Shiny and new vs BAU

Our brains, our bodies, our teams, and our organizational systems are not set up to tear things down and create things at the same time. Each requires different ways of thinking and doing that are contrary to the way work happens and how people behave within these systems.”
Christine Chopyak
in her book, “Picture Your Business Strategy: Transform Decisions with the Power of Visuals.

The quote above succinctly describes one of the biggest challenges in an OSS implementation… The team that will operate the new OSS have to be brought along for the ride so that they are empowered to use the new tools to maximum benefit. However, the team also tends to be the BAU (Business As Usual) team that is responsible for maintaining the CSP’s operational network.

I’ve often felt for these operational staff because they already have so many challenges in their day-to-day activities before a new OSS implementation enters the fray and places demands on their time. An OSS implementation team will often be demanding of BAU resources for data, processes, informal training, unpaid consultancy, etc, which will allow the implementation team to build a solution that is reflective of the real situation for the BAU team. The new solution simply will not function efficiently without significant input from the BAU team to configure for their exact needs.

In a nutshell, when embarking on an OSS journey, the BAU team needs to be informed of the expectations on their time so that they can plan ahead. The BAU team has to budget for more of their time to be allocated to the OSS transformation than they originally expect. The implementation team needs to be cognisant of the fact that the BAU team have other key objectives that force them to maintain a mindset that helps them to maintain the status quo. They won’t always be readily in tune with what the new creation will look and feel like.

The second element to this is who then tears down the old once the new is built? Invariably the BAU team will be asked to help with turn-down activities as well, whereas the implementation team often has no direct involvement with phasing out the old.

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2 Responses

  1. Most of the time, you need to convince the BAU team to get rid of their old system and start using the new one. And they cant help comparing new vs. old system in terms of ease of use, stability, functionalities, etc. This is where a Project Sposor/Champion, camaraderie with the BAU team, “what’s in it for the BAU team” and change management strategies come into play.

  2. Hi Elver,

    Yes, you’re exactly right. Often the BAU doesn’t even want (or believe they need) the new system and just have it thrust upon them. It’s not easy being part of the BAU team is it? 🙂
    Sometimes the implementation team forgets or underestimates how important they are.

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