Support for the Implementation Champion: The Experience Reference Index

As organizations gain more experience implementing CII practices, the requirements for successful implementation change. Although the fundamentals of implementation remain constant over time, the specific concerns of an organization will change according to the scope of the implementation efforts and the organization’s experience at implementing new practices.

This research addresses the question “How do implementation requirements differ based on experience and organizational characteristics?” This research studied the extent to which experience with CII practices is an indicator of how implementation efforts within an organization should change over time. The research is a continuation of the CII Research Team (RT) 246 effort to develop an implementation methodology. This document and the Experience Reference Index (ERI) it introduces should be used as supplemental resources to Implementation Resource (IR) 246-2, The Implementation Planning Model. As such, this implementation resource will help implementation teams refine their development of successful implementation strategies.

Developed from the data obtained in this study, the ERI provides a detailed extension of the Implementation Planning Model, and is based on a recognition that implementation concerns will change over time for an organization. Specifically, it recognizes five key elements affecting implementation success. Each of these elements has a different focal point, depending on the level of experience and the geographic deployment of the organization. Implementers should use the ERI to ensure that specific focal points are addressed at the organization’s particular level of implementation experience.

The results of the background study indicate that implementation concerns change as organizations become more engaged in implementing CII practices. Specific findings on such changes in perspective include the following:

• Experienced implementers place a greater emphasis on obtaining communications assistance to convey the implementation message to the organization.
• Experienced implementers understand the value of the link between the Implementation Champion and the network of experts in an organization.
• The geographic deployment of an organization is a primary indicator for determining which focal points an organization should consider.
• Minimal differences exist between contractors and owners in terms of their needs over time and in terms of their perspectives on the primary factors for implementation success.