Project days: 60, turnaround: 6 months, consultants: 2

After the NGI (National Geographic Institute) restructured its back-office processes in an extensive BPR project, this project was launched in 2010, with the aim of optimising the front and mid office activities. For that purpose, the processes were mapped to form a link between the customer request and the central geographic information system (= ITGI).

The short survey showed that the success of this project depended not only on new operating processes being built correctly. Alongside the demand for content we identified two important requirements on the actual way of working:

• The various vertically oriented services had to work together more closely.
• The activities within the NGI had to be more closely geared to a shared, broadly supported ambition.

To fulfil these requirements we chose a participative, constructive approach, based on a broad group of 25 people. The total project structure is based on AI (Appreciative Inquiry). To convert this shared ambition into an organisational structure (AI Design phase) we used DEMO (Design & Engineering Methodology for Organisations).
DEMO compactly describes the activities and communication needed to realise the ambition. In that way we establish ‘WHAT’ the NGI has to do to realise its ambitions.

We also have to decide ‘HOW’ we are going to achieve the change in the organisation. How should the NGI adapt its behaviour as an organisation to realise its ambitions. We formulated directive policy principles for this.

The results of our approach went much further than the NGI’s employees expected. The responses from participants showed that the focus on the goals, in combination with the positive approach, was seen as the most important success driver.

The results in terms of content were established in construction models, which serve as the blueprint for the structure of the organisation. In addition to product development, business development and sales, a model was also developed to describe the project-based approach the NGI has chosen.

The results of this project in terms of change are at least as important. Change in how the NGI management looks at its own organisation, how the NGI will be directed in the near future and how result-orientated the NGI is. These are all examples of the increasing preparedness for change among the employees over the past months.