Steering Success: Navigating Finance & Controlling Transformation without the Roadmap of a Corporate Giant

Introduction

As the Head of Change Management and Communication in the Transformation Office for Finance & Controlling, one operates at the heart of organizational evolution, guiding the finance function through a period of significant and rapid transformation. Collaboration and communication stand as the twin pillars fundamental for steering any successful change within the Finance & Controlling landscape. They represent not just a set of practices but form a strategic framework that allows for the seamless interchange of insights, strategies, and innovations on a daily basis.

At its core, collaboration in this context encapsulates the collective endeavor of various departments within Finance & Controlling to come together and work systematically towards a unified vision of the future. It involves the synchronization of different talents and expertise to optimize financial processes and implement digital solutions that can elevate the organization's financial health to new heights.

Communication, on the other hand, is the lifeline that ensures these collaborative efforts bear fruit. It involves crafting and transmitting clear, concise, and consistent messages across all levels to align stakeholders, mitigate resistance, and build a resilient culture receptive to change. By maintaining fluid and effective channels of communication, the Transformation Office Finance & Controlling ensures that change initiatives are understood, embraced, and executed efficiently, setting the stage for a dynamic, future-ready finance function.

In our day-to-day work, these concepts are not merely abstract ideas but tangible actions that define our progress. Through strategic collaboration and effective communication, we are empowering our Finance & Controlling department to embrace change and contribute actively to the overarching goal of creating a future-proof, digitally adept organization.

KanBo: When, Why and Where to deploy as a Collaboration and Communication tool

What is KanBo?

KanBo is a collaboration and communication tool designed to visualize and manage workflows effectively. It facilitates task management, project tracking, and team interaction within an organized workspace. The platform offers a hierarchical structure with elements like workspaces, folders, spaces, and cards, which serve to break down and arrange tasks, projects, and communications in an intuitive way. Enhanced with features like comments, mentions, and activity streams, KanBo provides a comprehensive environment for collaboration.

Why?

The intrinsic value of using KanBo lies in its ability to streamline project management and enhance team communications. It provides a clear overview of project statuses, responsibilities, and deadlines which promotes transparency, focus, and accountability within teams. Also, its deep integration with Microsoft environments allows for a seamless user experience, making it an ideal choice for organizations already utilizing these services.

When?

KanBo is particularly beneficial during times of transformation and change within an organization's finance and controlling divisions or for any projects requiring meticulous coordination and communication. It should be implemented when there is a need to manage multiple tasks, complex projects, or when improving communication and collaboration efficiency becomes a priority.

Where?

KanBo can be deployed in a hybrid environment offering flexibility of on-premises and cloud instances. This approach makes it fitting for use in various scenarios, including but not limited to, secure corporate intranets or accessible cloud platforms, thereby catering to the legal and geographical data requirements specific to the finance and controlling context.

Should the Head of Change Management and Communication in the Transformation Office Finance & Controlling use KanBo as a Collaboration and Communication tool?

Definitely. The head of change management and communication within the transformation office finance and controlling should consider leveraging KanBo. Given the critical nature of financial transformation and the intricate processes involved, having a tool like KanBo can significantly enhance the organization of change initiatives. It can bring uniformity to communication channels, integrate with existing office tools, manage sensitive data with compliance, and offer an intuitive platform for overseeing the progress of various transformation activities. Its ability to give a real-time snapshot of project progress and facilitate effortless collaboration makes it an invaluable asset in the change management process.

How to work with KanBo as a Collaboration and Communication tool

As the Head of Change Management and Communication in the Transformation Office Finance & Controlling, leveraging KanBo for collaboration and communication is crucial for streamlining processes and effectively implementing change within your organization. Here are the steps to work with KanBo, with an explanation of their purpose and importance.

1. Set Up Workspaces and Folders

Purpose: Organize projects and teams within dedicated areas to simplify management and access.

- Why it's important: Workspaces tailored to specific teams or projects centralize information, maintain focus, and improve the coherence of change management efforts. Folders within these workspaces allow for even further categorization, keeping all related initiatives organized and accessible.

2. Create Spaces for Individual Projects or Initiatives

Purpose: Provide a collaborative environment for detail-oriented management of each project.

- Why it's important: Spaces function as virtual rooms for teams to track progress, communicate updates, and share resources. They support the project lifecycle by allowing visual management of tasks, fostering transparency, and ensuring that all stakeholders are synced on project developments.

3. Utilize Cards for Tasks and Milestones

Purpose: Break down projects into manageable units that can be tracked and executed effectively.

- Why it's important: Cards represent individual tasks or actionable items within a project, making it easier to assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and monitor progress. They serve as a platform for discussion, feedback, and continuous improvement, contributing to a more agile and responsive change management process.

4. Encourage Real-Time Communication Through Comments and Mentions

Purpose: Enhance interaction and responsiveness among team members.

- Why it's important: Comments facilitate timely discussions and provide clarity on individual cards, while mentions ensure that the right people are notified and engaged in relevant conversations. This real-time communication eliminates delays, maintains momentum in project work, and fosters a more collaborative environment.

5. Monitor Project Health with Activity Streams

Purpose: Keep a pulse on the overall activity and engagement within Spaces and Cards.

- Why it's important: Activity streams act as a live log of everything that happens within a project, offering visibility into user actions, progress, and any roadblocks. They enable quick recognition and resolution of issues, promoting a proactive management style.

6. Manage Team Presence with User Indicators

Purpose: Visualize and understand team members' availability and engagement levels.

- Why it's important: Presence indicators help in identifying who is actively working on which tasks. This assists in coordinating efforts, planning discussions, and distributing workload evenly, thus boosting overall team efficiency.

7. Assign Responsibilities and Monitor Task Execution

Purpose: Clearly identify who is in charge of each task and monitor its completion.

- Why it's important: Assigning a Responsible Person and Co-Workers to a card ensures accountability and ownership. This clarity in roles helps to avoid task duplication or neglect while promoting a sense of individual contribution to the collective goal.

8. Use Notifications and Reminders for Timely Updates

Purpose: Stay updated on important developments and deadlines.

- Why it's important: Notifications alert team members to important changes, feedback, or required actions, ensuring they stay informed and responsive. Reminders serve as personal prompts for upcoming deadlines or tasks, helping individuals manage their time and priorities effectively.

9. Employ Advanced Features for Strategic Oversight

Purpose: Utilize tools like the Forecast Chart and Time Chart for strategic planning and monitoring.

- Why it's important: Advanced features offer deep insights into project progress, potential bottlenecks, and team efficiency. They enable data-driven decision-making and the ability to project future outcomes based on current trends, which is vital for successful change management.

10. Conduct Regular Reviews and Adaptations

Purpose: Evaluate progress, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments.

- Why it's important: Regular reviews allow you to assess the effectiveness of communication and collaboration strategies within your projects. They offer an opportunity to celebrate successes, learn from challenges, and refine approaches to ensure the continuous evolution and improvement of your change management processes.

These steps underline the role that KanBo can play in your organization to create an integrated, cohesive approach to project management and change communication. The platform's features to support organization, collaboration, visibility, and accountability can turn strategic plans into effective action.

Glossary and terms

Certainly! Below is a glossary containing terms relevant to collaboration and communication in a business context, with definitions for each:

1. Collaboration: The act of two or more people or organizations working together to achieve shared goals. In a business context, collaboration often involves a combination of communication, knowledge-sharing, and problem-solving to improve the outcome of a project or process.

2. Communication: The process of exchanging information, ideas, and feedback. Communication can be verbal, non-verbal, written, or digital, and it is essential for effective coordination and cooperation within companies.

3. Workspaces: In project management tools, these are digital areas that group related projects, discussions, and documents. They are often designed to bring together all elements necessary for a specific team or project, providing a focused environment for collaboration.

4. Folders: Digital containers used within workspaces to categorize and organize spaces, projects, or documents, making navigation and retrieval easier and more intuitive.

5. Spaces: In digital collaboration platforms, spaces represent individual projects or focus areas within a workspace. They contain tasks, discussions, files, and other materials relevant to the space’s purpose.

6. Cards: Fundamental units within spaces that display tasks or items to be completed. Cards may contain due dates, checklists, attachments, and comments, facilitating task management and progress tracking.

7. Comments: User-added messages on a card or any location within a workspace that provide additional information, clarification, or facilitate discussion among team members.

8. Mention: A feature in digital communication tools that allows users to tag others to notify them or draw their attention to a message, task, or comment.

9. Activity Stream: A real-time feed showing the history of actions taken by users within a workspace, space, or on a card. It helps maintain transparency and keeps team members updated on project developments.

10. Card Presence Indicator: A visual cue that signals whether team members are actively viewing or have recently viewed a card in a collaboration platform.

11. User Presence Indicator: An icon or indicator that shows the online status or availability of team members in a digital collaboration environment.

12. Responsible Person: The individual assigned to oversee and ensure the completion of a task or card. This person is accountable for the task's progress and outcome.

13. Co-Worker: In the context of tasks and cards, a co-worker is any team member who contributes to the completion of a task. They work alongside the responsible person but may not be accountable for the task.

14. Card Relation: The logical or hierarchical link between tasks or cards, indicating dependencies or sequence in which tasks should be performed.

15. Dates in Cards: Key timeframes associated with tasks, including when they start, when they are due, and any other significant deadlines or time-based reminders associated with a card.

16. Notification: Alerts sent to users to inform them about important activities or changes. These can include updates about task progress, comments, new assignments, and deadlines.

17. Reminder: A set date or time when a user is notified about an upcoming task deadline or event. Reminders help ensure that important tasks are not overlooked.

18. Search Filters: Tools within a digital platform that allow users to sift through content and find specific items based on criteria like keywords, dates, status, or other attributes.

Understanding these terms is essential for navigating and efficiently using digital collaboration and communication tools within a business environment. These concepts help create a more structured, transparent, and collaborative workspace, leading to better project outcomes.