2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Manage Expectations Before They Manage You Steve Blais
2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Expectations are your client's vision of a future state or action, usually unstated but which is critical to your success. [David Alev] The product What the product will do for the organization His / her involvement in the project How the project will be executed Satisfaction is how close you come to meeting their expectations. Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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The problem statement Expectation that the problem will be solved The vision Critical Success Factors Political Success Factors Acceptance Criteria
Expectations Come From 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Expectations are temporal Expectations are learned Expectations are assumed Expectations can be contagious Expectations can be stated or perceived (unstated) Considerations about Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Expectations are more easily managed when stated When stated in a timely manner as in early in the project When stated as expectations and not directives or orders Many expectations go unstated Assumed to be understood Taken for granted Unwritten part of contract or negotiation Stated and Unstated (Perceived) Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Identifying Expectations: The Expectation of Change Topic 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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Each change is part of an overall continuum that improves the business processes Increases revenues or decreases cost Change as Seen by the Business Change Change Change Change 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Changes to the project are: Interruptions or diversions in the project Demonstrations that business does not know what it wants Better done as a separate project Threats to on-time, within budget delivery
Change as Seen by the Solution Team The project is the change The change is the project 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Give team a broader and longer picture of the business process and activities Start with a compelling problem and assure a safe haven when the change is done Use more agile practices: iterative development and incremental delivery May capture only change and not expectations Managing Expectations of Change 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Identifying Expectations: Questions Topic 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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1. How was this expectation set? 2. Who set it? 3. When did I find out about it? 4. What am I doing about it? Four Questions to Ask about Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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Held during early stages of project Informal meeting with Problem (product) owner Three questions: Is this the problem you want solved? What is your vision of the solution? How are you going to know that we have solved your problem? What do you need to see that will prove to you the problem is solved? The Value of Checkpoint Alpha Source: Blais, Business Analysis: Best Practices for Success, John Wiley, 011 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Identifying Expectations: Critical Thinking Topic 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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Their expectations of the situation Their expectations of what will or should happen Their expectations of you and your role in the situation Your expectations of the situation Your expectations of what will or should happen Your expectations of the relationship Your expectations of them and their role in the situation You need to understand and know your own expectations first. Two Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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The elements of the solution that must be done if the solution is to be considered a success Generate a return on investment Beat the competition to the market Be compliant with regulation Critical Success Factors 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Political Success Factors Strategic expectations are about what will be done. Tactical expectations are about how it will be done. Derived from those with management clout who have an interest in how the problem is solved As opposed to just wanting the problem solved A political success factor may be ignored Depends on impact on solution and political position of the requestor Source: Blais, Business Analysis: Best Practices for Success, John Wiley, 2011 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Setting and Monitoring Expectations Topic 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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Expectations are set by all kinds of events or actions Something you said or did, or even the way you said it Something somebody else said or did Something the client picked up from somewhere else Expectations, rational or irrational, valid or invalid, are not developed in a vacuum.
Setting Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Set expectations early Honest appraisal of what will or might happen Must be able to say no without damaging relationship Client relationship Personal relationship Managing expectations does not always mean saying no Expectation may be correct or valid
Setting the Customers Expectations 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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Must manage expectations Continuously monitor expectations Facts are not necessarily expectations People deal with the facts at the surface level Expectations are deeper
Monitoring and Managing 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Watch the campaign promises. When you meet expectations through super-human efforts, the same efforts will be expected in the future. Keep the problem statement in front at all times. Capture expectations as they arise and deal with them immediately (a held expectation becomes a demand). Try to define measurements for all expectations. Ask questions to illuminate the expectation.
Guidelines Source: Blais, Business Analysis: Best Practices for Success, John Wiley, 2011 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
Intelligence, Integrity and Innovation
Listen to what they say and what they do not say When they do not say what you expect, they may be expecting something else Watch for segues Look from their perspective Communicate often Complaints mask expectations When facing complaints, focus on expectations rather than deliveries Guidelines 2012 International Institute for Learning, Inc., All rights reserved.
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