Creating turn-around change culture and huge productivity enhancements in a Regulatory Government environment.
The Situation
MHRA Devices were facing financial cutbacks, from reduced productivity, a huge source of data all in paper pink slips and archives (of over 150 full London buses worth) stored in libraries. Each time an investigation in to a device or medical implement that had been regulated arose it would take 6-8 weeks minimum – often extending in to many months – to conduct in depth reviews and investigations spanning data that often went back through several decades of history and archives. The ability to track data, identify international sources, manufacturers, sellers and providers let also those who had received shipments worldwide of certain batches and need to be informed due to recalls or other impossible issues, was a really concern. the devices team were key to setting EU and international healthcare regulations and yet tracking items end to end, through customs and numerous other touchpoint was not only challenging but the data lake was vast. This required a re-engineering of all the data, data structures, both structured and unstructured, digitisation of records going back over 60 years and a new Case management system to be implemented. The devices team were concerned about their jobs and being replaced by systems so were resistant to the changes despite the new systems making their lives easier.
The leadership team had different objectives and the CEO of Devices and the CIO were the main sponsors of the programme.
The Task
The programme required agile coaching upfront and the creation of champions across the business to help guide and gather the team to take part in detailed process mapping and UX.Months of sessions detailed out as is and to be process designs. These identified up to 30% productivity savings that meant that the team would have more time to work on new innovations, Customer service and building stronger EU relationships with Pharmaceuticals agencies, Customs, and numerous other international entities. Creating better touchpoint externally to the agency was imperative as Brexit happened in the middle of the programme.
We had to select new service suppliers through GDS processes and platforms. WE ahd to work with other agencies like Cabinet office and MOD to take lessons learnt.
WE needed a strong and versatile, data and IT team of specialists in governance, security, architecture design, data management, cyber, PMO, delivery, CRM and CASe management systems.
I was the delivery lead reporting to the PMO team responsible for the definition of requirements, agile delivery, hiring the team, leading and delivering the new platform. I rolled out squads, tribes and led agile delivery. We trained 140 devices team members in Agile in parallel.We bought a new centre of data excellence and analytics, design and management in to the business. this Muti pronged multiple party solution was a 3 year project programme for phase 1.
My project planning found 5 million in savings via solution optimisation, clever planning and focus on building the right internal skills across the wider programme.
- Rewrote the Business Strategy and identified £1M in savings to the £8M programme budget for a government agency
- Championed a significant transformation change and culture programme within MHRA, reporting directly to C-suite and PMO.
- Led a diverse team in identifying requirements, developing technical solutions, and optimizing shared services, suppliers, MoD, GDS.
- Successfully implemented an Appian Case Management platform, revolutionizing customer and industry interaction in public healthcare regulation.
- Streamlined processes and increased productivity by 30% through innovative CRM and data platform solutions.
The Action / Approach
Identified critical areas of value and opportunities to exploit them
- Enhanced business capability through resilience, agility and adaptability
- Nurture a culture of engaged people, delivery and achievement
- Refined definition of current state, desired future state, and how to get there
- Facilitate better alignment to business strategy and plan
- Create an internal network of ‘champions’ or ‘transformers’
- Avoid project stoppages due to lack of senior buy-in
- Reduce complexity and create simplicity
- Reduce the impact of siloes
- Avoid losing key people by reskilling and retraining
- Remove risk of exclusion of stakeholders at any stage of the transformation
- Overcome resistance and drive adoption
- Reduce risk of delivering incompatible or incomplete solutions
- Stop IT being or feeling caught in the middle
- Avoid unrealistic or conflicting expectations
- Reduce time wasted to deliver value, with prioritised delivery of the right things at the right time
The Result
Typical areas where value is realised:
- Enabling collaboration beyond the boundaries of an enterprise
- Gain access to additional budget through success
- Improved business agility and ability to rapidly respond to change and opportunity
- Digital transformation that drives, moves and resets the organisation’s vision
- Drove positive impact on internal and external customer satisfaction
- . More consistent and sustainable profitability and business growth
- Driving a culture of innovation for easier and faster adoption of future digital trends
- Increased customer acquisition, advocacy and lifetime value
- More satisfied and engaged employees with increased retention and productivity
- Creating a culture of involvement, empowerment and connection to the business
- Increased credibility, confidence and influence across the business
Pains typically relieved include:
- Budget availability affected by external change drivers and uncertain resource estimates
- Lack of transformation, change and agility mindset in leadership
- Cynicism, lack of buy-in and resistance to change
- Lack of exec sponsorship and ownership
- Lack of process and technical integration strategy making the overall solution less efficient
- Lack of agreement of transformation governance and stakeholder understanding leading to a fragmented approach
- Leaders mandating a change management and implementation approach that’s not appropriate to the organisation
- Lack of availability of the right people at the right time across both business and technology areas
- Unclear and siloed business strategy leading to misaligned goals across the organisation that conflict with transformation
- The IT function is not aligned to the digital business strategy and vision
- Conflict between perception and reality of digital skills, tools, methods and talent required and available
- Lack of clarity around existing operating model, internal business ecosystem or cross-functional teams
Focus In On: Responsible for Digital Business Transformation
New Areas of Value:
Enabling collaboration beyond the boundaries of an enterprise
Gain access to additional budget through success
Improved business agility and ability to rapidly respond to change and opportunity
Digital transformation that drives, moves and resets the organisation’s vision
Direct positive impact on internal and external customer satisfaction
More consistent and sustainable profitability and business growth
Driving a culture of innovation for easier and faster adoption of future digital trends
Increased customer acquisition, advocacy and lifetime value
More satisfied and engaged employees with increased retention and productivity
Creating a culture of involvement, empowerment and connection to the business
Increased credibility, confidence and influence across the business
Improvements around:
Budget availability affected by external change drivers and uncertain resource estimates
Lack of transformation, change and agility mindset in leadership
Cynicism, lack of buy-in and resistance to change
Lack of exec sponsorship and ownership
Lack of process and technical integration strategy making the overall solution less efficient
Lack of agreement of transformation governance and stakeholder understanding leading to a fragmented approach
Leaders mandating a change management and implementation approach that’s not appropriate to the organisation
Lack of availability of the right people at the right time across both business and technology areas
Unclear and siloed business strategy leading to misaligned goals across the organisation that conflict with transformation
The IT function is not aligned to the digital business strategy and vision
Conflict between perception and reality of digital skills, tools, methods and talent required and available
Lack of clarity around existing operating model, internal business ecosystem or cross-functional teams
