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Launching a transformation program is when it goes from an idea to reality. But you must remember that your transformation is a marathon, not a sprint. To succeed, you need to focus your launch effort on putting in the infrastructure your program will need to go the distance.

Will You Give Your Teams What They Need to Succeed?

A transformation program is not just any other IT project. In fact, unlike most technical projects, it really has two sets of objectives. The first set are the "official" objectives that are linked to the business drivers. But the second, "unofficial" objectives are to transform the organizational culture into one that embodies the broader vision of the IT leadership team. To accomplish this broader, cultural transformation requires that you establish a program "infrastructure" that supports and drives organizational change.

Focusing on the Foundation

Before you rush off and form your "initiative teams" that will deliver solutions that meet your "official" objectives, you need to invest in the formation of a set of support teams that will ensure the broader cultural adoption of the initiative activities and which will begin to change the way your teams operate. To do this, you should form four key teams to make up the governance structure and the program management office:

• The Program Leadership Team (for oversight and governance)
• The ACT Team (responsible for adoption, communications and training)
• The Metrics Team (responsible for establishing and managing metrics to measure program success)
• The Integration Team (responsible for ensuring integration amongst program teams, to tooling requirements and with outside initiatives)

In addition to forming these teams and giving them a little bit of time to ramp up, it is also important that you complete a transference process which ensures that you empower your teams to take ownership and accountability for the success of the program. The importance of the program launch process cannot be overstated. An investment in building this program infrastructure before you send your initiative teams marching forward will pay dividends far into the future and is the key to realizing true cultural transformation within your organization.

Are you going to set your teams up for success?