Support for the Implementation Champion: The Experience Reference Index

The requirements for successful implementation of CII practices change as an organization’s implementation experience increases. Although the fundamentals of implementation remain constant over time, the specific concerns of an organization will change according to the scope of its implementation efforts and depending on its experience at implementing new practices. This research addresses the question, “How do implementation requirements differ based on experience and the characteristics of the organization?” This research examined the role of an organization’s experience with CII practices as an indicator of how its implementation efforts need to change over time. This study is a continuation of the effort of CII Research Team (RT) 246 to develop an implementation methodology.

Using survey data it collected, the research team developed the Experience Reference Index (ERI) to provide a detailed extension of the CII Implementation Planning Model. The ERI recognizes that an organization’s implementation concerns will change over time. Specifically, it addresses five key elements affecting implementation success. Each of these key elements has different focal points, depending on the level of experience and the geographic deployment of the organization. Implementers should use the ERI to supplement the development of their implementation plans. Using it will ensure that the appropriate focal points are addressed, depending on the organization’s level of implementation experience.

The results of the background survey suggest that differences in implementation concerns change as organizations become more engaged in the implementation of CII practices. Such changes in perspective and findings include the following:

• Experienced implementers reported placing a greater emphasis on obtaining communications assistance to convey the implementation message to their respective organizations.
• Experienced implementers understood the value of the link between the Implementation Champion (IC) and the network of experts in the organization.
• Experienced implementers considered the geographic deployment of an organization to be a primary indicator of which focal points an organization should consider.
• Minimal differences existed between contractors and owners among the population surveyed, in terms of their experience-based needs and their perspectives on the primary factors for implementation success.