Case Study – Making functional groups talk to each other

Below you will find an overview of a case where LeverSource methods and tools were used to break down silos between functional groups.

Situation

Communications breakdown between the project management group and the IT finance group

Complication

No single point of leadership to mediate across both functional groups.

Approach 

Interviewed all IT Finance team members and a representative sample of the larger PMO group. The interviews surfaced 28 unique suggestions.  Using the LeverSource method each suggestion was analyzed against all other suggestions resulting in 756 comparisons. This analysis yielded the following insights:

1. 14 of the 28 suggestions were low leverage in nature
2. 7 were outcomes that could not be directly influenced but formed the basis for a tailored executive dashboard
3. 6 were high leverage and should be the key components of an intervention
4. 2 were systemic inhibitors to both teams working together.

Leverage

Of the 2 systemic inhibitors, “Increasing Forecast Accuracy” was the central issue.  This was supported by the fact that improving forecast accuracy would also improve all of the desired outcome variables but it also required “fixing” 11 prerequisites.  A complex problem but at least made tractable having the increased granularity of causes.

Feedback

While the analysis was well received and gave both teams tactical improvement suggestions, the real benefit was getting them in the same room and simply talking.  Having this objective tool and method enabled “agendas” to be left at the door and true improvement conversations to begin.