Implement your Decision

• After you have made your decision, decide on some kind of quality control system to ensure the outcome is as you planned. For instance, if you have made a decision to reduce the number of employees on a particular shift as part of a cost saving initiative then the savings need to be evaluated regularly, and the wider effects of the decision, such as customer experience monitored.
• Quality control systems do not need to be elaborate or bureaucratic, as long as they can effectively measure what you need them to measure.
• Quality can be difficult to define and measure. It is therefore very important that you set expectations – describing clearly what will be delivered and how – when setting the objectives and deliverables in the planning phase.
• One way to measure quality is to compare the work that is being done on the project to the methods, procedures and standards that you outlined in the planning phase. You can measure the extent to which procedures are being followed, evaluate the standards that are being achieved, and check that the decision is on track to be implemented on time.
• In terms of time, you should regularly measure:
1. what stage the tasks are at: have they still to be started, are they in progress, or are they completed?
2. the number of hours/days spent so far on tasks
3. the estimated number of hours still needed to complete the tasks
• From the above, you can deduce whether tasks are still on target to be completed within the timescales, or whether you will need to rearrange resources to ensure that they meet their target completion dates.
• Create and encourage a culture of commitment to quality in your team, and lead by example. Demonstrate that good-quality work is essential to the success of the project.

2. Report Progress Regularly and Communicate Clearly

Those affected by your decision need to be updated regularly on the progress of the project/decision. It is therefore crucial to have a system in place for communicating with them.

• Clarify the following with the those involved very early on in the process:

1. what information they need
2. when/how regularly they need it
3. who needs it
4. how you will communicate it to them (email, letter, fax, face-to-face, e.g. by holding progress meetings, or perhaps just orally, by telephone)
5. what format it should take (spreadsheet, chart, graph, written report or perhaps just a simple table)

• Keep your figures transparent. It may cause difficulties further down the line if progress is not clear to all involved.
• Communicate regularly with your project team. Hold team meetings or teleconferences to check on progress, resolve any problems, and allow project team members to raise issues.
• Advertise the team’s achievements, progress and milestones reached at various stages, to the project team and customers/stakeholders, as well as other relevant departments within the organization. This will motivate the project team, encourage buy-in from others outside the project, and convey a positive message to customers/stakeholders, creating expectations of success.

3. Manage the Change Process

Making and implementing a decision can often result in change, and this can be an uncomfortable process for employees, which may create disruption, suspicion, fear and insecurity. If your decision involves implementing major or radical changes, such as different working practices or procedures, new computer systems, departmental or organizational restructure, or changes to employee’s terms and conditions, it is essential to plan the management of change during the implementation phase. This will minimize resistance, help to create acceptance and buy-in, and ensure that the project runs smoothly.

• Consider how you will communicate and manage change early on in the implementation phase, to ensure that the change does not happen suddenly and without warning.
• Plan what you will communicate. Those affected by the changes will want to know:
1. what is changing
2. why it is changing
3. how it will affect them
• Decide what methods you will use to communicate the change.

4. Monitor and Adapt

Things don’t always go according to plan, no matter how thorough your decision-making process. Although the planning and decision-making stage is over, it is nevertheless essential closely monitor how things are progressing as you go along. Then you can identify issues, step in quickly and take measures to avoid or rectify them before they become too serious.

Should any problems/issues arise during the project Fishbone Analysis is an excellent technique for examining their causes and finding solutions.

1. Use the diagram below to complete the analysis, or use it as a template to sketch a larger diagram on a flipchart or whiteboard if you feel that it is not big enough. A full, printable version of the diagram is available to download using the button at the top of this page.

1. Write the main problem or issue along the ‘backbone’.
2. Now consider the causes of the problem. Causes of problems typically fall into the following main categories:
   a) people
   b) processes
   c) technology or systems
   d) materials and environment
3. List whichever of these categories are appropriate to your project in the main ‘bones’ of the fish. This will help you to generate and organize your ideas.
4. In the ‘sub-bones’ that stem from the main ‘bones’, brainstorm ideas to list all the possible factors under each category that may be causing the problem/issue.
5. After completing the diagram, review the information you have collected and prioritize the factors in order of importance and probability. You may find that the most probable causes appear in more than one category.
6. Try to come up with solutions to what you have identified as the main causes of the problem/issue. Look at why each of the factors is happening in order to help you find effective solutions.
7. Using this information, draw up an action plan to resolve the problem/issue, including timescales, priorities and responsibilities.

When your chosen monitoring and evaluation tools show that your decision is delivering the results you hoped for, it is a good idea to have a review meeting with everyone involved. This will allow you to apply what worked welll to the next time you need to make an decision, and avoid making any of the same errors.