applications may not work together. The associated risks can include errors, malfunctions or data inconsistencies.
Reading
Check the link below for ways to identify possible risks. The link also has a risk analysis template you can use:
Assess the likelihood of the risk
Estimate the likelihood of each risk happening. Consider historical data, expert opinions and other relevant information. The likelihood of risks has corresponding ratings:
| Rare (1) | The risk has a very low chance of occurring. |
|---|---|
| Unlikely (2) | The risk is unlikely to occur, but there is a possibility. |
| Possible (3) | The risk has a moderate chance of occurring. |
| Likely (4) | The risk has a relatively high probability of happening. |
| Almost certain (5) | The risk has a very high chance of occurring and might be a frequent one. |
For example, you assess possible errors when integrating new applications into the old system (3).
Assess the severity or impact of the risks
Evaluate the potential impact of each identified risk. Determine the severity of the risk when it occurs. The severity of risks has corresponding ratings:
- Negligible (1) – The impact of the risk is minor or insignificant. It would have minimal consequences and can be easily managed or resolved.
- Minor (2) – The impact of the risk is low. It might cause some inconvenience, but it would not significantly affect operations.
- Moderate (3) – The risk has a moderate chance of occurring. The impact of the risk is moderate. It could lead to noticeable disruptions, delays or operational challenges. However, it would not cause major harm.
- Major (4) – The impact of the risk is high. It would cause significant disruptions, financial losses or damage. It can affect operations and require immediate attention.
- Catastrophic (5) – The impact of the risk is critical. It would have severe and far-reaching consequences. It can lead to substantial harm, extensive financial losses, or even endangering safety.
For example, you assess that the impact of the errors while integrating the new applications into the old system is only moderate (3). It means that there might be disruption, delays or operational challenges.
Prioritise the risks
Combine the severity and likelihood assessments to prioritise risks. You can use a risk assessment matrix for this. This matrix evaluates and prioritises risks based on their severity and likelihood. It helps organisations decide which risks to address first and how to allocate resources to mitigate them. Here is an example of what a risk assessment matrix can look like:
| Severity | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Likelihood | Negligible (1) | Minor (2) | Moderate (3) | Major (4) | Catastrophic (5) |
| Almost certain (5) | Moderate (5) | High (10) | High (15) | Critical (20) | Critical (25) |
| Likely (4) | Moderate (4) | Moderate (8) | High (12) | High (16) | Critical (20) |
| Possible (3) | Low (3) | Moderate (6) | Moderate (9) | High (12) | High (15) |
| Unlikely (2) | Low (2) | Low (4) | Moderate (6) | Moderate (8) | High (10) |
| Rare (1) | Low (1) | Low (2) | Low (3) | Moderate (4) | Moderate (5) |
You will notice that the risk matrix has three parts: severity, likelihood and risk rating. When prioritising the risks using the matrix, check the numbers inside each box as well. These represent the risk rating. Check the colours as well. The higher the risk rating and the closer to the red colour, the more critical the risk is. Aside from the risk assessment matrix, you can also consider using AI-based risk assessment tools. These tools can help you accurately prioritise risks.
Here is a breakdown of the risk rating:
| Rating | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Low | The risk requires basic precautions and minimal intervention. |
| 4–9 | Moderate | The risk requires some precautions and proactive management to reduce potential harm. |
| 10–16 | High | The risk requires comprehensive precautions. It needs active management to prevent harm. |
| 20–25 | Critical | The risk requires immediate and extensive action to prevent or mitigate serious harm. |
Focus on the high risks that are marked red in the matrix. Then, move on to medium risks that are marked yellow. Last are the low risks that are marked green. For example, you assessed that the errors would possibly (3) occur during the integration of the new applications into the old system. However, the severity is only moderate (3).
The intersection of these two in the matrix is 9, marked yellow. It means that the risk of the error is moderate. Your organisation must set mitigation strategies in place. Compared to the low risks, the strategies for the error will take precedence. However, if there are higher and more urgent risks, then the risk of the error will have to be addressed after it.
Develop mitigation strategies
Create strategies to mitigate or manage each prioritised risk. Determine actions that can reduce the likelihood or severity of the risk.
Allocate resources
Allocate necessary resources to implement the chosen mitigation strategies. You can use cloud-based resource management tools to efficiently allocate resources to implement the strategies.
Document the identified risks and relevant details
Document the difficulties you identified and their associated risks. Include the mitigation strategies and the resources needed to mitigate the risks. Check with your organisation what document you will use for the documentation.
You can also use a centralised documentation system for better traceability and accountability. Using the system will make it easier to track changes, updates and responses related to the identified risks and mitigation strategies.
Reading
Check the link below for a detailed breakdown of a risk assessment matrix and its parts:
Note that when you conduct a risk assessment, you can also use automated risk assessment tools. These tools can quickly analyse large volumes of data, identify potential risks and calculate risk scores. This efficiency is crucial in today's fast-paced business environment. These tools can help ensure where timely risk assessment is essential.
You can also pair these tools with real-time risk monitoring tools. Real-time monitoring tools continuously track data and events. It allows your organisation to identify and respond to risks as they emerge. This immediate awareness enables timely risk mitigation measures, reducing the potential impact.
When making changes to ICT systems and products, prioritisation is crucial. That is because it can help you make the implementation process more organised. Specifically, it can help achieve the following:
- Refine the identified improvement opportunities: Prioritisation helps you identify the most valuable improvement opportunities. By evaluating each proposed change, you can pinpoint which ones will have the biggest positive impact. It refines your focus and allows you to invest your efforts where they will make the most difference.
- Assist in scheduling the implementation: Scheduling implementation can be like putting together a puzzle. Prioritising proposed changes helps you allocate time and resources wisely. High-priority changes, or those that address critical needs, can be scheduled earlier. It ensures the timely implementation of the necessary changes. This approach prevents bottlenecks and ensures that important improvements are not delayed.
Hence, prioritising the changes is beneficial for you and the organisation.
How to Prioritise the Proposed Changes
You must refer to the organisational needs to prioritise the proposed changes properly. Recall that organisational needs are the specific requirements that guide the selection and prioritisation of proposed changes for the ICT systems and products. These needs ensure that the proposed changes align with the following:
Considering these needs will help you identify the most important changes to address. These changes are the ones that will bring the most value to the organisation. Aligning the priority of the changes will also help you avoid wasting resources on unnecessary changes.
1. Review the organisational needs.
Review your organisational needs to understand which requirements are the most important.
2. Review the proposed changes.
Review the proposed changes and assess their potential impact and value. Consider factors like benefits, risks, costs and alignment with organisational needs. For example, you identified the following proposed changes with their potential impact and value:
This change has a moderate impact on improved performance and moderate value for operational efficiency.
This change moderately impacts better data management and high value for customer relationships.
This change has a high impact due to data protection and high value for customer trust.
This change has a low impact and moderate value for enhanced customer experience.
This change has a low impact and moderate value for streamlined document handling.
3. Rank the proposed changes.
Arrange the proposed changes based on their assessed impact and value. High-priority changes should address critical needs or offer substantial benefits. Using the example changes above, their rank would be as follows:
This change has a high impact due to data protection. It has high value for customer trust.
This change has a high impact on improved performance. It has moderate value for operational efficiency.
This change has a moderate impact on better data management. It has high value for customer relationships.
This change has a moderate impact on better document handling. It has moderate value for other organisational operations.
This change has a low impact on organisational operations. It has moderate value for enhanced customer experience.
In the examples above, those with the highest impact on the organisation are ranked first. Once the impact ranking is done, proceed to rank the value. If a proposed change has a high impact and value, it must rank first.
4. Consider dependencies.
Analyse any dependencies between changes. Some changes may need to be implemented before others can take place.
For instance, if you upgrade a customer database and enhance payment security, these two tasks could be connected and affect each other. That is because customer data changes could impact transaction security.
5. Create a schedule.
Develop a realistic implementation schedule for the proposed changes. Consider the priority of changes, their dependencies and available resources. Here is an example schedule of the implementation of the proposed changes may look like:
| Proposed Changes | Implementation Week | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improve Security of Payment Transactions Through Blockchain Technology | Weeks 12-14 | 15 March 20YY | 4 April 20YY |
| Upgrade to AI-based Customer Management System | Weeks 15-16 | 5 April 20YY | 18 April 20YY |
| Upgrade Old Operating Systems to Cloud-based OS | Weeks 17-18 | 19 April 20YY | 2 May 20YY |
| Integrate AR Features to the ECommerce Website Layout | Weeks 20-22 | 10 May 20YY | 30 May 20YY |
| Integrate Cloud-based Word Processing Application | Weeks 23-24 | 7 June 20YY | 20 June 20YY |
Note that the schedule format may vary, depending on your organisation. If you are unsure, ask your superior for guidance. Note that you can also use project management software for scheduling, like Monday. Some management software have AI integrated for predictive scheduling. This scheduling feature can help you align your schedules with the organisation’s strategic plans and objectives.
6. Present schedule with superior and get feedback.
Show the planned timeline to your superior and ask for their feedback. Doing so ensures that the schedule makes sense. It also ensures that it is aligned with what the organisation needs.
Sometimes, you may not be able to see these superiors face-to-face. In that case, you can use real-time collaboration tools so they can provide feedback anytime and anywhere. Examples of these tools are Google Sheets and online Microsoft Excel. These tools allow multiple users to edit a document in real time. It makes it easier to incorporate feedback.
7. Finalise the schedule based on the feedback received from a superior.
Make any necessary adjustments to the schedule according to the feedback you received from your superior.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your proposed changes are:
- Aligned with organisational needs
- Aligned with the organisation’s strategic plan and objectives
- Provide meaningful improvements to the ICT systems and products
- Implemented in a well-organised and timely manner
Achieving these four maximises the positive impact of your efforts. It also contributes to the overall success of your organisation.
You have learnt early in this chapter the importance and the benefit of evaluating the impact of your proposed changes. The benefit it provides contributes to how successful it will be, much like how a doctor evaluates the care they provide to their patients.
However, it is not just the act of evaluating what is important but also the act of documenting. Without proper documentation, how can you prove the authenticity and importance of your approved changes?
Furthermore, documenting the evaluation process helps promote the following:
- Transparency: Documenting the evaluation process makes it clear and visible to everyone involved. This transparency helps understand the steps taken and the reasoning behind the decisions.
- Reference: Having a documented record serves as a reference for future assessments. It helps you track progress, compare results, and learn from your experiences.
- Accountability: Documented processes hold you accountable for your decisions. It helps avoid confusion and ensures the evaluation is carried out consistently and accurately.
- Communication: Documenting the evaluation process makes it easier to share insights and findings with others. It enhances communication and collaboration among team members. Using modern tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can help you document and share your evaluation process more easily with your team.
- Learning and improvement: Keeping records of evaluations helps you learn and get better. When you look back at what you have done before, you can see where you can make things better and make smarter choices next time. You can even use data analysis tools like Tableau to help with this.
Keeping a record of how you evaluate changes in ICT systems and products is super important. It is like using version control systems like Git to track all the changes you make and see what has been done. Documenting your evaluation journey sets the stage for effective decision-making, improved communication, and the overall progress of your organisation's ICT strategies.
But now the question is, how will you document these changes? Documenting your evaluation can be done in multiple different ways, such as:
Written Reports
Written reports are formal documents that present detailed information about your evaluation. Written reports often include text, tables, charts and recommendations. To create a written report, you can revisit the discussion on written reports in the previous chapter. But to iterate, the steps will include the following:
Flowcharts
A flowchart is like a picture that shows the steps of the evaluation in a simple way. To make one, you can follow these steps:
- Determine the process or workflow that you want to represent with a flowchart.
- List all the steps involved in the process, including decision points.
- Choose appropriate symbols for different elements. For example, you can use rectangles for process steps, diamonds for decisions and arrows for flow direction.
- Use arrows to connect the symbols and show the sequence of steps.
- Label each step or decision point clearly and concisely.
- Test the flowchart to ensure that it is accurate and makes sense.
- Review the flowchart for accuracy and clarity, making any necessary revisions.
- Create a clean, organised, and visually appealing version of the flowchart.
Presentation Decks
A presentation deck is a set of slides that has pictures and words to explain the evaluation process and what you found. To create one, you can follow these steps:
- Determine the main points and content that need to be covered in the presentation.
- Select a visually appealing design template or style for your slides.
- Develop individual slides, each focusing on a specific point or topic. Use visuals, bullet points and minimal text.
- Incorporate relevant images, charts, graphs and diagrams to illustrate key concepts.
- Ensure a logical flow and sequence of slides to guide the audience through the content.
- Use transitions between slides for a smooth and engaging presentation. Ensure not to use too many transitions, or it will make your slides confusing.
- Rehearse the presentation to ensure you are comfortable with the content and timing.
- Review the deck for clarity, consistency and conciseness.
Infographics
An infographic is a visual representation of the evaluation and its findings. To make one, you can follow these steps:
- Determine the purpose of the infographic and the key message you want to convey.
- Collect and organise the information to include in the infographic.
- Select a layout that suits the content, such as a timeline, comparison or process flow.
- Create or select design elements, including icons, illustrations and colours. Ensure that these elements align with the evaluation you conducted.
- Organise the content and design elements within the chosen layout.
- Include concise and informative text to explain data points or provide context.
- Ensure that all text and visuals are easily readable and comprehensible.
- Review the infographic for accuracy and clarity.
- Save the infographic in an appropriate format for distribution or sharing.
Narrative Reports
Narrative reports are detailed documents that provide a written account or explanation of the evaluation. To make one, you can follow these steps:
- Begin with an introduction that sets the context and purpose of the narrative.
- Organise the content in chronological order to create a coherent narrative.
- Describe the events, findings or processes in a clear and concise manner.
- Provide relevant details, including dates, locations and key individuals involved.
- Use descriptive language to engage the reader and create a vivid narrative.
- Ensure that the narrative flows logically from one point to the next.
- Analyse the significance or implications of the events or findings as necessary.
- Conclude the narrative with a summary or reflection on the key takeaways.
- Review the narrative for clarity, coherence and accuracy. 10. Carefully proofread the document to correct any errors in grammar or spelling. 11. Format the narrative for readability, using appropriate headings and formatting.
With that said, there are several things that you should remember when utilising these methods. Always remember to adhere to the following:
Clearly explain the nature of the changes, why they are needed, and how they align with organisational goals.
Include specific information about the changes, such as what processes will be affected, the timeline, and potential outcomes. Utilising project management software like Asana or Jira to keep track of these details can make things easier for the organisation.
Provide a clear rationale for the proposed changes, explaining how they will address gaps or improve current practices.
Highlight the positive impacts and benefits the changes can bring to the organisation.
With the number of methods available, remember that your organisation might be following a format. Be sure to talk to your organisation and find out if there is a certain method or format to follow. However, the main idea is to choose the best way for the situation and the people who need to know the information. Much like in the previous chapters, provide the documents to your superior by the following steps:
Gather all relevant data and insights from the evaluation process, including the impact analysis, feedback, and assessment results.
Think about how you want to write down what you did. For example, you can choose to make a written report using a computer. Ensure that it is well-organised and explains the evaluation process, what you found, and the changes you suggest. Keep in mind that the way you write, can depend on what the person who will read it needs.
For easy readability, organise the document with headings, subheadings, and bullet points. Use charts or graphs to visualise data if needed.
Clearly explain the positive impacts, challenges, and concerns identified during the evaluation process.
Share the document with your superior through the appropriate channels, such as email or a document-sharing platform. Be prepared to discuss the content and answer any questions they may have.
In short, writing down and sharing how you evaluate changes to ICT systems and products is really important. It helps the organisation stay clear, accountable, and make good decisions. This also helps everyone work together, so the organisation keeps getting better with technology and achieving its goals. For more advanced reporting, consider using advanced tools.
For example, you can use blockchain technology to enhance the transparency of the evaluation process. You can also use data analytics and AI tools to provide deeper insights into the evaluation process. This practice helps foster collaboration and understanding among team members. It also ensures that the organisation stays ahead by adopting emerging technologies.
Watch
Watch the video below for more tips on writing an effective report:
Activity 1 - Documentation
