According to R. Miles’ model, successful change projects require the ‘3Ts’, time, trust and territory.

  • Time to process a task.
  • Processes that promote trust and personal responsibility.
  • Territories that enable creative work on the basis of different rules.

Projects are set up quickly, the change team’s members are selected swiftly. Finding time for the planned activities is a little more difficult. Sound planning and corresponding agreements in project orders help.

Mutual trust is required for a change team to become functional. Even the new team’s kick-off might decide how much trust is possible. Trust is also promoted through regular reflection elements for which enough time must once again be allocated.

After that, it is about creating creative territories. A territory for new ideas doesn’t emerge by itself. Helpful rules can be derived from the principles of agile working.

  • Work environment: pool all necessary knowledge carriers in a correspondingly innovation-promoting environment.
  • Meeting formats: regular, efficient communication with the principals.
  • Decision-making processes: pool competences and territories where the solutions are being developed as well as quick access to decision makers.
  • Culture of trying: short solution development loops, tests as well as feedback and learning.

Tips

  1. Assemble a sprint team equipped with all means for creative work and quick access to all required information, data and resources.
  2. Apply agile work methods. Specific tasks are planned in short cycles and efficiently and controlled in stand-up meetings. The work method is reflected on and improved in retrospectives. Kanban boards serve to visualize and control work progress.
  3. ‘Go to Gemba’: regularly and at short notice, the management visits the sprint team to inspect progress and quickly make the required decisions.