Learning Launch-When Shutting Up Helps Innovation

I am a Sr. Program Manager in a Finance IT shop for a very large corporation.  We help other Finance  teams through process automation or bringing them into the 21st century as I like to say.  I chose  Learning Launch as my tool because the theme of finding ideas to solve a problem and using unique  thought processes, data and experiments to confirm the solution is useful.  This type of design thinking  fits with a project I am currently working on.    The Challenge  A stakeholder directive to reduce headcount needs in a department which joined our organization last  year.  Within three months people would be moving to different organizations and contractors let go.   What I knew: they managed large quantities of data and interacted with a billing system in a manual  way.  What I didn’t know:  How exactly they spent their time.    I asked for a time/work study from the team director.  Mapping the team’s time to their work functions  and flow, my initial thought(idea) was we could automate inputting data into the billing system by  expanding a protocol we had successfully used in the past. This could not be a cookie cutter solution  though; this team’s work was performed in a system we no access to (risk and possible disconfirming  fact). I had been told by the team director that previous automation attempts had failed because the  work was too complex (risk and possible disconfirming fact).  This solution needed to go beyond the  standard elements of automation and be equal to or faster and more accurate then what the team  currently did themselves. This idea could meet the directive challenge and be better than the current  alternative.     I told the stakeholders (Director and VP) I had an idea to pursue. I was given a small development team  to explore its merits.  The target team director provided a resource (and skeptic) to work with us.    Brainstorming Optimization  I set up meetings with my developers-all with different skills and specialties. Generally, I am quite  verbal, which can mute the brilliant person who doesn’t like to speak off the cuff.  So, instead of  directing the team in how I thought this problem should be resolved, I tried something different-I shut  up. As the curator, I gave the team a focus (the specific need and the idea). I left space for others to  contribute, leveraging their expertise and differences.  The ideas flew-nothing was bad, it just may not  have been right as a solution.  It was a lesson learned for me and one I am trying to incorporate more  and more.    A workflow to shorten the time and attention it takes to consistently make correct, appropriate changes  to thousands (and sometimes millions) of customer accounts emerged.  The solution was scalable,  addressed the work complexities and the client could view the process and make last minute changes if  necessary. On paper, if we could get billing system access, this solution could achieve the automation  and headcount savings being asked for.  Aha! Design thinking!  We now needed to get stakeholder  approval to move on to designing and experimenting with the process.    Presenting the Solution  Our presentation was cobbled together.  We reviewed the workflow and showed pieces of other  projects that had some similar moving parts. We described how one section of work would flow into the  next and the ability the client would have to control the data. This was unlike work we had done before,  but it could end up being a pathway for many other teams in the future.  Our napkin pitch was clumsy

but it did the job. The apprehensive client team director could see the possibility for success.  Our  leadership knew our capabilities and approved our next move-to build and test the idea.    Confirming the Results  We had reached Wow. We got the billing system access needed and what has been developed is being  tested for release next month.  Trials are showing we can take a large amount of data and using  automation input it correctly into multiple layers of a highly complex billing system.  We will reach the  headcount reduction requested and an even higher percentage of time savings than previously  predicted. If I was going to do something differently, next time I would ask for more client input upfront.   This would have helped sharpen the focus on the issue to be solved more quickly.


Learning Launch - When Shutting Up Helps Innovation I am a Sr . Program Manager in a Finance IT shop for a very large corporation . We help other Finance teams through process automation or bringing them into the 21st century as I like to say . I chose Learning Launch as my tool because the theme of finding ideas to solve a problem and using unique thought processes , data and experiments to confirm the solution is useful . This type of design thinking fits with a project I am currently working on . The Challenge A stakeholder directive to reduce headcount needs in a department which joined our organization last year . Within three months people would be moving to different organizations and contractors let go . What I knew : they managed large quantities of data and interacted with a billing system in a manual way . What I did n’t know : How exactly they spent their time . I asked for a time / work study from the team director . Mapping the team ’s time to their work functions and flow , my initial thought(idea ) was we could automate inputting data into the billing system by expanding a protocol we had successfully used in the past . This could not be a cookie cutter solution though ; this team ’s work was performed in a system we no access to ( risk and possible disconfirming fact ) . I had been told by the team director that previous automation attempts had failed because the work was too complex ( risk and possible disconfirming fact ) . This solution needed to go beyond the standard elements of automation and be equal to or faster and more accurate then what the team currently did themselves . This idea could meet the directive challenge and be better than the current alternative . I told the stakeholders ( Director and VP ) I had an idea to pursue . I was given a small development team to explore its merits . The target team director provided a resource ( and skeptic ) to work with us . Brainstorming Optimization I set up meetings with my developers - all with different skills and specialties . Generally , I am quite verbal , which can mute the brilliant person who does n’t like to speak off the cuff . So , instead of directing the team in how I thought this problem should be resolved , I tried something different - I shut up . As the curator , I gave the team a focus ( the specific need and the idea ) . I left space for others to contribute , leveraging their expertise and differences . The ideas flew - nothing was bad , it just may not have been right as a solution . It was a lesson learned for me and one I am trying to incorporate more and more . A workflow to shorten the time and attention it takes to consistently make correct , appropriate changes to thousands ( and sometimes millions ) of customer accounts emerged . The solution was scalable , addressed the work complexities and the client could view the process and make last minute changes if necessary . On paper , if we could get billing system access , this solution could achieve the automation and headcount savings being asked for . Aha ! Design thinking ! We now needed to get stakeholder approval to move on to designing and experimenting with the process . Presenting the Solution Our presentation was cobbled together . We reviewed the workflow and showed pieces of other projects that had some similar moving parts . We described how one section of work would flow into the next and the ability the client would have to control the data . This was unlike work we had done before , but it could end up being a pathway for many other teams in the future . Our napkin pitch was clumsy but it did the job . The apprehensive client team director could see the possibility for success . Our leadership knew our capabilities and approved our next move - to build and test the idea . Confirming the Results We had reached Wow . We got the billing system access needed and what has been developed is being tested for release next month . Trials are showing we can take a large amount of data and using automation input it correctly into multiple layers of a highly complex billing system . We will reach the headcount reduction requested and an even higher percentage of time savings than previously predicted . If I was going to do something differently , next time I would ask for more client input upfront . This would have helped sharpen the focus on the issue to be solved more quickly .