This module investigates the context of a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world which defines the pace and scale of change organizations face, looks specifically at technology and the ‘tech-shift’ which has resulted in a proliferation of tech-centric working methods, highlights the threats facing organizations from disruptors who take advantage of the opportunities arising from change and technological advances to challenge existing markets, and looks at the concept of a delta or ‘threat gap’ and define how an organization can use this to create better value.
Learning Objectives
The objectives of this course are to provide you with and understanding of:
- The impact of technology
- The nature of change in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world
- The technology shift and tech-centric activities
- Disruptors – who they are and what they do
- Identifying and managing the delta
- The meaning of ‘value’
Intended Audience
The target audience for the AgileSHIFT qualification is any employee of an organization that intends to adopt AgileSHIFT. This includes people who will become champions of the new working practice and employees from any part of the business who will contribute to the incremental improvements that will make up the wider change the organization requires.
Prerequisites
There are no specific prerequisites to study the AgileSHIFT course or for entry to the examination.
Feedback
We welcome all feedback and suggestions - please contact us at qa.elearningadmin@qa.com to let us know what you think.
Driving change
OK, a nice easy one to start with – what have all these things got in common?
What did you think? We’ll you probably worked out that they’re all related to technology; but did you know that they’ve only been with us since 2010?
This just shows how quickly technology is now developing in pretty much every field.
The pace is difficult for most of us to keep up with, and, not surprisingly, technology is the biggest change faced by many organizations. The things we’ve seen – like globalization, economic growth and environmental change wouldn’t have been possible without technological advances.
But organizations need to be aware of the challenges and opportunities that these changes create.
Customers can now buy online, 24 hours a day. And they know everything – they can find out about competitor’s products, get advice from social networks and thought leaders, and share their experiences through social media. And they can do all of this through their phone.
And technology helps organizations. Online data gathering and analysis lets them respond to their customers and predict future needs – think about how many websites now suggest products we might like based on the products we’ve been looking at. This helps them develop closer relationships with their customers and generate greater loyalty.
But, on the flipside, organizations are more vulnerable to negative publicity – almost immediately – and it’s very easy for customers to shop around for the best deals.
The technology shift
The increasing influence of technology is known as the ‘tech-shift’ which moves through three distinct, although overlapping, stages – tech-supported, tech-enabled and tech-centric.
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Tech-supported activities used to be manual but can now be supported by computers. Think of a sales order that’s written down during a call and then added to an online database so it can be fulfilled and accounted for.
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Tech-enabled activities are improved by automation. In our sales example, the order is entered through an online web form, either by the salesperson or the customer. Then it’s automatically stored in the database so it can be fulfilled.
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And then tech-centric activities, which wouldn’t exist without technology. In our example, this means the customer ordering online which automatically starts the order fulfilment process and takes payment for the goods, whilst at the same time updating the accounts ledger, and collecting customer and transaction data.
You can probably think of things that your organization does which fall into each of these categories.
Critically, tech-centric activities don’t need human interaction and are enabled by new technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence.
Organizations must appreciate the impact of new technologies and the ‘tech-shift’. In a VUCA world, this creates opportunities and threats – opportunities that other disruptive organizations take to give them competitive advantage.
Before you move on, why not try the Use of technology reflective activity to help you think about how tech-centric your organization is.
You’ll also find some useful case studies and examples in the Making it Real guide.
Tony has over 20 years’ experience in Business Development, Business Change, Consulting, and Project/Program Management working with public, private, and third sector organizations.
He has helped organizations to design and create processes and procedures to align ways of working with corporate strategy. A highly motivated and detailed solution provider, utilizing a wide range of methods and frameworks to provide structure whilst promoting creativity and innovation.
As a confident and self-motivated professional with excellent communication skills, Tony is able to bring people together and get them working as a team quickly.
Tony is an Agile and Scrum trainer with a vast knowledge spanning IT Systems, Business Change, Program and Project Management. With excellent presentation skills and a solid background, he ensures that all clients gain maximum benefit from his training. He has successfully guided those new to the industry through their initial training, helped experienced staff as they progress in their careers, and worked at the director level advising on best use and practice, as well as tailoring courses to fulfil the exact needs of clients.