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Why all this talk about HelixPLAN®?

The Helix Group, Inc. 14105 Allison Drive

Raleigh, North Carolina 27615 919-870-9345

www.helixgroup.com helix@helixgroup.com

® HelixPLAN is a registered trademark of The Helix Group, Inc.

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• Would you like to improve your productivity? • What is HelixPLAN? • How does HelixPLAN fit with other Methods? • How was HelixPLAN developed? • What technology does HelixPLAN use? • How does HelixPLAN work? • For what can HelixPLAN be used? • What are some specific scenarios in which HelixPLAN has been

used? • What other benefits does HelixPLAN offer? • Who has been trained in HelixPLAN? • HelixPLAN Facilitation Methodology Training Class • What support is available after HelixPLAN training? • Appendix A - Client Feedback

Contents

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Would you like to improve the productivity of:

• Meetings • Working sessions • Strategy sessions • Projects • Processes • Etc.

With twice as much done in half the time!

That’s a 400% increase in productivity with the participants committed to actionable results

Unbelievable…read on!

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What is HelixPLAN?

• Share information • Simplify complex issues • Create/develop ideas • Assess ideas and information • Formulate solutions to problems or issues • Make decisions, set priorities • Develop plans and actions • Come to consensus as a team • Foster participation, teamwork and

commitment

HelixPLAN is robust, formalized, well-documented and proven. It addresses all aspects of working sessions, including design, preparation,

facilitation, and documentation/report writing.

HelixPLAN® is a structured methodology with a set of principles, tools, techniques and materials, that enables groups to:

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How does HelixPLAN fit with other Methods?

If you have invested in methods like PMI, Lean, Six Sigma, Process Redesign, Strategy Development/Deployment, Organization Redesign, Work Out, Kaizen, etc.

HelixPLAN is NOT a replacement; but an enabler. Think of these methods as the “What” that needs to be done and HelixPLAN as the

“How” you get it done.

Can HelixPLAN really be married up with ANY method for improving business performance? Every method in the world for coming up with business performance improvement plans,

designs and projects involves ONLY a finite set of generic kinds of tasks.

The basic building blocks of building business performance improvement plans, designs, initiatives and projects…

HelixPLAN has a set of Lego block exercises that can effectively

execute the “HOW” of these generic tasks. That is how we can guarantee “Twice as much done in half the time!”

1. Collect data 2. Brainstorm/generate/gather ideas 3. Summarize a group of ideas 4. Reach consensus on the meaning of a set of ideas 5. Determine inter-relationships among a set of ideas 6. Analyze data (matrix analysis) 7. Assess/rank past, present and/or future importance of a set of items 8. Assess past, present and/or future performance/occurrence of a set of items 9. Discuss an issue or set of issues 10. Formulate a problem, goal, mission, vision or other kind of statement 11. Define multiple scenarios for things outside your control 12. Refine and sequence a set of actions

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How was HelixPLAN developed?

• Developed by two former IBM executive consultants with 40+ years experience working with clients using a process consultation approach

• Studied how the brain generates ideas and processes information

• Studied and experimented with how groups of people carry out: idea generation, consensus-building, problem-solving, priority-setting and decision-making

• Examined logistical thought-process hurdles that a group experiences when developing and judging ideas and making decisions

• Developed, acquired or modified techniques to leverage individual and group thinking processes

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What technology does HelixPLAN use?

• Paper • Cards • Pens • Dots

The “magic” is in how we use them!

HelixPLAN uses highly sophisticated technology, like:

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How does HelixPLAN work? The tools and techniques in HelixPLAN: • Keep groups on task, one task at a time, all the while

building toward the overall objectives of the working session.

• Separate the judgment of ideas from the generation of ideas to reduce problem-solving time exponentially.

• Leverage the trade-offs between speaking and writing, listening and reading.

• Integrate multiple individual agendas or perspectives into a team perspective quickly, cooperatively and decisively.

• Apply a unique visual medium that accelerates a common, consistent understanding of the relationships between ideas, and overcomes our short-term memory constraints.

• Differentiate between assessing: importance (e.g. priority), performance (e.g. how effective), existence (e.g. to what extent does a situation exist), similarity, etc.

HelixPLAN leverages multiple, diverse perspectives.

HelixPLAN enables groups to deal effectively with lots of ideas.

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Sessions are a set of steps to reach specific objectives.

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For what can HelixPLAN be used? HelixPLAN can be used for any set of objectives that benefit from the collective wisdom and participation of a group of people.

Following are generic examples of what HelixPLAN has been used for: • To develop mission, vision and strategy • To assess proposed initiatives, decide priorities,

and build plans for execution • To jumpstart project teams, by defining what

success looks like in the project and building the overall plan to achieve it

• To design processes and roles, and actions required to implement required changes

• To brainstorm new ideas around solutions to problems, or new product or service offerings

• To analyze information, glean insights, and define required responses

• To develop balanced measures linked to desired business results

• To assess progress against measures or objectives and decide corrective action

• To develop IT requirements

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What are some specific scenarios in which HelixPLAN has been used?

Strategic Planning

Client:

Purpose:

What We Did:

Key Points:

Results:

The CEO and senior leaders of a mutual insurance company.

Developed a strategic planning process that fit the company culture. Due to the critical nature of the threat, the plan was updated every four months. We were asked to run the process (using HelixPLAN) for a business cycle. We eventually ran the process for three business cycles and trained company personnel to assume the responsibility. • The senior leaders faced the external threat of health care reform head on. • A new strategy was developed to replace indemnity insurance products with

financial services products. • Scenario planning was done to identify threatened markets and develop

appropriate strategies.

Define the key processes and roles needed to do strategic planning company-wide to reduce the threat of Health Care reform. Company revenues were 80% dependant on indemnity health care insurance.

Today the revenue dependence on indemnity health care products is 18%.

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What are some specific scenarios in which HelixPLAN has been used?

Corporate Culture Change

Client:

Purpose:

What We Did:

Key Points:

A CEO-initiated task force at a US automobile manufacturer

Supported the team in developing its strategy and project plan. We trained the rollout teams in the HelixPLAN Methodology for implementation.

The team members were experiencing considerable frustration in their

inability to develop the plan. We worked with them for two days and completed the strategy and plan. We asked how long it would have taken them without our support and they estimated nine weeks.

Develop a program to instill a continuous improvement quality culture throughout the corporation

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What are some specific scenarios in which HelixPLAN has been used?

IT Alignment with Business Unit

Client:

Purpose:

What We Did:

Key Points:

The President and senior leaders of the T&O (Technology and Operations) group of a global financial services company with 60,000 associates. Enable the T&O group to dynamically align itself with the ever-changing business unit’s direction.

Developed a strategy to: •Implement a process-centric organizational model •Developed well-defined process •Established process ownership •Clearly defined services provided and how to get them.

Work done on this project was part of the foundational process work that has evolved into a corporate wide initiative that includes Hoshin Planning and Six Sigma.

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What are some specific scenarios in which HelixPLAN has been used?

Client:

Purpose:

What We Did:

Key Points:

Management team of the IT organization supporting the nuclear division of a global energy company

Organization Redesign

• Clarified all the work the organization does • Decided where primary responsibility should lie for each piece (at sites

or in central group) • Rolled all the work up into jobs and departments • Defined reporting structure

• The management team had struggled with this redesign for more than three weeks

• We solved the issue in one day • The new organization saved $4 Million in its first full year

Redefine the IT organization to reduce redundancies, gaps and rework across sites, and improve cost/efficiency

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What other benefits does HelixPLAN offer?

• HelixPLAN compliments other methodologies and turbo-charges the working sessions they require. Most methodologies require working sessions for certain pieces of work (e.g. a process mapping session in a process redesign effort, or a scope definition session for a project). HelixPLAN provides the “how” to get the working sessions done fast, thoroughly, and with a high degree of participation and buy-in!

• People who share the HelixPLAN language and toolset can partner very effectively…even on a moment’s notice. Each HelixPLAN technique is like a “play”. Everyone who knows the playbook can run the plays when they’re “called”.

• HelixPLAN session designs can be stored and re-used across multiple clients. Each session design is a “container”. Each time it is run, the client fills it with “content” specific to their business.

• HelixPLAN makes it possible to guarantee working session results. Like any well-designed process, a well-designed HelixPLAN session provides predictable results…every time.

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Who has been trained in HelixPLAN? Partial list of client companies:

• Accenture • Alcoa • Ally Bank • A.O. Smith • Arion Bank (Iceland) • BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust Co.) • B&H Photo • Bank of America • California State Automobile Assoc. • Campbell Co. of Canada • Catalyst Telecom • Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana, C.

por A. (Dominican Republic) • Cognizant Technology Solutions (India) • Convergys • Daimler-Chrysler • Duke Energy • IAP Worldwide Services • IBM Global Services

• Infinitive • Landsbanki (Iceland) • Jefferson Wells • Lincoln Financial Group • FIS/Metavante • National TechTeam • ParX Iceland • PayPal • Piedmont Natural Gas • Sheshunoff Consulting + Solutions • Sovereign Bank • SunTrust Bank • UTMB Galveston • Wachovia / Well Fargo Corporation • Webconference.com • WRQ • YMCA

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Typical roles and responsibilities of people certified in HelixPLAN:

• Consultant • Business Analyst • Business Strategist • Project Manager • Process Architect/Designer • IT Strategist • Leadership Development • Personnel/Human Resources • Six Sigma Master Blackbelt / Blackbelt / Greenbelt • Hoshin Planners • Senior Managers

Who has been trained in HelixPLAN?

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HelixPLAN Facilitation Methodology Training Class

Here is what you can expect to take place during the HelixPLAN class:

• Day 1, understanding the concepts, architecture, and principles related to HelixPLAN. Understanding how the first eight or so of the 15 HelixPLAN techniques work by being active participants and observers as they are demonstrated.

• Day 2, will primarily be a day of learning by experiencing, doing and observing. You will have an opportunity to practice and to watch how others do it. Techniques not introduced the first day will be demonstrated. Day 2 will also include learning about HelixPLAN modules and scenarios -- frequently used combinations of HelixPLAN techniques.

• Day 3, will focus on session design. Working in a small team with two or three other participants you will have an opportunity to design:

– A Critical Success Factors planning session scenario. This will be a take-away from the class that you will have on the shelf ready for use when the need arises.

– A complete planning session given only the session objective and a list of topics for the session. These session objectives and topics will be germane to your consulting work; so the session you design will be another take-away.

– We will also do a guided tour of the report writing techniques associated with facilitated HelixPLAN sessions.

•Three day class •Taught at your location or attend Helix regularly scheduled classes •Maximum ten participants •Experiential learning techniques employed

Our objective during the three-day class is to train you in the HelixPLAN Facilitation Methodology. At the completion of the class, you will have acquired the skill to: • Facilitate sessions • Design and prepare facilitated sessions • Report results of facilitated sessions The HelixPLAN facilitation methodology includes: • A robust set of facilitation techniques. • Session design concepts and tools. • Methods and templates for writing reports of facilitated session results

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What support is available after HelixPLAN training?

• We have a Members section at www.HelixGroup.com that

offers: √ A searchable database of all HelixPLAN-certified consultants, to

aid in best practice sharing and partnering √ White papers on a variety of topics that help consultants provide

maximum value to their clients and deliver optimal working session results

√ The ability to upload and download re-usable session designs and other resources

• We conduct feedback sessions with your HelixPLAN-certified

consultants to share best practices, solve issues, introduce new session designs, etc.

• We review and provide suggestions on your session designs and reports.

• We partner with you to design, conduct and report working sessions, and, in the process, transfer additional skills and knowledge.

No charge

No charge

No charge

Usual rates

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Appendix A - Feedback

• What working session participants and sponsors say

• What consultants who use HelixPLAN say

• What HelixPLAN training participants say

• Survey results at a large financial services company

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What do working session sponsors and participants say about HelixPLAN?

• Fast; complete • Application of a

structured, proven process to our specific problem

• Very focused, well prepared

• Use of a group to identify the issues

• My first full Helix session; it does help to promote thought

• Really liked seeing others’ ideas

• Structured process • Organization, flow and

focus drove us to results

This feedback is typical, underscoring HelixPLAN’s reliability and broad applicability.

“We got twice as much done in half the time!”

• It ended on time and covered a lot of ground

• Focused • Kept moving • Open forum for

discussions • Helps get to answers

and results

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What do consultants who use HelixPLAN say?

Whenever I have to do a working session, I always use HelixPLAN. Especially on the front end of projects because things must be absolutely clear and people have to be on the same page; HelixPLAN fits perfectly. I go to other sessions that don’t use it and it’s really frustrating! I’ve seen others who are experts in Six Sigma blown away when they see a HelixPLAN session—they immediately want to learn HelixPLAN.

Six Sigma Blackbelt at Global Financial Services Company

What HelixPLAN helped us achieve in just two days would have taken our task force six weeks to accomplish.

Corporate Director of process improvement of a major U.S. Automobile Manufacturer

HelixPLAN has given me not only a proven way to get a lot of work done fast with high levels of buy-in, but also an execution-oriented way of thinking. No matter what the work at hand may be, the HelixPLAN way of thinking helps me clearly identify what steps need to be taken to achieve results--whether I’ll be doing the work in working sessions or not. I feel confident that I can take on any type of engagement.

Independent Consultant in planning, and change management

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What do HelixPLAN training participants say about the the methodology…and the training?

About the Methodology About the Training

This feedback is also quite common. We designed the training like we would design any other working session, and, of course, we use HelixPLAN to conduct it!

• Provides a framework to think through and build engagements

• Building block approach • Easily integrates to other methods • Can be applied to diverse situations • Provides a complete language and context to

think about and design facilitated sessions • Comprehensive set of facilitation techniques

that are easy to combine • High comfort level that each technique will

work • Self--documenting • It works! • Flexible and easy to use • Gets twice as much done in half the time.

• You leave with a process you can use immediately

• Is results-oriented, actionable • Quality, experience-based instruction • Easy flow to class structure • Process well thought out • Interactive, learn by doing • Fun • Activities/materials that can be used

later for real • Thorough / paced well • Instruction was effective and enjoyable • Instructors very approachable and

knowledgeable • Frequent breaks helped group to focus

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How HelixPLAN has Performed for Trained Facilitators at a Large Financial Services Company

% of Respondents Answering either Definitely or To a Large Extent

My

Effe

ctiv

enes

s

Spon

sor O

bjec

tives

Met

Prod

uctiv

ity

Buy

-in

Effic

ienc

y

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Certified HelixPLAN Facilitators’ Survey Assessment at a Financial Services Company

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Provides aframework to thinkthrough or designdecision-making

sessions

Easily integrateswith other methods

A comprehensiveset of facilitation

techniques easy tocombine

High comfort levelthat each technique

will work

Flexible and easy touse

Most effectivefacilitation

methodology I knowof

% of Respondents Answering either Definitely or To a Large Extent

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HelixPLAN Training Evaluation by Associates Trained and Certified at a Financial Services Company

Definitely

To a Large Extent

To Some Extent

Only Slightly

Not at All