Using Current State Analysis to Influence Stakeholders
Denise Nacev
May 29, 20120
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This topic has 5 voices, contains 6 replies, and was last updated by 
James Evans 314 days ago.
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| May 29, 2012 at 9:51 am #182535 | |
 Nacev @dnacev  Reputation - 9 Rank - Aluminum
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We struggle to get stakeholders to understand the value in conducting current state analysis and then to use that analysis in their decision making. Does anyone have any suggestions on how they use Current State Analysis and tools to influence stakeholders, sponsors and business leaders |
| May 31, 2012 at 4:48 am #182634 | |
 Trish G @Trish Reputation - 507 Rank - Copper
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Usually when I’m asked to be involved in a current state analysis, there is some sort of issue surfacing. Leaders don’t typically want you knowing how the sausage is made in their area unless something is going wrong and it’s becoming obvious to the organization, this is where the motivation comes in. If this is the case, an analysis detailing and estimating the future costs of doing nothing can be rather compelling. My goal when I get involved with these types of analysis is to make the business case compelling enough (assuming the problem is significant) that the stakeholder would feel foolish if he/she were to do nothing. |
| May 31, 2012 at 1:47 pm #182671 | |
 Mike Carnell @Mike-Carnell Reputation - 3168 Rank - Titanium
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@dnacev I think you are making this thing sound way to technical with terms like “current state analysis.” This is plain old resistance to change. It sounds a lot more like you have a bunch of good old boys (who can actually be boys or girls) that have been biting the heads off of chickens and hoping something gets better. When it does they take the credit and go back to sleep until next year or next crisis. Why don’t you call it what it is. Current state analysis is simply a baseline. If you intend to improve something it really helps to know where you are. Ask the good old boys that are against this thing how they are quantifying anything if they don’t know where they started. Once you get them to agree to that then you can fight the battle of how to analyze the difference between where they are and where they want to go. You sound like a person who will call that a Gap Analysis. Same thing. Don’t do that. When you speak to good old boys you need to speak English and speak it slowly. There is an old saying that “if you don’t know where you are and you don’t know where you are going any place you end up is ok.” If none of that works just do whatever you want (short of animal sacrifices). It is hard to fail in a company with expectations that low. You should be at some C suite job in a couple years and then you can kick the good old boys out of your castle. Just my opinion. |
| June 1, 2012 at 4:00 pm #182744 | |
 Kevin Clay @kevin_d_clay Reputation - 85 Rank - Aluminum
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Denise … I always start with the target or the Key Performance Indicator (KPI’S). You need to understand where you are going. A six sigma term for this is the Voice of the Customer (VOC). Once you have your target(s) then you can do your current state analysis in terms of a Value Stream Map. The VSM can show you things like wasted value, capability, inventory, etc.. I am both a Six Sigma and a Lean Practitioner and I find the VSM a very effective tool when trying to Influence Stakeholders. Always remember, data does not lie as long as it is good data. Kevin Clay |
| June 6, 2012 at 7:48 am #182905 | |
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Nacev @dnacev Reputation - 9 Rank - Aluminum
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Thanks for the input @Mike-Carnell, I agree with your assessment, it is a resistance to change combined with wanting to jump right into solutions without looking at how we are currently performaning |
| June 22, 2012 at 10:20 am #183390 | |
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Mike Carnell @Mike-Carnell Reputation - 3168 Rank - Titanium
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@dnacev My apologies for dropping off for a while. Look at the reward and recognition side of the culture. Frequently it is set up to reward that type of behavior. |
| July 15, 2012 at 9:59 am #183910 | |
 James Evans @jdog2u Reputation - 38 Rank - Aluminum
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@dnacev There’s a very good article in our blogosphere here that speaks to managerial buy-in. You may be able to glean some talking points from it http://www.isixsigma.com/new-to-six-sigma/getting-started/making-business-case-six-sigma-deployment/ |
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