Darren Harvey is a Principal Consultant for CTO Group. He is a recognised expert in architectural and service transformation design for the largest and most complex Government ecosystems.
One of the key concepts to come out of the current Agile trend is the powerful motivating factor of ownership.
Any Agile Coach worth their salt will tell you that project teams working on a deliverable will work more cohesively, and achieve better business outcomes, if they are allowed to take ownership of their own processes as they work to meet a defined requirement.
Why should this concept apply only to projects? Shouldn’t it also apply to the continuous improvement of Business as Usual Services?
Later this month I’ll be presenting on this topic at the Overcoming the Challenges of As a Service conference in Canberra. I hope to see you there!
In many organisations, small teams are currently based around set processes or activities. However, new thinking is required if organisations want to truly drive cultural change aligned to an holistic ecosystem design, that breaks down organisational structure silos and embeds agility and innovation.
Key to this process is the understanding that organisational teams function best when they make the transition into being mini service providers or ‘micro-providers’. In this model, each micro-provider takes ownership for a service or a platform, functioning as both a supplier and consumer of services to other units within the organisation.
Each micro-provider uses the same mini operating model, and a defined approach, to integrate their services and platforms into the wider enterprise ecosystem.
They are also empowered to own and manage their own services, which encourages a process of continuous improvement as they seek to better align with the needs of their internal customers.
I’ve observed that the implementation of this framework tends to spark a wave of viral change in organisations, as micro-providers rapidly innovate and develop better versions of their own services.
It’s a powerful trend that any organisation seeking to become more agile should consider enlisting.
What do you think of the role of micro-providers as agents of change in organisations? Post your thoughts through social media. And click here for more information about the Overcoming the Challenges of As a Service conference.