Strategic, Operation and Tactical approaches to be ready to respond to the VUCA world

1. Mahesh Deosthale
1
Responses in VUCA

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Introduction
Leaving behind the "Disruptive" trends and time, industries and
businesses are realising the VUCA world around. According to the
University of North Carolina, the notion of VUCA was introduced by the
U.S. Army War College to describe the more Volatile, Uncertain,
Complex, and Ambiguous, multilateral world, which resulted from the
end of the Cold War. The acronym itself was not created until the late
1990s, and it was not until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001,
that notion and acronym really took hold. VUCA was subsequently
adopted by strategic business leaders to describe the chaotic,
turbulent, and rapidly changing business environment that has become
the “new normal.”
Today's businesses (internal and external environments) are facing
VUCA challenges. And traditional, linear responses to those are failing
very clearly. Among the other areas of business, Program and Project
Management (PPM), which is like a steering wheel for the business,
needs to adopt to the non-linear, multi-directional responses to these
VUCA challenges. A framework for PPM in the VUCA environment
needs to be VUCA with the responses being Vision, Understanding,
Clarity and Agility.
This paper will propose a new framework for PPM in VUCA
environments and discuss the perceived benefits. It is expected to
trigger the thought process on how to navigate successfully through
your own VUCA environments.

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What is VUCA?
According the University of North Carolina, the
notion of VUCA was introduced by the U.S.
Army War College to describe the
more volatile, uncertain, complex, and
ambiguous, multilateral world, which resulted
from the end of the Cold War. The acronym
took hold after Sep 11, 2001. VUCA was
subsequently adopted by strategic business
leaders to describe the chaotic, turbulent, and
rapidly changing business environment that
has become the “new normal.”
Volatility, is the nature and dynamics of
change
Uncertainty, is the lack of predictability
Complexity, is the multiplex of forces
Ambiguity, is the haziness of reality
Complexity
Multiple key decision
factors
Volatility
Rate of change
Ambiguity
Lack of clarity about
meaning of an event
Uncertainty
Unclear about the
present
Howwellcanyoupredicttheoutcomeofyouractions?
How much of you know about the situation?

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How is VUCA challenge?
You are driving a car through rainy
night across the “ghat” (winding road
through mountains) road.
Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous

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VUCA response approach
KRA
Strategic
Framework
New VUCA
Tactical Techniques
Amoeba
Operating Model

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VUCA scene – how to face it?
KRA – Strategy Framework in response to VUCA environment

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KRA - Knowledge
 Formal / non-formal learning and sharing
knowledge
 Knowledge through networks and sharing
 Learning from industry
 Learning from past experiences
 Innovation focused learnings
 Deploy technology to share the knowledge
 Measure the results with
» Team productivity
» Innovation index
» Quality of products

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KRA - Reflexes
Build the quick responses based on the knowledge
Follow federated accountability model for faster and
precise responses to multi-dimensional situations
Use techniques like Design Thinking to create the
culture of innovation
Measure the results with
 Response time to specific conditions
 Time to market
 Quality of products

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KRA - Adaptability
Build the culture to
accept the
changes
Keep the focus on
being agile and
simple
Build
knowledgebase
Sharpen reflexes
to align with
surrounding
Measure the
results with
• Time to market
• User satisfaction
• Team
productivity and
effectiveness

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Tactical techniques for VUCA
New
VUCA
Vision
Understanding
Clarity
Agility

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Operating principles in VUCA
Amoeba Operating
Model
 Develop niche but prepare to sustain in
diversified environment
 “Change is the only constant” – adapt and
adopt new age mantra
 Irrespective of your size, be ready for organic
and non-organic growth
 Develop multi-skill teams and build the human
capital
 Create federated structure – multiple units with
independent accountability
 Form smaller teams and stay together – to
face adversity

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Benefits of VUCA Response Approach
Vision
Understanding
Clarity
Agility
Time
Growth&Sustainability
Gaining stability in
VUCA environments
through Strategy &
Tactical techniques

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Appendix
Some interesting facts about
amoeba
Amoeba means “change” or “alteration”
Amoebas live in freshwater and salt water, in soil,
and as parasites in moist body parts of animals.
Unicellular - Amoebae are eukaryotes whose bodies
most often consist of a single cell
Varied in sizes - Microscopic size but some species
can even be seen with naked eyes
Pseudopodia – used for movement and capturing the
food
Reproduce by binary fission
In certain conditions it acts like a social animal.
Forms groups for living

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References
• https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/project-management/how-to-manage-your-project-in-a-
vuca-project-environment
• http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/89054/fiksi-dan-perkembangan-ilmu-pengetahuan
• https://askabiologist.asu.edu/plosable/amoeba-families-stick-together
• http://www.biologydiscussion.com/parasites/the-structure-and-life-cycle-of-amoeba-with-
diagram/2724
• https://www.livescience.com/54281-amoeba-definition.html
• https://www.slideshare.net/Kunalbhasin118/strategic-ppt?next_slideshow=1
• https://targetteal.com/en/blog/organizational-strategy-in-vuca-world/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility,_uncertainty,_complexity_and_ambiguity
• https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/project-management/how-to-manage-your-project-in-a-
vuca-project-environment
• https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/29705/Strategy-In-a-VUCA-World-Part-1
• https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/29705/Strategy-In-a-VUCA-World-Part-2
• https://changeologyblog.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/nuggets-from-alan-atkisson/
• https://global.kyocera.com/inamori/management/amoeba/
• https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/nikos/events/NIKOS%2015%20years%202016/GroundedStrateg
yJeroenKraaijenbrink.pdf
• http://basdebaat.com/2014/11/lead-project-vuca-environment/
• https://jungleminds.com/blog/measuring-adaptability
• https://www.glennawilliams.com/blog/2017/9/20/6-ways-to-improve-your-adaptability

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Thank You!!!