Asking Me Operations Goals and Planning

 Process and Demand | Operations Goals / Plan

Recently asked about high level strategic basics with outcomes. Providing a high level template with some places to start.

Execution

(Strategic Goals and Outcomes) Mission, Vision, Scope, Objectives tied to Overall Goals. Leadership laying out the foundation and principles to follow.

Utilizes assigned and other resources to achieve or exceed challenging goals and outcomes; holds individuals and teams to high standard of delivery.

How:

Solicit feedback from IT managers/employees and key business leaders regarding our Operating Model. 

1. Do we have a RACI?
2. Do we have an operating model?
3. Do we have organizational goals?
4. Do our people know what we do and why?

• Is it well balanced between internal IT and external business focus, requirements and perspectives?
• Is each discipline requirements and perspectives represented and met in a balanced way that is focused on outcomes?
• Is the training plan an effective balance of information sharing and discussion to reinforce and understand where more emphasis is needed for the future?
• Actively interact with disciplines leaders to ensure work is meeting business needs

Specific Plans:

Communication

Clearly and succinctly conveys information and ideas to individual and groups; applies a variety of skilled techniques and behaviors to engage a spectrum of audiences.

How:

• Manage expectations
• Follow through on commitments 
• Avoid overcommitting yourself – only commit to what you can actually do. Commit to a specific time for delivery. Learn to say no – pass it off and learn to say yes with a but…
• Provide status updates on commitments and response to email promptly
• Be transparent in your actions
• Solicit feedback regularly from key relationship individuals
• Apply active listening (avoid selective listening).  Ask lots of questions to gain a better understanding.  Probing questions, clarifying questions. Confirm – is this what you are saying.  Listen first – solve second
• Encourage employees to share their ideas and opinions, let issues play out naturally which will enable them to take the journey

Specific Plans:

Decision Making

Analyzes situations fully and accurately; reaches productive decisions in a timely manner.

How:

• Use others to help – delegate the decision. Present the decision and all you know about it, and let your direct reports/team decide
• Instead of just doing something, ask what questions would need to be answered before you action. Collect data to answer your questions
• Research operational industry best practices, participate in external forums, collect data, think aloud with others, leverage external hires and their experience and apply your learnings

Specific Plans:

Deliverables / Outcomes & Effects

1. Deliver projects within time & estimated Hrs.  ~ 
2. Review and report on all current projects including backfill of story around them as needed.
3. Work with business leaders to find most appropriate solution and transition strategy if required.  Every project should be assigned a target state of keep or transition with a timeline.
4. Report and escalate the issues & Risks to management as needed.
5. Provide reports specifically for current projects and onboarding projects
6. Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation
   1. Project documentation
   2. Project Charters
   3. Requirements Documentation
7. Logical map/diagram
8. Architectures Introduction and Narratives
9.  As is/To be
10. SOW if need around the actual work itself (including what we can and can’t support)
11. Lessons learned/project closing documentations.

There is more to do but as a primer, this is a good place to get going.. Good Luck