Summary
This is a case study of a strategic, enterprise-level IT project that was stalled due to organizational and cultural issues within company. By applying a few familiar research techniques and frameworks (and one unfamiliar modeling framework) towards understanding and solving organizational problems, the project team found its footing and was able to deliver a complex application that will position the company for success.
Key Insights
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Engagement of stakeholders as co-creators is crucial for project success.
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Cultural and organizational issues often derail projects more than team performance.
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Modeling organizational culture helps in identifying underlying problems.
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Using frameworks organizes data efficiently and uncovers missing pieces.
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Understanding both immediate and extended domains enhances project alignment.
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Effective communication reduces conflict among stakeholders.
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Continuous feedback loops improve team engagement and project output.
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Assigning responsibilities and holding managers accountable increases project transparency.
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Adapting problem-solving strategies to organizational culture fosters success.
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Utilizing soft systems methodology can visualize organizational influences.
Notable Quotes
"The project team was not engaged."
"Unconscious assumptions can hinder team dynamics."
"The hardest thing to uncover in a company's culture are the unstated assumptions."
"People were simply reporting back to management in their silos."
"I started to push the facilitation aspects out to the project team."
"We had to integrate our system with several other systems."
"This was the first time they had actually seen something from the team."
"We had to solve an engagement problem with the sponsor first."
"Working in this framework allows me to model soft influences on a project."
"You need the right team and to select your technical leads."
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