WORKOUT/4-9-18 Workout Tool
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We have created our workout to transfer the findings, derivations, and measures from the individual Radar tools into an effective implementation. It is an integral part of the implementation of Enterneering®, involving responsible individuals and/or the company organisation. Before you start working with our tool, you should have conducted sufficient research regarding the preceding contents of the implementation and the focus of the elements in Enterneering®.
To understand the basic structure of our Excel tool, the 4-9-18 Workout, please read our introduction in the previous article.
All cells with values to be entered are highlighted. We distinguish between cells for free input (indicated in medium blue) and input via a selection list (indicated in lighter blue). We have protected all other cells in our tool.
Action Board
We kept our workout as simple as possible and consistently focused on the basic principles of managing complexity: small steps, portioning out processes, bullet-point format, concise, process-oriented, and time-based.
1. Header:
We start in our model in the Action Board spreadsheet, at the top left, by giving a program title as free text. Next, we enter the current calendar year at the top right corner of the page and we can assign the present version a version number. The entry of the year is important for further time calculations in our tool.
2. Development of Maturity:
Next, in the dark blue area on the left side of the screen, we select the elements in Enterneering® that are to be treated or improved within the respective phase. We recognise the respective phase by the organisation of element selections on the left side, forming blocks aligned with the phase on the left.
We select the respective element from the selection lists on the left side and can enter the respective maturity level from the radar (Need for Action) directly next to it on the right side for better remembrance and tracking as well as the improved maturity level (Goal) after successful implementation. During the application, we can also simulate the progress at this point.
In our model, the selection of the individual elements requires individual consideration, taking into account the insights from the 'Need-Impact-Effort Matrix' in our Radar (Need for Action). We have deliberately not automated this step in our model but left it to the personal judgement of the responsible individuals.
After the relevant elements and maturity levels have been entered for each phase, the target direction and a rough time horizon are fixed in our tool. We have intentionally constrained the number of parallel themes in our model and have not envisaged any expansion. This approach is based on our extensive experience in planning and realising complex strategic management tasks, which are closely linked to human and interpersonal dynamics. In our model, we assume a level of maturity of the responsible individuals and the business organisation that improves during implementation. We also assume that practice will improve over the three phases. In addition, we posit that as implementation progresses positively, the capabilities and opportunities to successfully implement multiple parallel issues will improve.
3. Development Goal:
In our tool, a development goal is now entered for each element and phase. This helps us to better identify the activities in the same row to the left. It also makes it easier for us to assess whether the individual activity contributes directly to achieving the development goal. We maintain a high level of consistency in our application and remove all activities that do not have a substantial direct impact on the achievement of the goal. The field sizes are compact, and it is important in our tool to formulate short concise statements. Detailed planning does not take place in this tool. Instead, it is directly conducted using the existing instruments within the organisation or through interactions with the individuals. The lack of such tools, in our understanding, falls within the scope of Enterneering® itself and should be very high on the list of measures for implementation.
4. Schedule:
Next to each development goal, an indication of the expected realisation period must be given. Make sure that this information is compatible with the selected phase and does not extend beyond the 4, 9, or 18 months after the start.
5. Action 1, 2, ...:
The next step in our tool is to define the most important activities for implementation for each element and its development goal. We have intentionally set a limit and basic structure in our model at this point so that we limit ourselves to the most essential content in the application and do not succumb to the danger of escalation or being small-minded.
Self-reflection:
In the middle of each phase, we have included a reminder column. This is intended to encourage us to consciously use the respective hump day (middle of the path) in each phase for self-reflection. This can mean personal reflection as well as collaborative reflection within a team. It is important to implement this as consciously and reflectively as possible, as it mainly concerns topics that have a great influence on personal development, cooperation, and behaviour.
Wrap up/Transition next stage:
At the end of each phase in our model, we incorporate a measure for each development goal that serves to summarise, process, and transfer the previous results to the next phase or regular operations in the company. In many practical cases, the transfer point represents a weak point. Appropriate care must be taken to ensure that realised measures are subsequently integrated effectively into the organisation and that continuous application or further development is ensured.
6. Lessons learned:
We have included a table at the bottom of our action board where we can document the most essential insights, knowledge enhancements, or experiences gained during the implementation. This serves as a follow-up for deriving future actions and is an information base for knowledge management in the company.
7. Backlog:
Analogous to the lessons learned, we have added another table as a topic memory or backlog for upcoming measures or for activities that fall outside the scope of Enterneering®.
Task Board 1 to 3
Our model includes three task boards, one for each phase. The structure is kept simple, primarily involving transforming the activities from the action board into concrete delegable tasks. We have limited the number of possible subtasks to five per activity and element. If this is not enough, we always try to bundle tasks or define them in a less detailed way. Ultimately, the workout is a tool of corporate management and not of team management within a subject area.
As an aid to memory and to facilitate orientation, we can select the element we are currently looking at in the top left-hand corner via a selection field. This allows the respective activities from the action board to be displayed in the upper red row and we do not have to jump back and forth between the spreadsheets.
Each task board exclusively includes the rows and elements that are already present in the action board. We have intentionally excluded the definition of additional activities or similar in our tool (we use the Backlog table for this).
| Delegation: |
Summary
Our workout primarily serves as a structured approach to reduce complexity for effective time and task management. It helps to transform a multitude of different and confusing activities and objectives into a time- and process-oriented workflow. The numerous pieces of information are stored and organised in one system instead of juggling them mentally. This enables a more effective focus and promotes productivity, as one can dedicate oneself more freely and unencumbered to the tasks at hand. It also makes evaluability and fact-based monitoring possible during implementation. It can serve as a pipeline for strategic issues, guiding implementation plans in daily operations. The tool is a good basis for personal training in complexity management within the VUCA world at C-level.
You can download our sample tool of this section for illustration and dry exercise. We recommend that you first download and look at the PDF file only. If you like the training aid, you can also download our Excel tool afterward.
| This Tool is for illustration and training purposes only and must not be used unchecked and unauthorised in practice. Without exception, all results displayed should be carefully and conscientiously checked for plausibility. No guarantee is given for correctness or completeness. This tool and no part of it may be reproduced, shared, or transmitted in any form or by any means. The terms & conditions on www.enterneering.app apply. | |
| Yes, I have read and understood the above terms. By clicking on this link, I expressly agree to these terms. I hereby download the tool named in the heading as a PDF file directly to my terminal device at my own risk. Should my terminal device become infected with malware or other unwanted events during this process, I shall bear the sole risk for this. | Yes, I have read and understood the above terms. By clicking on this link, I expressly agree to these terms. I hereby download the tool named in the heading as a EXCEL file directly to my terminal device at my own risk. Should my terminal device become infected with malware or other unwanted events during this process, I shall bear the sole risk for this. |