Change Toolkit System Workstream Overview
Purpose
The System Workstream is often a critical aspect of most Change Programmes. In fact it can be the initial trigger for the Change Programme, and can integral to deliver the process and organisation change.
The System Workstream develops the systems that support the business processes designed by the Process Design Workstream.
The Systems Workstream is responsible for the change to all systems including:
- New systems
- Changes to current systems
- Interfaces
- System Integration
- Hardware.
The design of the system solution is often a compromise between the requirements from Process Design and the ease of changing the systems.
Types of System Changes
If a new or replacement system is required then the new system can be:
- Developed to meet the exact requirements
- Bought from a software vendor, and
- Used as standard
- Customised to more specifically match the requirements
- If possible, configured to ensure that the base system is not changed but the requirements are still satisfied.
Change Programmes often have ‘constraints’ that do not allow new systems to be developed or bought. When a new system cannot be developed/bought other system changes can still made:
- Development to add functionality to existing systems
- Additional reports to provide new information.
Even when a new system is introduced, changes to existing systems are still likely to ensure integration of information.
Using Systems to Define Process
The Process Design Workstream defines the business processes that the systems have to support. If the system is to be developed from ‘scratch’ it is easier to accommodate the exact requirements.
If the system is bought, there will be a trade-off between the cost to exactly match the requirements produced by the Process Design, and the functionality that is easily delivered by the new system. In this case the additional benefits of customisation need to be quantified and compared to the cost of customisation and ongoing support.
In some Change Programmes it is decided that, where possible, the systems processes will define the business processes. This is will avoid unnecessary system customisation and ensure easier maintenance and support for the implemented system.
When using the system as the basis of design the Process Design team will need to be trained in the system(s), with system experts providing a specialist role in the entire Process Design workstream. A prototype can also be a useful aid in designing the business processes from the system perspective.
Develop vs Customise vs Configure
A major decision for a new system is between the following solutions:
- Develop a whole new system to exactly match the requirements
- Buy a commercial system that partially matches the requirements and customise it to provide the additional functionality
- Buy a commercial system that allows configuring to more closely match the requirements.
The final solution may require components from each method.
The decision between each approach is dependent upon:
- How unique the requirements are and whether there is a commercial package available that can meet some of the functionality
- Whether the standard system configuration abilities allow the enough functionality to implement the business processes
- The importance of being able too easily upgrade to new versions of the system.
Sourcing Solutions
The method of sourcing of the system solution is dependent upon the size and complexity of the solution required.
For a major system solution a Tender should be released requesting solution designs and costs. This could be a Tender for the entire Change Programme or for the system solution only. The Tenderer should be able to supply all of the skills required to deliver solution, although the integration management should be handled internally.
Smaller system changes such as amendments to existing systems or development of smaller systems, existing suppliers or internal IT departments can be used as the System Workstream.
Integration
The system solution will need to integrate with the existing systems and the IT infrastructure.
The system solution design should detail each of the interfaces to other systems and the method/timing of transferring information. These need to be agreed with the groups supporting the interface systems.
The integration of the new solution is critical to the success of the implementation.
Standards
Most organisations have standards that the new solution must adhere to. These standards include:
- Hardware
- Operating Systems
- Approved software packages
- System integration
- Security
- Maintenance and support
- Desktop
- Documentation.
The proposed solution needs to meet the internal standards or gain agreement to be included in the standards.