Current State Analysis using POPIT MODEL

Here are few ways POPIT elements interact and probing questions to get you started:

1. The People
   

   The workforce within an organization contributes to its success. People own processes (process owners) and their skills, competencies, knowledge, and behaviors impact how efficiently processes are carried out and technology is utilized. People also influence decision-making and innovation within the organization. The greatest asset of any organisation is directly related to the quality of people at the operational, tactical and strategic level?
   

   Probable questions to ask when analyzing the people elements of an enterprise

   • Do staff have the required skill sets to perform allocated tasks and activities?
   • Is tacit knowledge involved with a role and has not been documented?
   • Is there a well designed and crafted role and responsibility for each role?
   • Have you socialized the roles and responsibilities with owners?
   • Does process owner understand how their output impact others inputs?
   • Is there a training gaps or usability needs that needs to be filled?
   • What is the morale and motivation of the people towards tasks?

   • Is there are wrong culture among staff?
   • Are staff product agnostic?
   • Are people engaged and managed appropriately?
   • Do we have the wrong people doing the right tasks?
   • Do we have the right people doing the wrong tasks?
   • Are people compensated for doing the wrong things?
   • Are people recruited in alignment with organization’s value or just competence?

2. Organizational Structure

   The way an organization is structured affects how people collaborate, communicate, and work together. I once worked in an organization where changes to the organizational structure and well-defined roles and responsibilities unlocked business opportunities and sustained outcomes. Hierarchical structures, reporting lines, and departments influence how information flows and the ways processes are managed within the company.

   Probable questions to ask when analyzing the structure/location elements of an enterprise

   • What type of organizational structure is place?
   • Is the structure limiting and helping people to get work done?
   • Is the organisation top heavy?
   • Is there a need to inject tech savvy humanist in top management?
   • Is there a need to remove some roles/approval levels and hands-off?
   • Is there a fluid connection from strategic to tactical and operational levels?
   • Is there a frequent skill and competence framework review?

   • Are there ongoing bureaucracy and politics that limit decision making

3. Processes

   These are the workflows and procedures that guide how tasks are performed within the organization. Great BAs analyse the outcomes of these processes rather than the output (we will discuss this in the next article). Processes can be cumbersome when not simplified nor optimized. It is important to remove unnecessary hands offs, waste and decision points. Effective processes streamline work, improve efficiency, and ultimately impact how information is processes, managed, utilized, stored and shared. Decentralizing or centralizing a task can have massive impact on targeted outcomes.

   Probable questions to ask when analyzing the process elements of an enterprise

   • How are tasked allocated, managed and completed within and between teams.
   • Do existing processes support the optimal workforce utilization?
   • Were current process designed with customer in mind?
   • Does the process align with strategic ambition of the firm?
   • Are the process simplified enough without convoluted approval process?
   • Are there delays of forms of waste in the value stream?
   • Are there activities that can be shifted to external stakeholders?

   • Are there tasks that are best automated by currently manually driven?
   • Are there gaps, bottlenecks and limitations in the existing processes?
   • Are there new tasks that should be candidates for automation?
   • Ultimately, are process performance and operational data captured for future analysis?

4. Information

   Information is a crucial asset that ties everything together. Remember, information is processed data and the quality of information is highly hinged on the quality of data collected upstream our processes. There is a need to generate, process, store, and utilized quality information across the organization to make informed decision. The availability and quality of information impact not only decision-making, but strategic direction, tactical decision, technology investment and utilization levels.

   Probable questions to ask when analyzing the data/information elements of an enterprise

   • What functions/role needs data?
   • What type of data do we need to execute tasks and draw insights?
   • How is data collected, analysed, retrieved, stored and managed?
   • What are the minimum data required or needed?
   • Is data best stored on premises or in the cloud?
   • What tiers of hot, coo, cold and archived data is required?
   • How do we manage access to information – using RBAC to perform work?

   • Are there inherent gaps, bottlenecks or barriers to information flow?
   • How is tacit knowledge captured to support continuous improvement practice?
   • How can we ensure availability, scalability, reliability of information and services?

5. Technology

   Technological tools and systems enable and support the people and processes within an organization. In no distant time, any task or activity that is repetitive, can be digitalized and or automated is best handled and delivered by technology not human. The people part of POPIT will be best employed to handle tasks that require high level human cognition. Technology facilitates communication, automate tasks, manage information, and optimize workflows. The technology also impact how people interact with information and perform tasks. With the advent of AI, machine learning, cloud computing, networking and storage, the line between the technology and people parts of POPIT is becoming blurred as organizations are leveraging technology to gain competitive advantage.

   Probable questions to ask when analyzing the technology elements of an enterprise

   • Does the existing technology stack support people efficiency?
   • How well do different technology systems within the organisation integrate with each other or one another.
   • What emerging technology could enhance people and information management?
   • What existing technology capabilities can be explored and employed?
   • Is there a need for a case for change for adopting or removing technology?
   • Was there any design principle that drove technology or architectural designs?