Rapid Results - A brief Intro

In passing over the past couple of months we have introduced this topic, but I thought I would take a brief moment to explain why we think it is important and what it means to us.  For more information go to Robert Schaffer's web-site as he is the person who introduced it to Jim ages ago and which Jim had great success over the years applying it.

Over the years we have all been involved in enterprise or corporate initiatives that either:

• have not had success in achieving the desired result,
• taken too long,
• cost too much money,
• been short-sited or too long-term
• etc... add yours here

In the world of Enterprise Data Warehousing (EDW) and Enterprise Systems initiatives seem to be failing, costing too much and taking too long to show benefit.  We had found this in the EDW area over and over again and started thinking and developing strategies and approaches to get the data into the hands of the user faster.  In discussing with Jim he mentioned - Breakthrough or now as it's called Rapid Results.

This is an interesting approach that really resonates with me:

• As consultants I want to see our clients successfull.  By this I do not mean have us deliver something on-time and on-budget - though this is still crucial.  I want to see them get the result they are looking for and as quickly as possible.
• There has been a trend which I support which is more in-sourcing and building capability that is needed over a long-term in-house.  This is great, but also creates a new type of dependency that can not become hampered by a slowdown in productivity or approach.  Why? 
• Businesses are changing faster and faster, so old ways though often necessary need to be challenged or molded for today's rapid business demands.
• The days of the massive big sledgehammer approach may be over.  It almost killed K-mart and some may say it did when a System Integrator decided to do a massive replacement of it's underbelly systems.  In Canada an East Coast company put in it's annual report the results and effects of a failed ERP implementation.  So how do we effect the change in business?
• It aligns well with some work that we had done with two clients and we thought it merited further review.

So we have been reviewing this and have developed an approach to Driving Business Value through Rapid Results and are pretty excited about the power it gives to our clients.  So first I suggest you read Bob's book "Rapid Results" with an open mind.  Then join in the conversation here and we can all evolve together to mutual benefit.

So what is it?
The use of Rapid-Cycle projects as building blocks for major transformation where we will achieve measurable results that are important to the overall enterprise challenge or strategy in a very short period of time. Yeah Yeah so what.  We don't do this too you we do it with you and at the same time build internal capability, zest, excitement, credibility and measurable value back to the organization.

Comments

[Jim]

I firmly believe that building internal capability is the key to successful consulting projects. If we install new processes or systems in an organization without helping the organization change with the process or system the project will fail. Thus focusing on results and building the capability in the organization is very important. The confidence and excitment in an organization in achieving rapid results is amazing.
We must on the result, keeping the eye on the target, not the process.