Organizations are constantly changing. This is a common saying for anyone who works with or within an organization. Our world in general, and the business world in particular, is changing rapidly, and organizations are adapting to this pace of change.
Some of the demands posed by the rate at which the organization changes include changes in computer systems, information systems, and business intelligence systems that are changing, renewing, and transforming. But our adaptation to this dizzying pace harbors a danger. I would call it the "danger of taking things for granted." We have become so accustomed to changing, replacing, characterizing, implementing, and improving that sometimes we forget that this is a complex, deep, serious process that requires attention to its many aspects.
The literature, like reality, is full of descriptions and explanations of business intelligence systems and information systems in general, which were purchased at great expense and had many resources invested in them. Still, ultimately, their implementation failed, and they remain in the organization as a useless burden. Sometimes, the failure or lack of success stems from the fact that not all aspects are considered because there is no understanding that the successful implementation of a business intelligence solution is managing organizational change in all its facets.
Of course, it is beyond the scope of this article to contain all the theories and methodologies that need to be addressed when implementing a business intelligence system. Still, I want to address one aspect of dealing with this complex issue. I'll do this, with your kind permission, through a short story about a case that happened to me recently and which caused me to think a lot about the subject:
Recently, we characterized a business intelligence solution for a large client. We invested heavily in the characterization and accompanying the construction, and we built a detailed training and implementation plan that includes marketing, training, system integration into work processes, etc. Indeed, it is a successful and comprehensive plan. We are still in the pre-launch stage, and I am meeting with one of the managers in the department (middle management). From all her behavior and words, I managed to feel (it wasn't difficult...) that she opposed the proposed solution. I explain its advantages and how much it will ease everyone's work, streamline, save, and provide added value. And she, with a lemon face, looks with half an eye. Luckily for me, the meeting was cut short by 12:30, which was my meeting partner's traditional and indisputable lunch hour. We went to have lunch together and talked in an informal and non-binding manner. Slowly, between the lines, I understood that this pleasant woman constitutes a "knowledge junction," meaning many people come to her to ask for her advice, get help analyzing data and trends, and clarify the picture. Although this is not an official part of her role, it allows her to feel like a center of power and influence. The business intelligence system we are working on building will allow employees to make more informed decisions and receive more structured and analyzed data, so there is a reasonable chance that this power element of our acquaintance will fade or ultimately erode.
What can we learn from this case?
Implementing a business intelligence system, like any organizational change, generates resistance. The resistance can be based on personal aspects of personas or employees in the organization. It can be substantive and principled, organized or individual—and it needs to be addressed, anticipated, and a plan built to deal with it.
But beyond that - our little story indicates that the resistance is not always directed at the technological solution itself (we sometimes tend to attribute resistance only to aspects of the technology, i.e., whether the system will indeed meet the requirements or not or even attribute the resistance to personal characteristics such as: "This is a person who is afraid of technological changes"), but we should note that a change such as implementing a business intelligence system affects a multitude of things: people's occupations, their centers of influence in the organization, or even in the simplest way: their way of working. Implementing such a system entails many changes, such as a known butterfly effect. We need to pay attention, observe, and see the whole picture. Try to understand where resistance might come from, get to the root of the matter, and not stay on the surface. Try to foresee what's coming, bring it up, and prepare for change management - as if managing real change and not as a small or sizeable technological step that will only affect a narrow aspect of organizational work.
Good luck.
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