This document summarizes a presentation on implementation planning. It discusses the four stages of implementation planning: plan, diffuse, adopt and stabilize, and institutionalize. It also identifies common reasons why implementations fail such as lack of resources, communication, accountability and support. The presentation provides tools to help participants effectively plan implementations and addresses key factors like resources, communication, feedback and evaluation that drive implementation success.

1. Implementation Planning that
Works!
ENSURING SUCCESS EVERY TIME
Alexandra Steiner , Ph.D.
Partner
LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC
Presented at the 2009 ISPI Annual Conference
Orlando, Florida
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

2. Session Topics
 Welcome and introduction
 Affecting Performance in
Complex Organizations
Overview of

Implementation
Planning for

Implementation Success
Jumping Right In!

Practicing Your
Implementation Planning
Skills
Debrief and Wrap Up

© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

3. Session Objectives
 Describe the four stages of implementation
 Complete an implementation plan for an upcoming
rollout within your organization
 Apply the tools presented to effectively educate your
stakeholders on the performance factors that drive
implementation success
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

4. Surveying Implementation Needs
 What are you interested in learning about today’s
topic?
 What keeps you up at night with regard to
implementation?
 What do you want to see in today’s session that will
help you to better implement interventions within
your organization?
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

5. Affecting Performance in Complex Organizations
I can more successfully implement an intervention
if:
I know exactly what is expected of me.

I received regular feedback about how I am doing,

compared to what is expected.
I have the right tools to do my job and a work

environment that suited my job.
I have better skills and knowledge about how to do

my job.
I have a supportive supervisor or manager.

I know I’ll be held accountable for applying the skills

I was asked for feedback about how to improve the

intervention or the implementation
Adapted from Stolovitch and Keeps, 1999
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

6. Affecting Performance in Complex Organizations:
Why Implementations Fail?
Obstacle Performance Factor
Failure to plan adequately for the development effort ; Resources
underestimate resistance of intervention (Villachica, Accountability
Stone, & Endicott, 2005; Lewis, 2000) Communication
Considering implementation as an afterthought Resources
(Villachica et al., 2005) Communication and Feedback
Change sponsors don’t build a coalition of support Expectations
(Ulrich, 1998) Organizational Support
No leader publicly champions change (Moseley and Organizational /Leader Support
Hastings, 2005)
Performers do not understand the value of the Expectations
intervention; there is no shared understanding Motivation
(Moseley and Hastings, 2005; Ford and Ford, 1995) Communication and Feedback
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

7. Overview of Implementation
What is Implementation?
process of communicating, piloting, launching,
monitoring, and modifying interventions
- Moseley and Hastings (2005)
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

8. Overview of Implementation
Why focus on implementation?
 Protects organizational investments
 Encourages and empowers employees
 Improves accountability for implementation
 Enhances likelihood that interventions will target
specific needs
 Helps supervisors maintain focus on performance
environment
 Most failures in projects occur as a result of poor
implementation
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

9. Overview of Implementation
 Stages of
Implementation
•Stage One: •Stage Two:
Plan
 Plan Diffuse
Diffuse

Adopt and Stabilize
Resource and
Communication
 Logistics
Institutionalize

 Four tasks at each stage Feedback Evaluation
Resources and Logistics

•Stage Four:
Institutionalize •Stage Three:
Communication
 Adopt and
Stabilize
Feedback

Evaluation

© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

10. Planning for Implementation Success
 Planning Stage  Adoption and Stabilization
Phase
Tasks are targeted at

Activities are targeted at fine
Obtaining/maintaining support 

throughout organization tuning the intervention to
ensure alignment with the
assembling necessary resources

organization’s values and goals
conducting test-run to assess fit

within the organization  Institutionalization Phase
identifying necessary

Tasks during this stage are

modifications
dedicated to
 Diffusion Stage deeply embedding intervention

Tasks are geared to into organization’s culture

the actual roll out of the celebrating successes
 
intervention resolving issues

marketing the intervention allocating resources for long-
 
launching and measuring term utilization

progress providing closure

© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

11. Planning for Implementation Success
Stage One: Stage Two: Stage Three: Stage Four:
Plan Diffuse Adopt and Institutionalize
Stabilize
Communi-
cation
Resource and
Logistics
Feedback
Evaluation
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

12. Jumping Right In! Practicing Your Implementation
Skills
Now it’s your turn!
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

13. Debrief
 How would you describe your implementation
planning experience?
 What questions do you have about implementation
planning?
 How will using a planning tool enhance your
likelihood of success during future implementations?
 Complete Next Steps section of action planner
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.

14. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!
Please complete a session evaluation!
Feel free to contact me at
251.442.4988
www.leadingedgeorgs.com
© 2009 LeadingEdge Performance Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.