Delayering the organisation in a radically open wayThe University of Hertfordshire Agile ProgrammeAlan Combes – Head of Improvement and Planning

2

The case for change

`The current structure has worked well and as a

university we are achieving great things. This change is

about ensuring the University stays ahead of the game

and is able to adapt and move with agility as demands

from students and changes to the sector become

apparent.’

`The aim of the change is to reduce complexity and

improve the effectiveness and agility of the

organisation’Quintin McKellar,

Vice Chancellor, July 2011

Initial Feasibility –

analysing faculty

roles, processes

and activities

Devolve to

Schools or

Centralise?

Overall aims of the Programme

• Consolidate emerging Strategic Business Unit model

establish consistent roles in each management team

• Devolve responsibility/governance where possible

• Reduce organisational/process/decision complexity

enabling more decision making at a local level• Enhance strategic focus and leadership

Delivering a more focussed, clearly led and agile organisation

How?

The Approach to change…

1. The VC addressed the community immediately with key principles:

We believe this is right, we want staff involved in developing the solutions

The key driver is agility and effectiveness not cost reduction

Roles and reporting lines may change but no-one will be at risk of redundancy

The Programme will be cost and headcount neutral

There will be no new SBUs

Both operational management and governance needs will be met

2. Team/project oriented within an overarching programme of works

Dedicated programme management group established

3. Opportunities for process and operational improvement will be maximised

4. Very regular and consistent communications

Programme Management – APMG / IPO

Champion - VC

Infrastructure: IT-Systems / Estates

People

Communications and Involvement

Finance

Work

streams

Impact

Assessment

Work stream 1 Work stream 2 Work stream 3 Work stream 4 Work stream 5 Work stream 6 Work stream 7 Work stream 8

Finalisation of Top Level

Organisation

Technicians Review

Procurement Centralisation

Health Schools Reorg

Faculty Academic

Roles

Governance (Committees and Policy)

Faculty Admin Reorganisation

PVC / HOS/AHOS

Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader Leader

Work stream Project Team

Work stream Project Team

Work stream Project Team

Work stream Project Team

Work stream Project Team Work stream

Project Team Work stream Project Team

Work stream Project Team

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

HR Business Partner

Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator Facilitator

RTU rep RTU rep RTU rep RTU rep RTU rep

Other specialists

Other specialists

Other specialists

Other specialists

Other specialist

Other specialists

Other specialists

Other specialists

Wider engagement activities and inclusion of volunteers

Managem

entAgile Programme

Timescales and phasing

Engagement and Design

Review and formal Consultation

Implementation

July 2011 September 2012VC’sannouncement

Proposals published

Structures agreed

Organisation in place

January 2012

May2012

1st Sept2012

Autumn 2011

Feb - April

May - Sept Embedding

2013-14

Engagement statistics

• Programme Management Group = IPO head plus 5 senior staff

Met weekly or fortnightly for the whole year

• More than 500 staff were directly affected

by either organisational or role change

• 75 members of staff supported the core work streams

• More than 300 staff attended over 40 ‘involvement meetings’

facilitated by the work streams

• More than 600 staff attended 40 `briefing meetings’

chaired by line managers, supported by HR and attended by Trade Unions.

• Over 200 written consultation responses were received,

summarised WITH RESPONSES and published openly

Impact of the change

• Substantially flatter structure

entire layer of faculty meetings, reviews and double checks removed

• Improved line of sight - Deans of Schools to the Deputy Vice Chancellor

leading to substantially communications and decision making

• Improved autonomy and accountability for Deans of School

managing technical staff, school based administration teams

a greater sense of ‘my school’ and improved pastoral care for every student

• Introduction of Strategic PVCs linked to specific named roles present in all

management teams

• Establishment of maximum spans of control requiring PLs to take on line

management

• Improved and more consistent job descriptions

Managed in an Open Engaged Planning Process

Strategic Plan

Expressed in our Organisational Structure

PVC

Stud

ent E

xper

ienc

e, P

VC B

usin

ess

Ente

rpris

ePV

C Re

sear

ch, P

VC In

tern

ation

alPV

C Re

gion

al a

nd C

ultu

ral A

ffairs

UH Embedded Strategy

Professional SBUs – services and advice

Academic SBUs*1. Business School2. Education3. Law4. Humanities5. Engineering & Technology6. Computer Science 7. Physics, Astronomy and

Maths8. Creative Arts9. Life and Medical Sciences10. Health and Social Work

DVC / OVC 5 Year Targets

Traffic Light Report 2 x per year

Measured in KPIs and Targets

October/November• Look back at previous

year• Performance review

May / June• Late mid year• Commentary based

Lead

ing

on S

trat

egic

G

oals

Management / Leadership Oversight / Balance

Annual Planning Round

Parallel, Integrated Capital Investment

Process

Transparent Overhead Allocation

Feb: Planning Conference• Context, constraintsApril: SubmissionsMay: 1-1 Planning Meetings • For all business units• Focus on goals and aspirations• Resulting in Budget and

Capital investment

PVCs

* Management roles aligned to PVCs

Clear budget position

Dean of School

Associate Dean Learning &

Teaching / Student Experience

School Administration Manager

Associate Dean Research

Associate Dean

Academic Quality

Associate Dean Business

Innovation

Associate Dean International and

Recruitment

TBC Head of ScreenHead of Visual Arts Head of Design Head of Music Academic Group

Leader Postgraduate

Technical and Resources Manager

School Typical Structure

Profs/Subject Group Leaders

Feedback – good and bad…

• Of 468 staff affected - one official grievance registered by a group of 5 staff

• Clearly some staff found the change very challenging

• Genuine effort to encourage staff to participate and influence the change

• Workstreams effective - but some inconsistency in approach

• Temprorary Transition resources required - not sufficiently considered

• Aggressive timescale and ‘big bang’ change created strain alongside business

as usual

• Equally – not knowing the outcome for six months created tension

• More time needed for implementation – has led to a number of post Agile

challenges

• Accept that the change isn’t finished when the Programme ends

Key Success Factors…

• A project oriented approach

• Sub-dividing the task into manageable pieces

• Active – very present Programme management providing an effective focus for leadership, governance , decision making and

communication

• Provision of clear leadership briefs for each stage

• IPO Facilitators and HR Business Partners for each project encouraging dialogue and consistency

• A heavy emphasis on communications and dialogueWe didn’t achieve all of these!!

Next steps

• Embedding the change through:

o Understanding the new roles

o Defining and refining the processes

o Developing staff

• Internal (IPO) Process Review of the Agile process

• SUMS-led B independent review of benefits/outcome

• Admitting something could have gone better

Any questions or observations?