Crack the Code:Driving Learning at BAC Through Action Learning

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Purpose• Harness the strength and knowledge of our next generation of learning leaders to generate

solutions and fresh approaches to resolve 1-2 tough learning issues that impact Bank of America

Project Objectives

Utilized a six sigma framework to:

• Clearly define critical success factors – business and operational – that characterize an effective and efficient learning organization at Bank of America

• Gather internal information (e.g., Voice of the Customer), benchmark best practice companies and other external best practices, to develop a fact-based understanding of the current situation

• Outline key improvement opportunities in how the Learning Organization manages “Learning Administration” and “Learning Design, Development and Delivery” in the LOBs and the enterprise

• Recommend specific solutions to address the identified business challenges, and present those recommendations to the Learning Leaders and select Business Partners

Goals• Optimize the investment in and management of key learning processes, tools, programs and

technology at both line of business and enterprise level to drive business growth, improve productivity and increase customer & client satisfaction

• Provide a challenging developmental experience for strong leaders in the Learning Organization

Crack the Code: Driving Learning at BAC Through Action Learning

Crack the Code: Driving Learning at BAC Through Action Learning

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Development ObjectivesAs a result of program participation, participants will:

• Gain an increased understanding of critical business challenges and the Learning Organization’s opportunity to positively impact those challenges

• Develop a deeper and broader understanding of the Learning organization’s current state in supporting enterprise and line of business strategic objectives

• Enhance their ability to apply Six Sigma/DMAIC methods and tools to address critical business challenges and close gaps

• Build increased knowledge of best practice companies and best/innovative practices in Learning, and develop a point of view on how they can be effectively implemented at BAC

• 25+ high potential employees in the Learning organization who are top notch thinkers and executors

Participants

Action Learning Defined

Working on authentic, urgent business problems/ opportunities in diverse, cross-organization teams to grow the business and develop participants

Drive strategic change Transform the

organization Rapidly implement

strategy Achieve business

breakthroughs Dramatically develop

leadership capability

Results

Develop greater leadership capability

Learning

Address significantbusiness challenges

Action

Crack the Code: High Level Program Design

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Define Business Challenge

Identify Critical Business Issues& Participants

Determine Current Reality

Del

iver

able

s • Learning Execs define Business Challenges

• Build participant content knowledge on the topic

• Participants frame up issues & work plan

Check-In Meeting

• Debate preliminary recommend-ations

• Check in with program sponsors

• Dialogue with LOB Partners

• Frame up Issues and Challenges

Present Final Recommendations

Define the Future

• Gather additional information and analyze

• Generate final reports

• Finalize recommend-ations

Implement

• Gather information

• Benchmark best practice companies & other external practices

• Develop initial theory of the case

• Present specific solutions and supporting rationale to Learning Execs & LOB Partners

• Learning Execs commit to act

• Feedback given to team on process and solutions

Plan PresentLearn

• Learning Executives select strategic learning issues

• Identify participants

• Confirm & schedule participants

Benchmark Build Solution

Tim

ing

• March 10-11 • April 24-25 • April 26 - June 3

• June 4-5

Act

ion

Team

Ti

me 2 days 4-5 days 2 days 3 days

• March 12 - April 23

2 days 13-14 days

90+/- daysTotal Time

Mile

ston

e

• January - February

Session 1 Session 2 Session 3

Crack the Code: DMAIC Methodology

Phase Focus Deliverables

Define Define and gain approval of project charter Project scope, purpose, business value

Measure Measure effectiveness of current approaches to learning admin, learning design and development

Relative importance of key factors, e.g., speed, accuracy, flexibility, scalability, accessibility

Analyze High-level and detailed designs of future potential solutions

Detailed analysis of select opportunities to design future state

Improve Identify and validate the most appropriate solution

Pilot test of design options, and preparation for deployment

Control Identify statistical control methods to monitor how well the solution met the intended metrics

Solution deployment and transition responsibility for business-as-usual

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DMAIC is a process improvement discipline that uses facts and data to meet customer needs and requirements.

Crack the Code: Project / Six Sigma / Action Learning Integration

DM

AIC

Del

iver

able

s

Analyze Improve

Champion

Project Team

Learning Executives

Rol

es

• Problem Statement • Financial Assessment • Business Case/ Objectives• Audience Impact• Hi-level Process Map• Project type (DFSS, GB/BB, JDI)

• Core Team• Baseline Data• VOC, CTQ’s• Benchmark Analysis

• CTQs and Specs• Process Capability• Detailed Process Map• FMEA • Stratified Data, Pareto• MSA • Financial Assessment

(COPQ, Finance sign-off)

• Issues & Barriers

• Prioritization of X’s

• Vital few X’s identified

• Statistical Root Cause verification (sample size, hypothesis testing, graphical)

• Y=f(x) model

• New Process Map• Pilot Plan• Impact validated• Implementation

Plan• Process Changes

Identified • New Capability

Estimated• Communication

Plan for Changes

MeasureDefine

Learning Executives

Define Business Challenge

Identify Critical Business Issues& Participants

Determine Current Reality

Check-In Meeting

Present Final Recommendations

Define the Future Implement

Plan PresentLearn Benchmark Build Solution

Mile

ston

e Session 1 Session 2 Session 3

Feedback Reflection CoachingA C T I O N L E A R N I N G

Crack the Code: Program Framework

Business Challenges Learning Administration

Learning Design, Development & Delivery

Sponsors Overall Chief Learning Officer

Teams Learning Executive Learning Executive

Team Structure Team A (12-15 top talent learning professionals)

Team B (12-15 top talent learning professionals)

Resources(Available to all teams)

Overall Process & Learning (Aspire Consulting) Technical/Process Coach (Accenture) Team-Specific Technical/Process Coaches

(Accenture) Six Sigma/Quality Executive (BAC) Technology Executive (BAC) Finance Executive (BAC) Program Management Office (BAC)

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Crack the Code: Learning Framework

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LearningPlanning

Learning Design &

Development

Learning Delivery

Learning Administration

Relationship Management

Demand Management

Learning/ Curriculum Plan

Management

Content Development &

Maintenance

Knowledge Management

Content Strategy

Content Management &

Access

Delivery Execution

Delivery Planning

Delivery Operations

Course Catalog Management

Learner Administration

User Management

LearningOperations

Vendor Management

Performance Reporting

FinancialManagement

Technology Infrastructure

Action Team #1 Scope Action Team #2 Scope

Crack the Code: Key Questions to Address

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Learning Design & Development How do we optimize the investment in and

management of processes, tools, programs and technology relating to the design and development of learning for both individual lines of business and the enterprise?

Learning Administration How do we optimize the investment in and

management of processes, tools, programs and technology relating to the administration of learning for both individual lines of business and the enterprise?

Two Business Challenges to Solve

Key Questions

• Session 1: Define the Business Challenge • What problem are we trying to address, and how will we address it?

• Interim: Determine Current Reality • What is the “As Is” state with respect to the business challenge?

• What are the critical gaps between where we are today and where we need to be?

• Session 2: Check-in Meeting • What feedback and guidance do our Sponsors and LOB Partners have to help guide our next steps?

• What is our action plan for defining the future “To Be” state?

• Interim: Define the Future • What is the desired “To Be” state with respect to the business challenge?

• Session 3: Present Final Recommendations • How will we present our recommendations and gain the necessary commitment from our Sponsors and LOB Partners to take action?

Crack the Code: Learn Milestone

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Session 1 Define The Business Challenge

Learn

Approach

Prework distributed to participants one month in advance of Session 1:

• Review welcome letter outlining program purpose, objectives, expected outcomes and deliverables

• Complete Six Sigma (DMAIC) Online tutorials

• Read: “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail” (by John P. Kotter)

• Read: “Conquering a Culture of Indecision”

Session 1 – Two-day offsite

• Voice of the Customer: Speaker – Quality Executive

• Introductions/Ice Breaker

• Overview Project and processes

• Overview DMAIC approach

• Share Bank of America Learning Landscape

• Launch Action Teams

• Action Team Breakout Working Session

• Voice of the Customer: Panel Discussion

Action Learning Team Breakout Activities• Identify who are the Key Customers (VoC)• Define the business challenge (Problem Statement)• Identify critical metrics• Process mapping• Team Effectiveness Debrief

Crack the Code: Benchmarking / Current State

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Process• Participants implement work plan to gather information, using team members and external

resources as determined in Session 1

• Participants meet (virtually or in person) on a regular (weekly) basis to report/share and analyze information gathered

• Team Consultant facilitates meetings and provides coaching as necessary

• Participants develop initial “theory of the case” and identify preliminary recommendations for discussion in Session 2

Determine Current Reality

Benchmark

Deliverables• Comprehensive Fact Base on Business Challenge

• Best/Innovative Practices / Benchmarking Reports

• Initial “Theory of the Case”

• Preliminary Recommendations

“Six Sigma-ized”

Timeline• Six Weeks

Crack the Code: Build Solution

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Approach

Conduct Check-in Meeting (Session 2)• Review project findings – Learning Administration

• Review project findings – Learning Design & Development

• Discuss technology options

• Draft engagement strategy

• Action Learning Team breakouts

Inter-session Work: Define the Future (5 weeks)

Process

• Participants gather additional information, as needed

• Analyze and synthesize information to further define the solution set

• Participants finalize recommendations and engagement strategy for presentation to the Program Sponsors in Session 3

• Team Consultant facilitates meetings and provides individual and team coaching as necessary

Deliverables

• Final Recommendations

• High-Level implementation and engagement plan

• Executive Presentation

Action Learning Team Breakout Activities• Team review feedback on presentation• Team effectiveness discussion• Generate initial solution options

Session 2Check-In Meeting

Build Solution

Define the Future

Crack the Code: Final Recommendations

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Approach

Conduct Recommendations Session (Session 3)

• Day 1: Action team working sessions

• Teams present to each other and provide feedback on recommendations and approach

• Teams finalize presentations

• Day 2 AM: Present to Learning Execs and LOB Leaders

• Day 2 PM: Teams debriefs / lessons learned

• Presentation

• Team Effectiveness

• Lessons Learned

• Action Learning Program overall

• Day 2 Evening: Celebrate!

Session 3Present Final Recommen-

dations

Present

Crack the Code: Project Recommendations

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• Invest in a Single Learning Management System• Single, centralized system of record.• Consistent user experience• Simplified navigation

• Invest in a Learning Content Management System• Maintain internally developed learning content• Facilitate ease of access and content re-use

• Drive Change Through a Learning Standards Committee • Senior managers from each Learning team• Validate, endorse, drive adherence to a standard process methodology

• Create a Cross-Functional Process and Standards Working Group• Create consistent, standardized tools, templates, and processes to drive an end-to-end, fully

integrated learning experience for employees

• Create a Sourcing Working Group• Develop guidelines for buy vs. build decisions• Goal to increase proportion of external vendor spend over time to more effectively meet learning

needs across the business units• Partner with Supply Chain to obtain optimal pricing, products, and services

Crack the Code: Key Learnings - Six Sigma

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• Provided a clear, data-driven structure to ensure that the right level of facts, rigor, and discipline were put in place around the process.

• Enabled the teams to avoid jumping to solutions too quickly, and to identify and implement solutions that address what is most critical to success.

• Most challenging piece to follow through on is the control plan, due to emphasis on execution.

Crack the Code: Key Learnings - Action Learning

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• Useful framework for high potential learning leaders to address significant business issues that are of strategic importance to the company.

• Importance of building the discipline of reflection into the program, facilitated by team coaches, in order to achieve the program’s dual objectives.

• A live “testing ground” to see who emerged as a leader for the future.

• Enabled leaders to establish effective, mutually respectful working relationships with teammates across the organization to facilitate the integration and partnership necessary for the changes ahead.

• Helped key talent form relationships with stakeholders that extended long after the project ended.

• Team members learned the importance of identifying stakeholders early and manage them proactively throughout the process

Conclusion

Action Learning Works!

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