People fall into the following three levels of teamwork:
Level 1: Individuals. Individual performers on solo projects. Within a limited scope individuals can deliver exceptional results.
Level 2: Groups. A group includes the participants and a leader. The team’s final product is a joint contribution and reflects the strength of the group as a whole. Teams at this level take time and require a stable environment to build working relationships amongst the participants.
Level 3: A Collection of Individuals. This level of teamwork exemplifies the positive attributes of individuals and groups. A Collection of Individuals is able to tackle the most ambitious and difficult projects. Each member is a master craftsman. At this level of teamwork the product reflects the strengths of individual participants and the group as a whole. Level 3 teams typically do not require a stable environment and may, in fact, thrive under changing circumstances.
The business world demands that Collections of Individuals be formed on an ad hoc basis. In many cases it is neither cost effective nor an efficient use of resources to commit a group of people to the same set of tasks for any length of time. While it may be unrealistic to expect a level of true mastery from everyone it should be the goal we all strive to achieve.
A couple of recent situations illustrated to me the importance of customer service:
Online Purchase
I made a purchase online, reconsidered the next day, and sent a request to cancel the order. I didn’t think anything of it until the merchandise arrived a few days later. I wrote the merchant again demanding a refund and received the following in return:
“If you wish to dispute this with paypal we are happy to give them copies of the order, the postage date and tracking info and all correspondence with yourself.”
Now that’s no way to speak to a customer! Eventually we worked out an arrangement to return the merchandise for a partial refund. Because of how this matter was handled, I will never order from this merchant again.
Eyeglasses
Soon after acquiring a new pair of glasses I noticed a mark on one of the lenses. It appeared to come and go so I thought perhaps it was simply a smudge of dirt. After a couple of weeks I finally saw the real flaw. I returned to the store where they quickly identified the problem and ordered a replacement. I expect to place any future orders for glasses with this store.
In some cases our level of service makes the difference. Keep these examples in mind when considering how to address issues raised by your customers.
One way of improving your performance is to identify common tasks, processes, and data.
Do you find yourself doing the same things over and over again?Compare yesterday to today.Were any of the steps, even just a few, the same?
Here’s a simple process for standardizing some of your work products and automating their production.
Identify What do you do over and over again? What tasks do you share with your co-workers? What processes are in common across your company or your industry?
Document Write down the specific steps for executing this task or draw up a diagram of the process. This is the most important step as often simply putting the task or process in writing illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of a particular approach and puts you on the path to considering alternatives.
Re-use
Can you create a template or sample document to re-use? Are you collecting the same types of data every time? Creating a set of standard documents for re-use can go a long way.
Automate Can a script or simple program execute some of the steps outlined? Can parts of the documented tasks be outsourced to a less expensive resource?
Train and Replicate Get in the habit of using the standard process and templates yourself. If the task is common to others then train your colleagues. Give them the standard templates. Multiply the return on investment by helping others follow the improved process.
You’ve just been assigned a new project. You’re excited to get started but then find out the customer wants to have 18 stakeholders instead of the usual six to eight. Reaching consensus with 18 people is a little more difficult than with six people. Try getting 18 people to agree on lunch and see what I’m talking about!
How do you handle a large group of vested stakeholders?
Push back on constraints
Part of your job as a business analyst is to ask the tough and uncomfortable questions. Why does each of the 18 people need to be at this meeting? Is each person a decision-maker or a provider of information? Six providers of information were asked to provide their data in advance. By providing information ahead of time they were no longer required at the meeting. Why are they there?
Double the estimates for all work
Reaching consensus in a meeting is one thing. Reaching consensus on document reviews once everyone has gone back to their regular work schedule is another. Make sure to double the expected turn-around time for all document reviews or other work requiring participation of all stakeholders.
Organize the team
Make sure each person on your team knows his/her roles and responsibilities.
In our meetings typically I present, facilitate, and generally do the “song and dance”. The project manager documents decisions, action items, why decisions were made, and anything else that may help. The subsequent work of managing the project schedule, conducting analysis, and other key tasks is also clearly divided.
Expect additional work
Additional tasks will “spring up”. The project sponsor may request reviews, demonstrations, or other key meetings to keep abreast of all decisions and changes. Make sure to do whatever it takes to make this person happy. After all it’s the project sponsor who ultimately calls the shots and signs your check.
In my recent experience, a project sponsor wanted to see the “user experience”. I created a document including a flow chart and screen shots walking through a simple purchase scenario. We reviewed the document, demonstrated a live system and answered all of her questions. The project sponsor was given a clear picture of the system she purchased and was able to assign additional tasks to her staff.
In summary, with a little planning and preparation, working with a large group of stakeholders can be a rewarding experience that asks you to work in new ways, to be patient and flexible, and to improve your skills.
Jonathan Malkin is a Business Analyst at Plateau Systems. Jonathan provides configuration, integration, documentation, and deployment support services for a leader in Talent Management Systems. Jonathan’s areas of support include 21 CFR Part 11 Validation, SF-182’s, EHRI compliance and customizations to COTS software for which he has won multiple awards. His experience includes work in the federal government, telecommunications, mortgage and banking, and custom software development industries. Plateau Systems is a leading global provider of adaptable, unified web-based talent management software, content and services to onboard, develop, manage and reward talent.
I attended training with a new client last week. The trainer and I work together to educate the client, begin gathering requirements and help relate the material more directly to the client’s business needs.
As our session ended Friday the project sponsors pulled me aside to offer their thanks. That got me to thinking, “I did my part and so did a lot of other people.”
I’d like to offer my thanks to just some of the people who make my job possible at Plateau Systems:
Product Management and Product Engineering for making a great product.
Members of the Public Sector practice for coaching and guiding me.
My manager Scott Hardy for assigning me to challenging projects most suited to my skills.
Brett Lewis for developing the Solution Design Document I use to guide decisions in client meetings.
Andrea Malone in HR for handling benefits issues so I can focus on my job.
All the Business Analysts at Plateau ready to respond to email at a moment’s notice. Sometimes I don’t know how I’d solve problems otherwise.
All the trainers at Plateau who trained me and train my clients.
The Plateau Technical Services Organization for creating the virtual environment running our enterprise application. It allows me to run the Plateau application on my laptop where I test out scenarios for clients on the spot.
There are many others inside and outside Plateau Systems, including mentors, friends, and family that have helped my professional development. I could not possibly mention them all.
To all of you A BIG THANK YOU!!
Sincerely,
Jonathan Malkin
Jonathan Malkin is a Business Analyst at Plateau Systems. Jonathan provides configuration, integration, documentation, and deployment support services for a leader in Talent Management Systems. Jonathan’s areas of support include 21 CFR Part 11 Validation, SF-182’s, EHRI compliance and customizations to COTS software for which he has won multiple awards. His experience includes work in the federal government, telecommunications, mortgage and banking, and custom software development industries. Plateau Systems is a leading global provider of adaptable, unified web-based talent management software, content and services to onboard, develop, manage and reward talent.