How can you successfully implement your transformation plan?

By Jennifer Montérémal

Published: 16 November 2024

Company directors, the time for change is now? Are you thinking of implementing a transformation plan to get ahead in an increasingly competitive market?

Yes, but according to a McKinsey study, 70% of transformation plans end in failure, a figure that rises to 84% in the case of digital transformation.

Don't panic, Appvizer has come to the rescue and revealed the steps to a successful transformation project, with the added bonus of a complete guide you can download free of charge to digitise and insure your business with peace of mind!

On the road to success!

See all software Project Portfolio Management (PPM)

Why do business transformation plans fail?

On paper, a transformation plan presents no particular difficulties. It's nothing more or less than classic project management , a set of activities to be carried out in order to achieve one objective: to innovate. And this can be done in a number of different ways:

Digital transformation,
Organisational transformation,
Business transformation,
Managerial transformation, etc.

Yet many organisations fail in this exercise. Why?

❌ They fail to take the human factor into account. Yet a transformation plan is always accompanied by some form of resistance to change. And this is true at all levels of the company, from top management to operational staff.
❌ They lack listening and communication skills. Middle managers and field teams are not listened to enough, even though they are closest to the reality of the business.
❌ They don't pay enough attention to all the contextual factors that are key to driving change: the working environment, the company's values, the attitude of senior management, technological maturity, etc.
❌ They do not establish an optimal framework. Any transformation project must be framed as a project in its own right, to avoid delays or even uncontrolled budgets.
❌ They think they're running out of time. Once the strategic decisions have been taken, the implementation of concrete actions is delayed... at the risk of seeing other "priorities" emerge. It's not a question of going faster than the music, but of structuring the project to control time and deadline constraints.

Now that you know the pitfalls to avoid, it's time to look at the steps you need to take to put in place a winning transformation plan.

How do you build an effective transformation plan? 7 steps not to be missed (+ free guide)

Step 1: Define your objectives

You're ambitious, you swear by innovation... but don't spread yourself too thin. Take the time to think about the precise objectives you want to achieve and the results you expect.

So identify the needs that your transformation plan must meet, whether economic, strategic or social.

💡 A few examples:

Changing management and processes to improve efficiency and productivity ;
Changing your brand image to conquer a new market ;
Increasing your sales to stay competitive, etc.

☝️ The challenges associated with your transformation must be aligned with :

your sector of activity and your economic environment,
but also with your organisation's vision and values, to make it easier for your teams to understand and support.

And speaking of buy-in, it's time to get your staff involved.

Step 2: Involve your staff

At this stage, communicate the objectives of the transformation plan to your employees. Then gather their thoughts, freely and without any constraints of time or budget. You can refine the plan later.

💡 This gathering of ideas feeds the project with ideas from everyone in the company - all are good to take. What's more, such an approach involves the teams more and makes it easier for them to understand the strategy. This makes it easier to get them on board with the change.

Step 3: Take stock of your company

To take a leap into the future, you need to know where you are starting from.

By auditing your company, you can take stock of what already exists and identify the areas for improvement.

This will reveal the obstacles to be overcome, such as the technical problems to be solved (unsuitable software, etc.).

Step 4: Put together your dream team

How do you put together your dream team?

When they can, some companies call on the services of a Transformation Director, a veritable superhero of change.

More commonly, companies appoint project managers to steer the various activities linked to the transformation plan, project managers supported by operational teams as close to the ground as possible.

💡 A word of advice, and not the least: encourage and support the initiatives of those employees who show themselves to be the most involved. These true " agents of change" are a powerful asset in unlocking any form of resistance.

Step 5: Plan the stages of the transformation plan

The transformation plan is made up of different stages, tasks to be carried out, to which are associated :

deadlines to structure the project over time,
the people responsible for carrying them out.

This planning goes hand in hand with prioritisation. Which tasks need to be carried out first to meet the main challenges?

💡 You can't talk about a project without mentioning agility, and the flexibility it offers to deal more effectively with the unexpected. In fact, many experts recommend adopting an iterative approach as part of a transformation plan. In other words, don't sweep the existing situation under the carpet, but move forward gradually.

Step 6: Manage the project effectively

That's it, your transformation plan has been launched? It's time to fasten your seatbelt and manage your project effectively. Your objective?

Make sure that everything is moving in the right direction;
Track progress and monitor the achievement of results;
Demonstrate responsiveness in the face of risks and hazards.

💡 The steering committee (COPIL) or the project committee (COPRO) are decisive bodies for ensuring that the transformation plan runs smoothly and for arbitrating decisions, particularly in the face of potential risk. As a result, the members are carefully selected, and aware of the issues at stake as well as the obstacles to be faced.

🛠️ Where there's management, there's software! This is all the more true in the context of a transformation plan that generally involves the cohabitation of several projects.

We recommend that you use project portfolio management software. One example is Triskell, an agile PPM that is also a genuine corporate governance tool. Thanks to this solution, you can manage the entire value chain of your transformation plan, from global strategy planning right through to operations. All while integrating all the constraints of time, resources and budget.

Step 7: Communicate, communicate... and communicate!

In reality, this is not just one stage, but the common thread running through your entire transformation plan. If communication isn't optimal, how can you get your teams to understand the benefits of change?

So take the time to get the right messages across so that you can unite all your staff (sometimes spread across different departments) around a common vision, even if it means repeating yourself.

What's more, through your communication activities, you can clearly explain the benefits to be gained from the transformation. It's a good way of removing obstacles and doubts, and getting everyone on board!

[Bonus] Examples of business transformation to inspire you

Need an example of a successful business transformation project to inspire you? Here are 20.