Step 4: Invest and Execute
Architects (review, interpretation)
Budget Planners (primary, lead)
Architects (review, interpretation)
Budget Planners (primary, lead)
PMO (primary, lead)
Architects (review, interpretation)
Capital Planners (review, oversight)
Budget Planners (review, oversight)
Integrated Plan Document
Analysis of Cost, Value, and Risk for Transition Options
Recommendation Implementation Sequencing Plan
Transition Plan Milestones
Transition Recommendation Sequencing Diagram
Recommendation Sequencing Milestones
Integrated Plan Document
Recommendation Implementation Sequencing Plan
Transition Plan Milestones
Transition Recommendation Sequencing Diagram
Recommendation Sequencing Milestones
Recommendation Implementation Sequencing Plan
Transition Plan Milestones
Transition Recommendation Sequencing Diagram
Recommendation Sequencing Milestones
Purpose
The purpose of this step is to make the investment decision and implement the changes as defined in the Integrated Plan produced in Step 3. Many groups participate in this step, however, it is important to note that these groups will need to work as a coordinated and collaborative team to achieve the primary purpose of this step: to successfully implement the planned changes.
The Planner’s Role
In this step most planners (e.g. architects, performance planners, and other planners) are in a support role, assisting in investment and implementation activities by providing information to aid in decisions, and to support interpretation and revision of plans from Step 3. The exceptions to this statement are the capital planners and budget planners who are performing a primary and leadership role in the facilitation of investment decisions and budget formulation. The planners who performed primary and leadership roles in Steps 1-3, including the architects, may be needed to further research and analysis into other organizations and their experiences (revisiting Step 2), update plans (revisiting Step 3), or reengage stakeholders for feedback (revisiting Step 1). The architects have a continuing support role (e.g. interpreting the plans, making changes to the plans, supporting decision making) throughout investment and implementation. The involvement of the planners, including the architects, does not cease at the conclusion of Step 3. As investment decision are made and changes are implemented the planners update the Integrated Plan. This step should not begin without the planning effort successfully navigating the management milestones, reviews and approval, and in cases of revisiting previous steps these same milestones, reviews and approvals must be achieved.
Outcome
During Step 4, a decision is made concerning the investment in the changes that were planned in Step 3. At the end of Step 4 the recommendations for addressing the defined needs have been implemented. If the investment is not approved, the planners, leadership, and stakeholders return to previous steps to alter the recommendations and plans for another iteration of plans for consideration. It is important to reiterate that the Integrated Plan (Step 3) and the implementation (Step 4) could consist of a variety of changes to include, but not limited to, policy changes, organizational changes, technology changes, process changes, and skills changes. In many instances, the non-technology changes could be the most significant and impactful for an organization.
A Note on Core Artifacts
Like any methodology, the Collaborative Planning Methodology is designed for each step to be followed and each Activity Output to be produced. The use of “Core” and “Not Core” to describe these outputs is meant as the first set of tailoring guidance if an organization has constraints of time, budget or resources. As the CPM is tested and refined, feedback from organizations will improve this assignment and generate templates that help to scale outputs according to scope or size.
As described earlier, the goal in using this methodology is to encourage collaboration for high priority projects. This increases the awareness of solutions and services whose reuse can result in efficiencies. The CPM also provides the framework for organizations to generate actionable, consistent and rigorous plans that can lead to improved solutions.