On the use of transformational principles to guide large transformation programs

I have had the opportunity to develop implementation roadmaps for several clients. In most cases, I try to facilitate a discussion around the principles that might govern the transformation project from various viewpoints – e.g. business, operations, technology standards, etc. When the discussion starts to reveal the need for tradeoffs and the implications of adopting these principles, stakeholders may not be sure if it is a good idea to lay down these principles in the first place. Here are few tips to plan large transformation programs better and uncover the thorny issues ahead of time:

1. While planning, it is best to facilitate a discussion on the transformation principles by including all stakeholders. This will help obtain multiple perspectives. Initial discussions should be limited to the operational levels.
   
2. It is best to adopt a few principles after fully understanding the tradeoffs and implications involved in adopting them as well as the actions, choices, and sacrifices the enterprise must be willing to make to religiously apply those principles during implementation phases.
   
3. Before finalizing the transformation roadmap, it is best to highlight the proposed principles and their associated tradeoffs and implications to senior executives and obtain their buy-in. This can go a long way in resolving conflicts between stakeholder groups that can arise later during implementation.
   
4. During implementation, governance should be setup at various levels of the organization so that any violations or deviations can be addressed efficiently and consensus or approval obtained at the appropriate governance body through escalations.

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