The Success Case Method

The Success Case Method

This iterative approach assures both rapid service and a continu-

ously improved effectiveness. In today’s environment of increasingly

rapid change, the emergent design, rapid prototyping approach makes

increasing sense. It acknowledges as well the reality that the complexity

of the organizational environment and the rapid changes that it under-

goes constantly mean that the cause-effect knowledge base of the serv-

ice provider will never be sufficient to make a complete or even near-

perfect solution. The best that can be done is to incorporate learning

(needs analysis) into the solution provision phase, simultaneously help-

ing our clients while learning from them how to better serve them.

Improving a Vital Support Program

Many organizations undertake a dramatically new strategic direction (a

new product line, a massive technological innovation, a new market)

that, because of their significance and scope, have a number of sup-

porting programs that are necessary to accomplish the strategic shift.

Some old-line insurance companies, for example, that had created a

strong reputation for their line of insurance products, are now (with

banking deregulation) moving into new product lines such as financial

planning and mutual funds. This sort of change requires some major

redirection and new support, such as training or access to new infor-

mation systems and market channels. Any of these key support

programs are natural targets for evaluation scrutiny, simply because if

they are not working well, the success of the entire strategic shift is

threatened. Again, the SCM can be very useful in helping to make these

vital support programs accomplish what they need to.

It is especially useful to identify those supporting programs that are

most needed in the early phases of the implementation of a new change

or innovation. A large retail store chain company, for example, was

introducing a major change to sell credit products (e.g., credit cards)

and other financial services to its customers. The company had a huge

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