Making the Case for Change

Making the Case for Change PDF Author: Christopher F. Voehl
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1466580526
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 265

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Book Description
The best time to stop projects or programs that will not be successful is before they are ever started. Research has shown that the focused use of realistic business case analysis on proposed initiatives could enable your organization to reduce the amount of project waste and churn (rework) by up to 40 percent, potentially avoiding millions of dollars lost on projects, programs, and initiatives that would fail to produce the desired results. This book illustrates how to develop a strong business case which links investments to program results and, ultimately, with the strategic outcomes of the organization. In addition, the book provides a template and example case studies for those seeking to fast-track the development of a business case within their organization. Making the Case for Change: Using Effective Business Cases to Minimize Project and Innovation Failures provides executive teams and change agents with the information required to make better business case decisions. This book can be used throughout the life cycle of the project to assist with gaining a better understanding of the following key knowledge areas for developing a business case: Understanding the present problem/improvement opportunity Documenting how the project, program, or initiative will add value to the organization Validating the data and the assumptions that the projected improvements are based upon Calculating the level of confidence that can be placed upon the conclusions that are reached Assessing the alternative solutions that were considered Weighing the costs vs. the benefits of the proposed initiative Analyzing and mitigating the risks to completing 100 percent of the project’s goals Eliciting and prioritizing the requirements of key stakeholders and subject matter experts Identifying the key people that are involved in the proposed project and the skills needed to implement the proposed change Obtaining consensus on the decision to move forward, as well as on the methods used and the conclusions specified in the analysis Ideal for executives and project/initiative managers seeking approval of an activity, initiative, program, or project, the book presents proven tips, advice, suggestions, and recommended courses of action for developing effective business cases. In addition, suggestions for recruiting a responsible senior officer or sponsor for the project and for engaging an audience are provided. The authors combine their own experience in business case development with approaches used by world-class organizations. They provide a general range of assessment criteria that can be applied to almost any type of project business cases. The text discusses each of the 8 activities and the 35 tasks that make up the business case development process. This process supplies you with a proven approach for creating comprehensive and well-constructed business case evaluations that will either ensure the success of your project, or eliminate unsuccessful projects, programs, and initiatives before they start.

Making the Case for Change

Making the Case for Change PDF Author: Christopher F. Voehl
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1466580526
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 265

Get Book

Book Description
The best time to stop projects or programs that will not be successful is before they are ever started. Research has shown that the focused use of realistic business case analysis on proposed initiatives could enable your organization to reduce the amount of project waste and churn (rework) by up to 40 percent, potentially avoiding millions of dollars lost on projects, programs, and initiatives that would fail to produce the desired results. This book illustrates how to develop a strong business case which links investments to program results and, ultimately, with the strategic outcomes of the organization. In addition, the book provides a template and example case studies for those seeking to fast-track the development of a business case within their organization. Making the Case for Change: Using Effective Business Cases to Minimize Project and Innovation Failures provides executive teams and change agents with the information required to make better business case decisions. This book can be used throughout the life cycle of the project to assist with gaining a better understanding of the following key knowledge areas for developing a business case: Understanding the present problem/improvement opportunity Documenting how the project, program, or initiative will add value to the organization Validating the data and the assumptions that the projected improvements are based upon Calculating the level of confidence that can be placed upon the conclusions that are reached Assessing the alternative solutions that were considered Weighing the costs vs. the benefits of the proposed initiative Analyzing and mitigating the risks to completing 100 percent of the project’s goals Eliciting and prioritizing the requirements of key stakeholders and subject matter experts Identifying the key people that are involved in the proposed project and the skills needed to implement the proposed change Obtaining consensus on the decision to move forward, as well as on the methods used and the conclusions specified in the analysis Ideal for executives and project/initiative managers seeking approval of an activity, initiative, program, or project, the book presents proven tips, advice, suggestions, and recommended courses of action for developing effective business cases. In addition, suggestions for recruiting a responsible senior officer or sponsor for the project and for engaging an audience are provided. The authors combine their own experience in business case development with approaches used by world-class organizations. They provide a general range of assessment criteria that can be applied to almost any type of project business cases. The text discusses each of the 8 activities and the 35 tasks that make up the business case development process. This process supplies you with a proven approach for creating comprehensive and well-constructed business case evaluations that will either ensure the success of your project, or eliminate unsuccessful projects, programs, and initiatives before they start.

Checklist for Change

Checklist for Change PDF Author: Robert Zemsky
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 0813561353
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
Almost every day American higher education is making news with a list of problems that includes the incoherent nature of the curriculum, the resistance of the faculty to change, and the influential role of the federal government both through major investments in student aid and intrusive policies. Checklist for Change not only diagnoses these problems, but also provides constructive recommendations for practical change. Robert Zemsky details the complications that have impeded every credible reform intended to change American higher education. He demythologizes such initiatives as the Morrill Act, the GI Bill, and the Higher Education Act of 1972, shedding new light on their origins and the ways they have shaped higher education in unanticipated and not commonly understood ways. Next, he addresses overly simplistic arguments about the causes of the problems we face and builds a convincing argument that well-intentioned actions have combined to create the current mess for which everyone is to blame. Using provocative case studies, Zemsky describes the reforms being implemented at a few institutions with the hope that these might serve as harbingers of the kinds of change needed: the University of Minnesota at Rochester’s compact curriculum in the health sciences only, Whittier College’s emphasis on learning outcomes, and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s coherent overall curriculum. In conclusion, Zemsky describes the principal changes that must occur not singly but in combination. These include a fundamental recasting of federal financial aid; new mechanisms for better channeling the competition among colleges and universities; recasting the undergraduate curriculum; and a stronger, more collective faculty voice in governance that defines not why, but how the enterprise must change.

Advances in Patient Safety

Advances in Patient Safety PDF Author: Kerm Henriksen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 526

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Book Description
v. 1. Research findings -- v. 2. Concepts and methodology -- v. 3. Implementation issues -- v. 4. Programs, tools and products.

Leading Change

Leading Change PDF Author: John P. Kotter
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 1422186431
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description
From the ill-fated dot-com bubble to unprecedented merger and acquisition activity to scandal, greed, and, ultimately, recession -- we've learned that widespread and difficult change is no longer the exception. By outlining the process organizations have used to achieve transformational goals and by identifying where and how even top performers derail during the change process, Kotter provides a practical resource for leaders and managers charged with making change initiatives work.

Making the Case for Yourself

Making the Case for Yourself PDF Author: Susan Estrich
Publisher: Riverhead Books (Hardcover)
ISBN: 9781573220835
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
Why is it that professional women can be so totally competent when it comes to taking care of business and so totally inept when it comes to taking care of themselves? Working women tend to put the needs of everyone around them, from their families and friends to their bosses and coworkers, ahead of their own health and well-being-placing themselves at risk by putting themselves last. Susan Estrich exposes these dangerous ways of thinking and other life-threatening habits as she makes a clear, compelling case for recognizing your body as your primary resource.Estrich brings her experience as both a lifelong dieter and a professor of law to the table, teaching you to think like a lawyer when it comes to defending your diet. She has anticipated every objection-from "I just don't have the time" to "I ate the donut because it was there"-and has the appropriate rebuttals at the ready. Estrich helps you to construct an argument that will keep you focused and committed until the results are their own reward. Beginning with a three-week commitment (you will actually be asked to sign a contract), she shows you how to play by your own rules, how to make a diet work for you, and how to identify your weaknesses and overcome them-just as you do in the rest of your life. Most of all, Estrich makes the case for investing wisely in yourself.Frank, funny, savvy, and empowering, Making the Case for Yourself is a diet book that engages your mind in the fight for your body.

Making the Software Business Case

Making the Software Business Case PDF Author: Donald J. Reifer
Publisher: Pearson Education
ISBN: 0768685087
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 364

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Book Description
"Just the understanding and insights you will pick up about how people encounter and cope with combinations of technical, social, political, and economic opportunities and challenges make the book a joy to read and worth much more than the price of it alone." --Barry Boehm, from the Foreword This practical handbook shows you how to build an effective business case when you need to justify--and persuade management to accept--software change or improvement. Based on real-world scenarios, the book covers the most common situations in which business case analyses are required and explains specific techniques that have proved successful in practice. Drawing on years of experience in winning the "battle of the budget," the author shows you how to use commonly accepted engineering economic arguments to make your numbers "sing" to management. The book provides examples of successful business cases; along the way, tables, tools, facts, figures, and metrics guide you through the entire analytic process. Writing in a concise and witty style, the author makes this valuable guidance accessible to every software engineer, manager, and IT professional. Highlights include: How and where business case analyses fit into the software and IT life cycle process Explanations of the most common tools for business case analysis, such as present-value, return-on-investment, break-even, and cost/benefit calculation Tying the business process to the software development life cycle Packaging the business case for management consumption Frameworks and guidelines for justifying IT productivity, quality, and delivery cycle improvement strategies Case studies for applying appropriate decision situations to software process improvement Strategic guidelines for various business case analyses With this book in hand, you will find the facts, examples, hard data, and case studies needed for preparing your own winning business cases in today's complex software environment.

Changemaking

Changemaking PDF Author: Richard Bevan
Publisher: eBookIt.com
ISBN: 0983558809
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
Changemaking takes a fresh look at managing change. Focusing on tactics rather than strategy, the book is for those who carry out the practical day-to-day work of supporting and sustaining change. It focuses on the details, and provides the needed toolkit: materials that readers can refer to, draw on, and adapt. These include checklists, templates, questionnaires, tactics, FAQs, talking points, e-mails, and other resources. Short case histories illustrate what can go wrong and how it can be made to go right. The book provides a framework of seven factors that summarize the conditions, resources, and processes that support successful change. It also offers specific guidance on processes that are often employed to move a change initiative forward, including making the case for change, managing employee focus groups, and developing FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) guides. The 50 resources are designed to provide a starting-point for readers to adapt and use in their own organizations. Develop the materials to reflect your own goals and needs, and deploy them as you support your own change initiative

StartWithXML: Making the Case for Applying XML to a Publishing Workflow

StartWithXML: Making the Case for Applying XML to a Publishing Workflow PDF Author: Mike Shatzkin
Publisher: "O'Reilly Media, Inc."
ISBN: 1449379346
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 51

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Book Description
Publishers face a "Copernican change." Until recently, the book was"the sun" of a publishing solar system, and all other opportunitieswere subsidiary rights revolving as planets around it. Now, theintellectual property is the sun, and the book becomes just one of theorbiting opportunities. To be successful in the 21st centuryenvironment, publishers must produce agile content: content that canbe rendered in different forms without great additional expense. XMLprovides both a path to agility and opens opportunities for currentand future digital content revenue streams. StartWithXML is an industry-wide project to understand and spread theknowledge publishers need to move forward with XML. It's about thebusiness issues driving the "why" of XML and the technical andorganizational issues, strategies, and tactics underlying the "how" ofgetting started. This research report takes a pragmatic look at XMLworkflows, addressing questions such as: Where am I and where do I want to end up? How much benefit do I want to obtain from content reuse and repurposing? How much work do I want to do myself? How much time and money will this take? What can I do internally to increase my chances of success?

A Case for Change in Teacher Preparation

A Case for Change in Teacher Preparation PDF Author: Julie Gorlewski
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000426149
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
Why are preservice teachers often told by veteran teachers to "forget what you learned" in teacher preparation programs? Why is there a gap between pedagogical practices employed at schools and those taught at colleges and universities? And why, after evidence from countless studies, are there still so few teachers of color working in our rapidly diversifying schools? These questions are addressed in this book, which describes a reconceptualized teacher preparation program based on a teacher residency model. This model is grounded in three core beliefs: first, that teacher quality is a shared responsibility between universities and school districts; second, that all students have a right to high-quality teachers who are as racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse as the students they teach; and third, that for education to be transformative, future educators must have the right balance of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences grounded in specific contexts. Through a combination of rich description and qualitative and quantitative program data, the authors make the case that university programs focused on the communities they serve can ensure more effective, learner-ready teachers who remain in the profession longer. By providing a detailed blueprint for program development, the contents of this book will be of value and interest to educational leaders, policy makers, and researchers.

Change Leadership: The Kotter Collection (5 Books)

Change Leadership: The Kotter Collection (5 Books) PDF Author: John P. Kotter
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
ISBN: 1625277903
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 867

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Book Description
This impressive collection features the best works by John P. Kotter, known worldwide as the authority on leadership and change. Curated by Harvard Business Review, the longtime publisher of some of Kotter’s most important ideas, the Change Leadership set features full digital editions of the author’s classic books, including bestsellers Leading Change, The Heart of Change, and A Sense of Urgency, as well as “What Leaders Really Do” and his newly published book Accelerate, which is based on the award-winning article of the same name that appeared in Harvard Business Review in late 2013. Kotter’s books and ideas have guided and inspired leaders at all levels. He is the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus at Harvard Business School, an award-winning business and management thought leader, a successful entrepreneur, and an inspirational speaker. His ideas have helped to mobilize people around the world to better lead organizations, and their own lives, in an era of increasingly rapid change. This specially priced collection offers Kotter’s best practical advice, management insights, and useful tools to help you successfully lead and implement change in your organization—and master the art of change leadership.