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Implementing A DOF
Initiative:
A Real-Life
Drama
By: Dutch Holland, Mike
Campbell and Bob Troy
Presented at the National SPE Conference
(2005)
Characters:
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Division Manager
(DM), Exploration & Development … Vice President of Exploration & Development
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Director of IT
Systems Implementation (DIT) … reports to Chief
Technology Officer
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GAP … the
newly-purchased geological application, key to the company's DOF
initiative
Setting:
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Office of the DM in
a non-disclosed, remote location
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8:00 AM on a Monday
morning
The Play:
Scene One: Initial
Coordination Meeting
between IT and the
Business Unit
DM: Welcome … how was the plane ride?
DIT: The ride was OK … but you guys
really live in the middle of nowhere, don’t you.
DM: Actually, it’s not so bad … and
thanks for the kind words … now, what can I do for you?
DIT: Well, as you know by now, you are
the first business unit selected for the implementation of that GAP
software that you guys wanted. I’m here to coordinate the implementation
DM: Lucky me … So what do you need?
DIT: I’ll have to get back to you on that
… But uh, I guess I will need access to a few of your people for testing
the integration of GAP
DM: OK, I guess … but my guys are really
busy right now …including five other task forces being run out of
headquarters … you will need to go down the hall and introduce yourself to
Bill Jones and ask him for whatever bodies he can spare
DIT: Now … just who is Bill Jones?
DM: He will tell you that when you meet
him … just tell him who you are and what you want … and keep me in the
loop …
Scene Two:
Mid-Project Review
(three months later)
DIT: Wow! I can’t believe it’s so hot out
here. But, whatever, I’m here to give you an update on the GAP
implementation … I’ve got the technical architecture working and we are in
the process of testing it
DM: Any issues?
DIT: Not with the software … but we are
still having some issues about data conversion and integrity that we need
to work out with your people
DM: Anything I need to do? … and tell me
there isn’t …
DIT: Frankly I need a lot more from your
guys than they have been willing to give … they say they can’t break loose
from their G&G projects to work on the implementation
DM: So what do you want “me” to do about
“your” problem …? … OK, how much more of their time do you need?
DIT: I need anther 25% more …
DM: Geez! You gotta go see Bill Jones
DIT: I have already talked to Bill
Jones, and I am still waiting for the support. He says he has gotten
request for the same guys from three other change leaders
DM: (Phone rings and DM waves DIT out of
the office) “OK, is that it?”
Scene Three: Shoot-Out over Cutover
(Project two-month
overdue … just about ready to “go live”)
DIT: We are ready to go live … but I
understand that you have just pushed back on the go live date …
DM: Well, yeah … my people are in an
absolute uproar about having to go live … they don’t feel they are
trained, they don’t know where their data is going to be stored. and they
don’t know how to convert any of their current projects to GAP …. Overall
they are just not comfortable … and, frankly, I thought you were handling
all that …
DIT: I don’t understand the comfort
problem … we have tested this app out the kazoo … and “your” test guys
have finally signed off on the test … believe me, our side of this thing
works and works well, thank you!
DM: That’s fine … our test people do give
it high marks … but they are the only ones who know the system … the rest
of our department is not feeling comfortable that we can use it … given
our current state of system knowledge and training on the application
DIT: Wait a minute … the GAP vendor has
already been in here twice and completed all the user training on the
software
DM: Yeah, but that was so long ago … we
have been trained on three other software changes since GAP … nobody even
remembers it, and we just have too much going on right now to cut over …
so that’s why Bill Jones recommended to me that we shut it down … for now
at least
DIT: … I thought all this change
management crap was resolved …
DM: Guess not … and, by the way, I really
don’t appreciate your attitude problem!!
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