How to create a transformation map
It’s always easier to get to your destination if you’ve got a good map. This is just as true in business transformation as when you’re on a walk in the countryside.
Let’s examine how to create a transformation map, why you should use one, and what it should contain.
A transformation map helps you plan strategies to achieve your goal
A transformation map, or T-map, is a visual way of representing the goal and strategic planning process. As such, it’s an important component of a business transformation journey, comprising all the elements needed for successful change.
It differs from a transformation dashboard in that dashboards are more detailed. They help track progress against the priorities, activities and metrics set down in the T-map.
Benefits include clarity, communication and flexibility
Transformation maps help you agree, communicate and track the components of your strategic planning process with stakeholders. They’re a stable point to return to, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
We can summarise three of the most important benefits as:
- Clarity – the absence of a clear vision is one of the reasons why a transformation project can fail. A T-map includes the actions, activities, milestones, timelines, results and impact of your initiative, thereby delivering that clarity
- Flexibility – a T-map is valid for a project of any type and length
- Communication – the visual nature of a T-map helps communicate clearly and quickly, which is essential in promoting collaboration and motivating the team
Creating a T-map needs a team effort
The team driving and implementing the change must be the team that creates the map. This gives them a stake in its implementation and success.
First, create the team of stakeholders before this team produces the map. You can use tools like a RACI matrix to help choose this group. The next step is to run a workshop to agree goals, themes, actions and timelines, and to generate the map.
Your map should contain these five components
A completed transformation map will include:
- A statement of your organisation’s current state or way of working
- The ideal future state or transformation goal, preferably with quantifiable metrics attached
- Timelines for stage and project completion
- Key targets across the whole map or within each workstream
- Indicators to track your progress
Example of a transformation map showing progress of an initiative
Source: BusinessOptix
Update your map as you go along
Once you’ve agreed the T-map, set out the next steps and share these with your stakeholder group. Using a portal like BusinessOptix means everyone can access the most up-to-date version.
While the project is in progress, the map is a live document. You should regularly review it, tracking and updating progress, and making adjustments if necessary. But when the project is finished, close the map and create a new one for the next project.
Ready to find out more?
This article is adapted from a more detailed BusinessOptix white paper. The full version includes sample graphs showing the insights the platform can provide: download it here.
The BusinessOptix platform was designed to help you implement best practice in business transformation, including the creation of T-maps.
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