Putting it Together
We started this examination of Sir Isaac Newton’s equation [force = mass x acceleration] and applying this to an IT organization. In the process we have seen that there are many analogies which apply.
In looking at mass, we determined that this can mean different things to different people (here, here, and here). A balance sheet perspective can provide a view of all the technology related assets as one measure of mass. Another view can look at all the people involved in delivering technology services to business units. A business unit view can provide a capabilities view of mass. We also looked at how mass can have positive or negative connotations, and by looking at the collective views of mass, we can gain another and perhaps more informative view of an IT organization’s mass.
Implementing change within an organization is related to acceleration. We did this (here) by starting with the change from one state to another, and then looking at how fast the change needs to take place. By continuing to apply the force to complete the change, we will accelerate the change within the organization.
Organizational forces were determined to be ever-present (here, and here). These can be seen as both positive and negative. Those forces which are seen as true core competencies and a competitive advantage are positive, while those which are acting as anchors are negative. These are also referred to as the forces of headwinds which IT organizations face. At the same time, we saw that there are several forces which can be brought to drive organizational change.
What Can We Take Away?
While not a complete list, these notable items clearly show that Newton’s physics do apply to IT organizations. Looking at your IT organization in this light allows you additional ways to think through your decisions, and how to direct your organization to its future state.
1. The force the IT organization can exert is equal to the mass of the organization and how fast the organization is moving (or can move) [force = mass x acceleration]. While intuitive, thinking about a future state IT organization as a greater force shows us we can either increase the mass or acceleration. It also can show that if we decrease the mass via layoffs / attrition we will correspondingly decrease the force the IT organization can provide the business.
2. In order to implement change within an organization it is necessary to apply much greater force to implement change within a large organization than a small one [acceleration = force / mass]. To be more specific, the larger the organization the more difficult it is to change. Extrapolating this, very large organization would require a very large amount of force (often more than be applied) – which also explains why large organizations are so entrenched in their culture and difficult to change.
3. Forces are all around us. Some we inherit, some we are dealing with every day. Some forces are helpful and some provide challenges. The net of these forces will require force to overcome and this is additive to the force required to make the desired changes.
4. By addressing some of the organizational headwinds, it is possible to provide an overall boost to the organizational force due to not having to apply as much additional force when trying to implement change.
5. The force required for large scale or rapid change is often more than can be internally brought to bear. The internal forces are largely driven by individuals – typically individuals who have a lot on their plate and can only dedicate a fraction of their effort to the change. They typically need leverage in the form of external expertise (which can be obtained with the force of cash).
Where to From Here?
This series of posts has been enlightening. I am very interested in hearing your thoughts of the Physics of IT. I encourage you to build on this thinking though your comments and how it applies to your organization or organizations you are familiar with. If you would like access to the mind map above please let me know I will arrange access. I look forward to hearing from you.
I’ve enjoyed this series! I’ve always used lots of analogies in my consulting, writing and teaching – I think they help enormously. Some of the take-away’s for me from the analogy of IT organizational change with the properties of physics are best captured in your excellent mindmap in this post – there are many “moving parts” and they all interact with each other. If you want to change one aspect, you have to consider all the other interconnected aspects. i.e., changes to IT must be holistic and those changes must be made with careful consideration of the unintended consequences of a given change.
Thank you Vaughan, I have enjoyed writing it and look forward to doing a deeper dive at some point. While there are many other topics to write about, I do look forward to returning to Physics of IT at some point and peel the onion a little by incorporating related concepts from the blogosphere, as well as tools and techniques for application of the concepts identified to date.
This is a good piece of content, I was wondering if I could use this blog on my website, I will link it back to your website though. If this is a problem please let me know and I will take it down right away.