Search results for ""Author Frank Voehl""

In today’s fast-moving, high-technology environment, the focus on quality has given way to a focus on innovation. From presidents of the United States to presidents of Fortune 500 companies, it is clear that everyone thinks innovation is extremely important. The challenge is that few people stop to define why innovation is important—to understand what’s driving the need for more innovation. We all agree that more frequent innovation is important, even necessary. What remains unanswered is why we allow innovation consultants, elected officials, and business leaders to tell us innovation is important, but not demonstrate the underlying reasons why.The three volumes of The Innovation Tools Handbook cover 76 top-rated tools and methods, from the hundreds available, that every innovator must master to be successful. Volume I covers 24 creative tools/methodologies most frequently used to change an organization’s structure and operations. It provides a clear understanding of how all 24 tools are used and the type or results they can generate, so you can learn to select the right combination of tools that best meet your organization’s needs.This book is the result of a research study that defined the most efficient, effective, and frequently used tools in the innovative process. For each tool described, it provides a definition, identifies the user of the tool or methodology, explains what phases of the innovation process the tool is used, describes how the tool is used, supplies examples of the outputs from the tool, identifies software that can help you maximize the effectiveness of the tool, and includes references and suggestions for further reading.Tools and methodologies covered include: Agile innovation, benchmarking, business case development, business plans, comparative analysis, competitive analysis, contingency planning, costs analysis, financial reporting, focus groups, identifying and engaging stakeholders, innovation master plan, knowledge management systems, market research and surveys, organizational change management, potential investor presentation, project management, S-curve model, safeguarding intellectual properties, systems thinking, value propositioning, and visioning.

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The best time to stop projects or programs that will not be successful is before they are ever started. Research has shown that the focused use of realistic business case analysis on proposed initiatives could enable your organization to reduce the amount of project waste and churn (rework) by up to 40 percent, potentially avoiding millions of dollars lost on projects, programs, and initiatives that would fail to produce the desired results. This book illustrates how to develop a strong business case which links investments to program results and, ultimately, with the strategic outcomes of the organization. In addition, the book provides a template and example case studies for those seeking to fast-track the development of a business case within their organization.Making the Case for Change: Using Effective Business Cases to Minimize Project and Innovation Failures provides executive teams and change agents with the information required to make better business case decisions. This book can be used throughout the life cycle of the project to assist with gaining a better understanding of the following key knowledge areas for developing a business case: Understanding the present problem/improvement opportunity Documenting how the project, program, or initiative will add value to the organization Validating the data and the assumptions that the projected improvements are based upon Calculating the level of confidence that can be placed upon the conclusions that are reached Assessing the alternative solutions that were considered Weighing the costs vs. the benefits of the proposed initiative Analyzing and mitigating the risks to completing 100 percent of the project’s goals Eliciting and prioritizing the requirements of key stakeholders and subject matter experts Identifying the key people that are involved in the proposed project and the skills needed to implement the proposed change Obtaining consensus on the decision to move forward, as well as on the methods used and the conclusions specified in the analysis Ideal for executives and project/initiative managers seeking approval of an activity, initiative, program, or project, the book presents proven tips, advice, suggestions, and recommended courses of action for developing effective business cases. In addition, suggestions for recruiting a responsible senior officer or sponsor for the project and for engaging an audience are provided.The authors combine their own experience in business case development with approaches used by world-class organizations. They provide a general range of assessment criteria that can be applied to almost any type of project business cases.The text discusses each of the 8 activities and the 35 tasks that make up the business case development process. This process supplies you with a proven approach for creating comprehensive and well-constructed business case evaluations that will either ensure the success of your project, or eliminate unsuccessful projects, programs, and initiatives before they start.

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Change Management: Manage Change or It Will Manage You represents a substantial core guidance effort for Change Management practitioners. Organizations currently contend with increasingly higher levels of knowledge-driven competition. Many attempt to meet the challenge by investing in expensive knowledge-driven change management systems. Such systems are useless, and sometimes even harmful, for making strategic decisions because they do not distinguish between what is strategically relevant and what is not.This Management-for-Results Handbook focuses on identifying and managing the specific, critical knowledge assets that your organization needs to disrupt your competitors, including tacit experience of key employees, a deep understanding of customers’ needs, valuable patents and copyrights, shared industry practices, and customer- and supplier-generated innovations. The authors present two aspects of Change Management: (1) traditional Change Management as it impacts the project management team’s activities and (2) a suggested new approach to Change Management directed at changing the culture. The focus is to prepare the people impacted by the project and change activities to accept and adapt to the new/changed working conditions.The first half of the book deals with traditional Change Management, which covers the topics of remembering, understanding, and applying. The second half presents the authors’ new approach to changing the culture, which deals with analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

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