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Communication in ICT outsourcing: Meeting the challenges of staff and stakeholder buy-in How do you manage the human side of ICT outsourcing and get staff and stakeholder buy-in? Based on his experience creating startups and managing IT projects internationally, Toby discusses how to effectively manage outsourced ICT projects and identify and manage key technical and people aspects that need to drive every project. · Thinking about people, projects and places and adding the human dimension to ICT outsourcing · Ensuring efficient communication across your teams and gaining staff and stakeholder support · Understanding scalability of a project and how to adapt your ICT outsourcing strategy vertically and across industries Keywords: - remote project management, agile approach, scrum methologies - international vs. local aspect, different cultural backgrounds - examples for good, bad and efficient communication - quick, easy and practical ways to identify the reliability and professionalism of a potential offshore or outsourcing partner - differences between small, medium and large outsourcing projects and different verticals/industries
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Communication inICT Outsourcing
Meeting the challenges of staff and stakeholder buy-in.
By Toby Ruckert, Advanced Millennium Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"The art of communication isthe language of leadership."
— James Humes
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Toby Ruckert, my Outsourcing Experiences from 2001-2011
As a Client Wellness-Shop.com Viva-Lite.com unifiedinbox.com PuzzleCommerce.com Nutricare.co.nz, ...
(as Consultant)
As a Supplier Advanced Millennium
Private Ltd. (India) Apaks International, Co.
LTD (China) IFOS - International
Fulfillment & Outsourcing Services (Germany)
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"The search for someone to blame is always successful."
— Robert Half
"The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others."
— Don Shula
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Communication in Outsourcing – it's a two-way Challenge:
"Outsourcing" involves transferring or sharing management control and/or decision-making of a business function to an outside supplier, which involves a degree of two-way information exchange, coordination and trust between the outsourcer and its client.
Source: Wikipedia.
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"Take your life in your ownhands and what happens?
A terrible thing: no one is to blame."
— Erica Jong
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Distance & Culture increasesCommunication Challenges
In-house (1 local office) In-house (distributed team, multiple locations) Outsource (1 local location) Outsource (local, distributed, multiple locations) Offshore Outsourcing (1 country, 1 location) Offshore Outsourcing (1 country, 1+ locations) Offshore Outsourcing (multiple countries/locations)
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
How to find the rightOutsourcing Partner?
→ Check References and Track Records
→ Understand Business Objectives (Expectations)
Skillsets and Domain Expertise
→ Sign a NDA and / or MOU
→ Communicate: Call, talk, check writing(!)
→ Ask for Samples: Helps to get a local team on
board (show technical and process competence)
→ Ensure Post Development Support (Bugs...)
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"Outsourcing is a tool,not the problem or the solution. "
— Martin Zwilling
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Outsourcing DOs:
→ Build the relationship first
→ Do your “due diligence”, ask many questions
→ Make sure expectations and experiences match
→ Do what you say you'll do
→ Create mutual trust
→ Pay on time
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Outsourcing DON'Ts:
→ Never outsource your core competency
→ Be careful with IP rights / content
→ Avoid outsourcing of creative / design works
→ Don't underestimate costs (travel, communication)
→ Don't be afraid – be positive
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"The basic building block of good communication is the feeling
that every human being isunique and of value."
— Unknown
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Guaranteed Trouble MakersYou: Them:
poor specifications, no acceptance
criteria, scope creep, not enough staff or
stakeholder support
inadequate staff and training,
high turnover, poor or inadequate
processes, lack of vendor project
management
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
The Agile Manifesto
→ Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
→ Working software over comprehensive documentation.
→ Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
→ Responding to change over following a plan.
Agile Manifesto (2001) by Martin Fowler and Jim Highsmith
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
The Project Management Triangle
Traditional „Iron Triangle“ - graphic by Wikipedia
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
The Agile Triangle
Agile Triangle (Jim Highsmith*) adding Software Debt
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Agile Triange (Jim Highsmith*)with impediment management
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Impediment Management comes down to Communication
→ How do impediments occur? → If they are beyond team’s ability to resolve,
how does management support their resolution? → Is there a need to provide visibility to more than
1 or 2 levels higher in the organization? → How do these enterprise impediments get
handled at strategic levels in the organization?
= What is your impediment management strategy?
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend."
— Albert Camus
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Different Team Maturity Stages
FORMING:→ Ensure everyone is
„on board“, positivity
STORMING:→ Team is in „Chaos“→ Lead into „Order“
PERFORMING:→ Team is self organized→ Observe, fine-tune→ Communicate its value
NORMING:→ Team is learning→ Leader is guiding
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"Any one can hold the helmwhen the sea is calm."
— Publilius Syrus
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
When Chaos rulesDo: Don't:
spend more time with the team,
organize and structure,
find bottlenecks & recurring issues,
start process optimization
act in incorrect role, look the other way / let
the team lead itself, teach too much when
the basics lack, blame, expect too much
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Adopt Agile Methodology, e.g. „Scrum“
→ What have you worked on since we last met?→ What will you be working on until we meet again?→ What impediments are blocking our progress?
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"People go a lot further when they feel they're led, not pushed."
— Unknown
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
When the Team takes ShapeDo: Don't:
teach how to avoid the impediments,
create a clear policy for communicating,
detect commitment and integrity issues,
keep pushing the boundaries
fix problems for the team,
fear confrontation, underestimate
impediments and communication blocks
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Use Communication and Integrity for Team Clarity and Transparency
→ „I will do this by that.“ = clear commitment!→ Say it – mean it – do it. = define team integrity!→ Impediments? = mention early and communicate!
Be prepared to deal with „communication blocks“.
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"When the best leader's work is done, the people say: 'We did it ourselves.'“
— Lao-Tzu
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
When your Team is maturedDo: Don't:
continue to lead daily meetings,
give „freedom“ with set constraints,
value what you have, communicate that value
decide too much for the team, especially if it's within their domain,
tell people what to do
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wantsdone and self-restraint enough
to keep from meddling withthem while they do it.“
— Theodore Roosevelt
© 2011 by Toby Ruckert – Follow via @manibodhi on Twitter – Connect via www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert
Thank you for your attention!
Contact Toby:
via @manibodhi on Twittervia www.linkedin.com/in/tobyruckert