Visualisation | Envisioning Tools

When Should We Use this Tool?

The other frameworks and models presented in this section are generally aimed at the left side of the brain, which is the logical/rational part of our thinking processes. However, envisioning also needs to tap into the right side of the brain, which is the creative/playful side of our thinking processes. One of the best ways we have found to stimulate a more creative approach to current-state analysis and future-state envisioning is through visualisation.

We could say that you should use this tool with a degree of fear and trepidation — some of your stakeholders may need some encouragement to participate in a visualisation exercise. Do persevere, though, as visualisation usually produces some important and rich insights into the current and future worlds of HR. It is also valuable in engaging at the emotional level around HR.

What Do the Tools Look Like and How Do I Use Them?

There are quite a few ways to engage people in visualisation, but the two types of visualisation exercise that we have found to work well are as follows:

1. Free-form drawing

A simple exercise to set up, participants are asked to draw a picture (or a number of images) describing (a) the current world of HR and (b) how the future world of HR would look if it was contributing most effectively to the organisation. Remember the focus is on content and not the quality of artwork!

In debriefing the exercise, ask each person in turn to present and talk about their 'current HR' picture. Typically there will be a richness of analogy and metaphor. Take time to explore the language and imagery, and do not assume that everyone understands things the same way. Often, metaphors will trigger interesting discussions, either around the original metaphor or through some tangential connections. Record some of the themes that emerge. Then repeat the exercise with the 'future world of HR' picture.

2. Picture cards/collage

If you are not feeling bold enough to run a free-form drawing exercise, then an alternative approach is to give people images to work with. This is inevitably a more structured approach and less spontaneous. Using the same questions as above, you can introduce images either through giving people some magazines with a good variety of pictures in them and asking them to produce two collages addressing each question, or by giving people a variety of picture stills (we have found that you will need between 50 and 60 pictures) and asking them to identify ones that speak to both questions. As an additional twist to this second exercise, the organisational levers model can be used to give structure to the visual presentation; for example, to pull out pictures that best describe current or future technology, HR people and culture, etc.

The debriefing of the exercise will be the same as for the free-form drawing exercise.

We have used these exercises when working with larger groups (more than 50 people) and with smaller groups (around 12 people).

Case Studies

Organisation 1

Context

A large global telecoms company was in the process of integrating a number of its businesses into a global Internet technology business. An HR transformation programme director had been appointed, but there was not yet a proper HR transformation programme team in place or a coherent HR transformation vision.

Process

In the run-up to the launch of the new global business, a series of one-to-one interviews were held with the newly appointed HR leadership team and senior business stakeholders. The organisational levers model was the primary tool used during these interviews, which enabled us to prepare a straw man view of both the 'as is — current HR' and 'to be — future world of HR'.

A workshop was held with all the HR leadership team present, and in working through the process outlined above an HR vision was agreed around the organisational levers model. Additionally, an HR transformation governance structure was agreed to based on this work, which ensured that the HR transformation programme team was not solely focused on Web-based HR, but embraced transformation of the whole function.

Organisation 2

Context

A major energy utility had recently made a major acquisition in the United States, and the group-wide HR leadership team met to think through the implications for the HR function and to identify critical issues that needed to be worked on collaboratively.

Process

The team worked through a process using three of the tools set out above:

1. identification of critical business issues and the HR implications of these;
2. use of the visualisation technique mentioned earlier to encourage dialogue about the HR function;
3. use of the organisational levers model to develop a more structured view of the current and envisioned HR world.

This workshop identified a number of critical HR issues that needed to be progressed and also set the framework for the HR transformation agenda that has been implemented.

HR Value Pyramid Model

When Should We Use this Model?

The aim of this tool is two-fold:

1. to engage stakeholders in thinking about where HR adds value;
2. to engage stakeholders in identifying where the balance of effort/resource in HR is now and where it should be in the future.

The model should clearly be used at the outset of the transformation journey in considering how the function adds value now and where it needs to focus in the future. We have also found the model useful in undertaking quick, high-level reviews during transformation.

What Does the Model Look Like?

Figure 1 represents visually the HR value pyramid. The HR value pyramid has four main propositions:

1. There is a hierarchy of roles within HR.
2. The basic administration and transactional roles will be most impacted by e-HR (including employee and manager self service) and new organisational arrangements, such as shared service centres and outsourcing.
3. The HR processes impact roles within and outside of the HR function and an important task during the HR transformation process is to determine those activities which can be embedded within Web-based HR, who is accountable for data entry and where knowledge-based roles need to make their unique contributions.
4. The HR professionals will acquire widely sought after expertise when they become business partners, proactively engaging with critical organisational issues as part of the management team.
   
   

 

Figure 1: HR value pyramid.

How Do I Use the Model?

This model is helpful in stimulating initial debate with key stakeholders about what they want from HR. On a one-to-one basis, it is a simple model for stakeholders to engage quickly and can take discussions into a number of interesting areas, such as what service internal clients need from the administrative/transactional side of HR and the nature of business partnership.

In a workshop format, the model has been particularly helpful around sourcing and resourcing discussions; that is, what percentage of HR activity, resource or cost currently sits across the four areas and what percentages should exist in the new world of HR. We have found that this exercise stimulates quality discussion around themes such as cost versus headcount (e.g., you may have fewer people in the administrative/transactional space, but there are clearly costs associated with Web-based HR) and cost versus type of resource (e.g., you may have a lower overall headcount in HR, but the people you will have may cost more).

At the early stages of the transformation process there is considerable value in encouraging key stakeholders to play with these ideas and their implications. This helps people to work through for themselves what the new world of HR might look and feel like.