CIP Continuous Improvement Process / Continous IT Improvement as an end-to-end service ensuring different level of business continuity
We are implementing a Three-Phase Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) for our customers
Continuous improvement processes and business continuity are interconnected processes. Our approach related to business continuity and continuous improvement process covers the following areas:
Our first phase of the continuous improvement process as part of business continuity is related to up-to-date knowledge and applying the latest technologies to ensure client compliance. For example, major pre-requirements use the latest technologies, patches, software updates, and trained end users to prevent cyber security attacks.
Our experts are trained regularly, as this is essential for staying competitive and providing high-quality service to our clients.
The continuous improvement process 1st relates to being up-to-date with the latest technologies and assessing their implementation approach.
The second step involves an up-to-date roadmap for enabling the latest IT technology, process optimization case studies, leading workshops for reviewing the business case, and a solution enablement timeline with the business strategy, including the following key activities:
- Stay informed about the latest technologies to inspire organizational innovation.
- Schedule brainstorming and team-building sessions to create solutions that leverage new technology to solve existing challenges or create new opportunities.
The scope of the projects incorporated in various programs and portfolios is agreed upon with the decision-makers and auditors, leading to the final contract signature.
The second phase of business continuity as part of the continuous improvement process is to ensure business continuity during the implementation phases of the projects.
Business continuity during transition and transformations:
One of our key strengths lies in orchestrating and guiding project change initiatives with minimal or no downtime. We understand that our clients use IT components that are crucial for their existence, and they service other clients for which the offered services are live 24/7 with more than 99% SLAs. The technical methodology for the cut-over and the change is already assessed and agreed upon during the project’s discovery/contractual phase. The cut-over methodology adjusts the project scope, which depends on many factors defined during this phase’s previous activities.
The second area of business continuity relates to changes in projects and programs when we must ensure minimal user impact, good user experience, and continuous business. It requires careful planning, including creating the cut-over plan and its governance model, effective communication, risk mitigation strategies, and a focus on minimizing disruptions and continuous user feedback assessment.
Please see Csaba Stefan’s cut-over plan creation and management strategy for details.
(This section has to point to the bakocsaba.com website where the uninterrupted business cut-over is mentioned – erre kitaláltam az al oldalt, hogy én mind project Manager, Program Manger, Tower Lead hogyan tervezek és vezetek egy cut-over-t amelyen az a fő cél, hogy az sikeres legyen és, hogy minimum business impact legyen, azzaz a business ne legyen befolyásolva. )
The third area of business continuity as part of the continuous improvement process relates to how the project will change the user’s day-to-day activities. (for example, upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 changes the well-known interface, a new software introduction will change well-known processes)
• End-users fear changing well-known systems and processes and will have to learn and adapt to something new, leading to fear and frustration.
This phase covers the involvement of the end-users from different departments (team leaders from different towers, end-users, and people working in factories) in the early phase of planning the overall solution for presenting and aligning with them how the project scope will change their day-to-day activities and supporting advertising this to the whole company.
These stakeholders are involved in workshops, meetings, planning sessions, or business breakfast sessions where they can foresee the changes with the end-user eye or where anybody can look and feel the proposed new product.
Planning with the end-users and tower leads, considering their feedback and views when developing the product and the cut-over, will lead to a new level of success in project planning.
We need to reduce end-user frustration and ensure that company management decisions are applied combined with uninterrupted business, including end-user involvement during the end-to-end testing phases.
Users and end-user representatives will be involved during the solution phase, ensuring positive end-user experience and pre-requirements alignment for the training / train the trainer sessions.
Additional examples:
A well-used system – the operating system is changing; people get a new desktop, a new operating system, and new features, and the locations of icons are changing
Also, the company is implementing a new ERP System – which has a new user interface and new features.
Summary of this article:
Phase 1:
1) Experts are up-to-date
2)Ongoing team and experts know the customer environments and propose improvements via projects, programs, and portfolios
3) A high-level roadmap and strategy are created; this is aligned with the business during brainstorming, workshops, and team-building sessions
4) The final business case and roadmap is presented to the decision-makers
5) based on the agreed decision, the project contracts are updated and signed
Phase 2:
Projects and program governance have to focus on the success of the cut-over, ensuring SLAs and continuous business. Based on these steps:
1) review the contract and the planned cut-over
2) consider the cut-over method and technical solution during the kick-off meeting
3) plan the overall test plan and cut-over with the agreed methodology and technical solution
4) assess in detail the user impact and plan risk mitigation strategy to ensure minimum downtime
4) conduct the cut-over and continously assess user feedback
Phase 3:
After the phase is closed and the contracts are signed, the proposed projects have to plan and manage how the change impacts the end user’s day-to-day activities (many companies call this how to manage a shift from the end user’s perspective). Usually, a program has to contain a dedicated tower that is in contact with the end-users in a tri-directional communication way:
inform about the changes
get their feedback
incorporate their feedback into the overall program