Change management: making changes measurable

Change is inevitable. But why does it matter so much for organisations to make that change measurable?

‘To gain better insight. If you can collect data, at least you have a starting point. Without it you cannot ask: what do I want to do better tomorrow than I did yesterday? And that is before we even get to the quality of that data. Many companies collect all sorts of things but are still, in effect, adrift. It is as if you hold a treasure trove of information but are missing the key to unlock it. A well-considered change has to be based on facts and figures.

With measurable data in hand you can plan for the future more effectively and work with more purpose. You can establish concretely what you want to improve on yesterday, and that becomes a powerful compass for growth. It is the only way to steer genuinely objectively.’

Implementing change management in an organisation — do you do that by designing certain processes, a dashboard, or data management?

‘I see it like this: an entrepreneur is a doer. They start by doing what they are good at. CEOs are often not entrepreneurs; they are people who have learned about structures, companies and organisations, but they often lack that gut feeling. The downside for an entrepreneur, in turn, is that they often do not notice what they are and are not doing well. If a CEO comes up with things without checking that instinct against the sales director or the marketing team, you cannot innovate. The top of the organisation has to recognise the importance of change and actively support it — and that only works if they are in contact with the shop floor and the people the change is usually about.

Again, it is genuinely crucial that the top of the organisation recognises the importance of change, actively supports it and carries it out to employees. Then you move a floor down to all the departments and business processes, and design those processes so that everything becomes visible and above all measurable. Different departments and processes can have different measurement points, depending on their objectives — think of marketing and communications versus logistics. That is why it is important to use a combination of data management, process automation and, where useful, dashboards to support change across the organisation.’

So here too it comes down to people. I see a parallel with the conversation we had with Leon about business software.

‘Exactly. Do not dive straight into the technology, do not start changing processes right away. First look together and take stock of what is actually going on; above all, ask questions. I have seen so many automation people tear everything up immediately: three months of building, a fantastic interface, but no real thought about functionality. That will not happen quickly at CodeCast; we sometimes ask ten times why something is important, or why it has to be arranged so fast. That often comes across as nagging.

Sometimes it even feels like it slows the process down. But when you see what comes out of it, it is far more cost-efficient in the long run. Clients then also discover that the change management process is genuinely enjoyable and engaging. This way of communicating, and the results that follow, lets organisations celebrate successes internally and motivate their teams. The companies we work with often channel part of the higher revenue, profit and savings back to their staff in the form of a bonus or a team outing.’

So you suggest always taking stock first, and only then starting on technical solutions. Can you say more about the idea of a ‘baseline’ or zero measurement?

‘Life, society and legal requirements change constantly. Things happen that mean you have to keep adjusting course. A baseline measurement creates the ability to zoom in on detail. It is not a disaster if certain objectives are missed, but with a baseline you can explain why. It provides context and data to understand why particular results occur, and serves as a reference point for measuring growth and improvement.’

Are there emerging trends or technologies CodeCast uses to reach that baseline and that insight faster?

I hear the team in the office talk a lot about AI and its possibilities, but in practice we tend to use advanced data analysis and business intelligence tools that help us collect, analyse and interpret data. Our own platform, for instance, which lets us set up system integration and automated process control in a way that is clear, fast and robust. That is not deep-learning AI, but a tool that helps us spot certain trends and patterns so we understand better why things happen. Ultimately it is all about maximising insight and minimising disruption, and we like to do that with the right tools and techniques — which, it goes without saying, differ for every job.