#pm_ngt-010 – New generation thinking does not replace traditional, first generation project management; it adds to it, it fills gaps and it resolves contradictions between different writings ‘categorical’ statements of right-in-an-exam ‘facts’.

To be successful in managing change requires ideas from (at least) three sources all of which are necessary but none of which is sufficient and all of which have baggage that is best set aside in the ‘real-world’.

The over-arching starting and ending point is Isochron’s benefits method Dimension Four®. D4 supports strategists and senior stakeholders’ first debate then agree direction then delegate actions for realisation and it sets-out the right attitude for receiving and dealing with escalation of issues. D4 carries us past project (“temporary organisation to create deliverables”) into benefits delivery and the ramp-up to the flow of return on investment whether social or financial. D4 deals with the psychology of imposed change that affects the majority and it provides explicit instruction to replace intention (abandon plans) as they are shown to be superseded by circumstances.

D4 is a great start and end but without linkage to PRINCE2®’s Product Breakdown Structures, Work-Packages and Product Descriptions and thence to PMBoK Guide’s* Work Breakdown Structures and Statements of Work (and precedence diagrams, critical path analysis, resource levelling etc) and eventually time phased cost-profiling the communication of scope will not reach from board-room2boiler-room™ for implementation.

Those decision makers who are distant from the technical minutia of day-to-day challenges must be connected via tools such as those the PMBoK Guide alludes to for status determination (E.g. the mechanism of choice is Earned Value Management – see for example pmbok 7.3.2.1 or better yet our blog-piece “The real reason EV is so valuable“).

PMBoK may say how to express measurement of achievement but without PRINCE2’s ‘pipe-work’ (A3-Checkpoint Report and A11-Highlight Report templates* plus processes like [16.4.2 Execute a Work Package], [15.4.2 Review Work Package status], [15.4.5 Report highlights], [13.4.4 Give ad hoc direction], [15.4.7 Escalate issue and risks] boiler-room decision data will not reach board-room decision makers.

*The templates and processes noted here are illustrative not exhaustive.

When D4, P2 and PMBoK are plugged together with their (mostly minor) contradictions resolved we have powerful potential for initiation, conduct and profit from change. To turn potential into capability also requires the final jigsaw-puzzle pieces of equipping and motivating role holders at every organisational level.

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Our training and mentoring in #pm_ngt addresses the different but integrated needs of everyone from board-room2boiler-room™. Competent handling of change requires flexible, structured and synchronised activities supported by tools and techniques across the end2end™ timeline and top2bottom™ decision making hierarchy.