While still working in Danske Bank, we summarized our transformation journey experience in a series of LinkedIn articles. We tried to share the ingredients of our success, what can be reused when facing similar challenges in different environments, organizations. Below you can find these all.
Making “mission impossible” completed
This is the last article as a tribute to our Baltic transformation teams, which during 3 years journey delivered what’s seemed impossible – build common Baltic IT platform and transform 3 local banks into well-structured regional Baltic bank.
Key takeaways from the last stage of programme execution – cutover weekend:
Use close to real-life rehearsals to validate migration playbook and embed team survival instincts
Train Command Center to be well prepared to act in unknown-unknown (or “black swan”) scenarios and embed team survival instincts
Have response scenarios and issue solving process prepared for the first days after migration (hypercare)
Arrange utilities (food, resting areas, idle time activities) in advance in order to support and not to distract your execution.
By finalizing this series of articles we send best wishes and appreciation to all Baltic colleagues, who participated in this lifetime journey with us!
Read full article here:
"Promised – delivered". Execution in transformation programme
What is execution in a long-term IT transformation programme? Isn’t it like preparation for the Olympic Games – several years’ of daily hard work for one week or even weekend execution?
This is the first of two articles, which will be focused on execution of our Baltic transformation programme. Our key takeaways:
Don’t change horses in midstream. Use the same people for concept preparation, planning and execution.
Keep focus on critical path activities, prioritize actively and don’t tolerate deviations, especially in unknown territories.
Use testing as reality check and embed business prioritization.
Integrate business roll-out activities earliest possible, not only at the end of transformation programme.
Value physical presence to build stronger relations within cross-countries teams. However, need to re-think this in COVID-19 lock-down context.
Read full article here:
he Sixth Sense in Project Governance
What’s your first association after hearing the word “governance”? Bureaucracy or Power?
How to embed some instincts and sixth sense into formal Project Governance to generate execution power?
Our takeaways from Baltic transformation programme on how to use project governance for execution power:
Embed instincts and The Sixth Sense into formal governance processes.
Require that people in all governance levels can get into details when needed to avoid generalization.
Form governance structure as collective set of competences, but not as resource pool.
Establish rituals and symbols within programme organization.
Avoid parallel governance processes and stick to the single one.
Periodically challenge yourself if you are on the right course.
Read full article here:
The importance of gap analysis in transformation programmes
Who is leading a transformation in an intimate tango dance between the two: Bank or consultants? Why is the detailed gap analysis necessary as a practice in order to stop trampling on your partner’s feet before you enter the real dance floor? Our TOP5 takeaways from Baltic transformation programme gap analysis stage:
Lead the transformation. If you know the business, you must lead the transformation. Not vendor, not consultants.
Get down to the smallest details. To reduce complexity, you will have to get to a very detailed level.
Make friends. Build local alliances early to create “believers club”.
Let agile into the waterfall framework. Waterfall can work in combination with Agile principles.
Lead by your own example. Psychology plays a major role in the transformation with strong leadership required.
Read full article here:
Big Bang Theory in major transformations – from where it all starts
How many business transformations FAIL just because NOT STARTED at all? Do you recognize the situation when you gather all needed data, have strong business case on-hand, but standing on the doorstep still without final GO decision for your major transformation? Topic of this article – How to trigger that Big Bang, what’s that “primeval atom” to be activated for you major transformation?
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Ugly Duckling” story reborn in Baltic banking (INTRO)
In this series of LinkedIn stories I will guide you through unseen part of Banking, our own transformation experience building better Baltic bank, later living through and mitigating the effects of public escalations around Danske Bank in Estonia.
And always aiming to make Baltics a better place for banking.
Read full article here: