Relationship Management
Implementation Management
Strategic Alignment
Knowledge Management
Standards Compliance |
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The basics and
concepts from years past, still apply to today's initiatives. It's the
tools and implementations that have changed - and how we apply them.
Relationship Management |
Systems Thinking
LLC, has one guiding principle with respect to relationship
management…"People do business with people they like." A company's
capabilities, background, experience, etc. mean nothing should a
mutually rewarding relationship not exist between the customer and
service provider.
We begin the
relationship management process at the initial point of contact,
whether it be a phone call, email, or face-to-face meeting.
Flexibility is key and it's important to understand the varying
personalities that are represented by our customers. While we don't
compromise our values, our project teams make every effort to develop
and maintain our customer relationships. Extensive internal training
in relationship management, cultural diversity, and interpersonal
skills, all contribute to insure we can adapt to multiple personality
types and different cultural disciplines. This has proved to be a key
attribute for our work in the
United States,
as well as, Korea, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and throughout Europe.
The relationship
management process extends throughout the client's business enterprise
and at all levels of the organization. White collar or blue collar,
executive management or staff level…these all represent people who
play a specific role in executing a company's day-to-day business
operations. Systems Thinking LLC, works with these individuals at all
levels of an organization and together form a mutually exclusive
relationship that is structured for success.
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Implementation Management
How a project or
program is actually implemented can mean the difference between success or
failure. At Systems Thinking LLC, our project teams are consistent with
developing an implementation plan that is first and foremost - aligned
with the customers strategic intent and direction, provides the expected
deliverables outlined in the scope, and is implemented at a pace which
parallels the company's ability to change.
Once again, managing
an implementation is not a stand-alone effort. Much effort is exercised
during scope design and planning to best structure the implementation
plan. Stakeholders are identified, sponsors are selected, teams are
assembled, reward/recognition plans are put in place, the project team
room is equipped, and team norming in conducted.
Implementation is
"…a BIG event" for most company's. Our project teams are uniquely
qualified to develop and structure an implementation plan that considers
an organizations people, it's processes, and it's technology. These are
all integrated to insure the implementation is not a "one-sided" effort.
Systems Thinking LLC manages the implementation to properly sequence the
people, process, and technology improvements to insure the scope
deliverables are achieved in a timely and efficient fashion
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Strategic Alignment and Scope Management
One of Systems
Thinking LLC's first priorities when engaging in an improvement
initiative is to completely understand the scope of the effort and how
it aligns with the customers strategic direction. Our project managers
are highly skilled in scope management and prior to any project
kick-off, spend extensive time in reviewing the scope statement,
listing any questions and concerns, and meeting with the appropriate
stakeholders to validate and clarify any discrepancies.
In parallel with
scope validation, we also make every effort to understand the
strategic direction of the customer's business. Alignment of the
strategic direction with the project scope statement of work insures
the project team and the company, are both moving in the same
direction.
When we
encounter initiatives that are deficient with respect to scope, we
recommend and facilitate the scope definition, scope planning, and
scope development process. This results in generating a scope
statement of work, which is mutually agreed upon by the project team,
sponsors, and all stakeholders.
Systems Thinking
LLC's, project managers do not deviate from the scope unless directed
by the customer through their appropriate change control process and
procedures. This is essential in order to insure the project team does
not engage in "scope creep" which can have a significant impact on the
outcome of the project schedule, deliverables, and success.
Once again,
speed is a factor today and by exercising expert scope management
practices, our project teams can provide the expected project
deliverables in a concise and efficient fashion.
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Knowledge Management
This is an area
that we find is quite commonly overlooked on most projects. How are
processes, techniques, lessons learned, and "…the information that
resides in people's heads" captured?
This is critical
to company's engaging in several initiatives and/or those with a
program management office (PMO) in place. As projects' start-up and
close down, it becomes imperative to have a "knowledge" repository in
place that can be accessed by all project stakeholders.
Systems Thinking
LLC, highly recommends the establishment of a knowledge management
system which can support all initiatives within a company.
Particularly in the wake of the "New Economy", where most
organizations's are engaged in some type of continuous improvement
initiative. As workers leave the work force and/or switch employers
they take the "knowledge" with them. Unless the knowledge is captured,
each subsequent project team is basically forced to "start over."
Our project
managers are required to capture the "knowledge" from each initiative
and, in turn, becomes a "value add" dimension to each customer and
initiative we undertake.
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Standards Compliance
Depending on the
company and industry, there are specific standards and procedures that
must be complied with. Systems Thinking LLC, works with the customer
to fully understand all standard and procedure requirements and insure
they are completely incorporated into all initiatives as needed.
Systems Thinking
LLC, project managers are required to work with the project
stakeholders to research and identify any specific government
standards or federal specifications that may apply to the initiative.
In tandem, they also review any company internal standards and
procedures to insure the initiative complies with these as well.
We also
understand the importance of ISO certification and work with company
stakeholders to position the initiative in a fashion that complies, or
will comply, with ISO certification requirements.
Systems Thinking
LLC, requires our project teams to conduct up-front research relative
to standards and procedures associated with a particular company
and/or industry. This is accomplished prior to and during the
initiative to further increase the rate of success of the project.
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Systems
Thinking, LLC
49 Macomb Place, Suite 13 · Mt. Clemens, MI, 48043
586.468.6595
· Fax: 586.468.7054
Info@SysThinking.com
© 2003 Systems Thinking,
LLC.. All rights reserved.
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