The systems, processes, culture, environment, people, policies, and behaviors are the result of who we are and what we want to achieve.
The current model used by most of the IT service companies, (especially Indian based) is the result of their focus on ‘Delivery’, which was evolved during the early stage of out sourcing, where these companies are expected to deliver only the code against the given functionalists.
This approach works perfectly for delivering code, but not for creating innovative solutions.
Here are my reasons:
Innovation, who cares?:
In current model, from the Project Managers to Programmers are rewarded based on deliveries, not on the usefulness on the product/solution. As a result, no one cares about customers and what they do with the software.
Signoff Syndrome:
Though this is result of Fixed Bid projects, we continue following this in non fixed projects, just to safeguard our delivery commitments. This raises a very fundamental question on why we are in business; Just to Deliver or Make a difference in our customers and customer’s customer life.
Refer my previous post for more details on “Sign-off” syndrome
You are Smart? Keep it with you:
This is the dangerous of all. Since the game is not about innovation, there is no place for smart people with some great ideas. The statistics shows that smart and innovative people tent to change jobs and employer, more frequent than delivery based people.
Am I against ‘Delivery’? Absolutely not
Take the example, Microsoft, Apple, and Sun Microsystems.
They all started in the same time, with similar passionate people, and all on the same business
So, what makes Microsoft and Apple, so successful than Sun.
The answer lies in a small change in their focus
When the wind change,
Microsoft and Apple started writing “Software for Improve People Life”
Sun stayed with “Software for Improve Technology”
Microsoft and Apple still a technology companies, but their focus is on the people and their life
The same way, Changing your focus to Wow, doesn’t mean not delivering.
For me, it is a question of purpose, purpose of our life.
if you are not making a difference
better quit the game
So, How do we move from Delivery to Wow?
The answer is simple
First, Starting thinking about how we can make difference to our customers
Second, Change the pattern of incentives, from Delivery to WoW.
In the book Freakonomics, The authors Steve D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, clearly explains the role ‘Incentives’ in everything we do and there is nothing exceptional to this.
See my earlier post on Freakonomics: Information. Fear. Incentives.
Third, Teach your employees the concepts of Wow Projects a book written by Tom Peters
Comments