Deliverables

• Help my client to set a new IT strategy

• Position the IT Dept as a driver of strategic business transformation

Background

• Top-flight specialist NHS hospital trust, deciding to invest its way out of continuing budget cuts
• New strategy: to transform the business processes, both clinically and administratively, using IT as enabler
• I was brought in as interim IT Director to help them design & implement new IT strategy
• IT Dept wasn't regarded as being capable of offering an IT-enabled transformation service, and many managers didn't even consider possibility that it might

Actions - Setting a New IT Strategy

• Realised early on that business buy-in in a specialist hospital is very different animal: in top-flight care, any strategy is dead in the water without commitment from clinical consultants
• Decided that facilitatory style was needed, allowing the business to play leading role but shepherding from behind
• Focussed on finding thought leaders for the organisation, respected by their peers for ability to design the future, and keen to contribute
• Got commitment from highly sceptical consultants by listening to them and delivering low-hanging fruit

Actions - Positioning IT as a driver of strategic business transformation

• Decided that with this part the opposite approach was needed - just had to get out there and demonstrate what IT could do
• Brought in some top quality business analysts, capable of working with the business on strategy and process design: once these people had shown the way, the flood gates opened and we were overwhelmed by the demand, but that's a good problem to have

Key contributions

• Recognising the cultural differences, picking the right people, delivering
• Recognising the completely different approaches needed for the two parts: strategy and positioning
• Communicating, communicating, communicating with the business

Outcome

• As a result of fully-inclusive approach, proposals owned and proselytised by the full strategy team, bought into by the clinical and non-clinical management team, and accepted by the hospital Board.
• IT had demonstrated it was capable of adding significant value to organisation's strategic thinking. Transformation in business confidence reflected in quadrupling of IT capital budget for following year.
• My client's Chief Executive nominated me for IT Interim Manager of the Year 2007, an award run by an interim agency (not the one that placed me). His nomination included: "he revolutionised the contribution of IT, and did so with calm charm, wit and enthusiasm".

Client added another key objective after I started, to merge the hospital with one of its neighbours: a pretty significant undertaking in its own right. We achieved this successfully, too... but that's another story.