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Technology Plan Kevin Jackson University of Phoenix (TEC 401) December 19, 2011 Clyde Roberts

Technology Plan Every organization changes information technologies, new technology can be used as a catalyst for innovation or to replace the organizations existing technology system. For the organization to successful implement new technologies requires changes in employee skills, work procedures, business processes, jobs, and even organizational structure. For this new technology to be successful implemented has to do more with employee behavioral changes than technological. Organizational employees and the organization itself will have to change behaviors to use this new technology (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

When organizations change technology, the first step is to planning this change the change can be either reactive or proactive. The organization planned changed can

Technology Page 2 of 14 include departmental technological or an overhaul of the organizations divisional levels at once. The planned technology change has an aspect of modification of the physical routines, and social aspect to the employees who are affected by this change on the way he or she relates to the organization (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Change Agent

According to Regan and OConnor (2002), the change agent is implementer of new technology in the organization. The change agent is the individual or team is responsible for the designing and introducing the new technology. He or she has to vision how the new technology should be implemented step-by-step to achieved the desired goal. The agent can be an outsider, a new manager or even an employee with a idea. The change agent must work closely with others in the organization, and this is because he or she usually does not have the authority to make certain decisions on resources to implement new systems (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Technology Change Considerations

When the change agent is given the task or has an idea for new technology for implementation, he or she has several considerations, which will affect the success of the new technology. These consideration effect not only the success of implementation but also the failure, they include the following:

Technology Page 3 of 14 Employees to Vision Change each levels of the organization or just in his or her department. If the planned change is too complex to comprehend, the employee will reject the new technology, which dangers a successful technology implementation within the organization (Regan & OConnor, 2002) .

Employees Readiness for Change has to do with the preparedness to differences, ambiguity, and uncertainty for the use of new technology. Employees also must be ready intellectually and emotionally as well (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Employees Capacity for Change is that some employees has a higher tolerance and uncertainty for change in the organization he or she works for than his or her coworkers (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Individual Differences is the way employees learning styles these learning styles will affect the way he or she will process the information about the change. The three basic learning styles an employee will possess are cognitive, behavioral, and effective. Employees with cognitive learning styles respond to a logical presentation the employee will want to know how and why the changes are planned. Behavioral learning with the employees is the readiness for change and with effective learning the employees or a target group will believe if the planned change can be helpful in his or her job (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Technology Page 4 of 14 Organizational structure affects the introduction of new ideas. This structure will defines jobs, lines of authority, responsibility, accountability, and the flow of information. If the structure of an organizational is not correct the end-users will not accept the new technology (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

The Risk Involved is the threat and survival of the organization performance if it is not changed. This will make the organization change quickly and arbitrarily. The risk increases when the more employees are involved in the implementation, the longer it can take (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Required Resources is the amount of funds it has in the budget for the implementation and how long the organization staff must be committed to help with the implementation change. Plans may have to be compromised, postponed because of insufficient resources (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Dynamics of Change Before the organization or management implement a change in technology the dynamics of change must be considered. Management must understand that situations involve change can be difficult. For management to anticipate how employees react to such change is the difficulty. To solve this problem with employees resistance there is three different models implementers can use to develop an implementation plan for new technology that addresses employees resistance (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

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Leavitts Systems Model of Change identifies four interacting variables that has be considered when planning change in an organization, which is people, structure, process, and technology. According to Regan and OConnor (2002), these four variables are interdependent, and knowing changes in technology will result in changes in structure, process, and people. The implementer can counter resistance that could jeopardize the anticipated benefits (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

People variable. Is the competencies, values, attitudes, skills, performance, and motivations that employees complete his or her jobs. Employees are the organizations most valuable resource for meeting organizations goals, new technology can affect employees and his or her competencies to perform his or her job, reward systems, working relationships with coworkers, and management. Employees can think inadequate when his or her skills and experience can become obsolete with new technology (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Structural Variables. Is organizations system of responsibility, authority, and communications of the organization. It determines how work is done, how groups interact with each other and who reports to whom. Structural can also determines how decisions are made, how leadership is characterized, and how communications are handled. The new technology can alter the structure, such as role responsibilities, reporting relationships, span of control, hierarchical levels, and decision-making authority (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

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Process Variables. Is the business process performed in an employees work. Task are combined with the business processes, which determines how independent, interdependent, and dependent relations among departments in the organization. The business processes directly affect the efficiency and effectiveness with business results are achieved (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Technological Variables. Is the tools and methods used to accomplish work and solve problems. Systems implementer is interested in applying computer and networking technologies for processing work and distributing information (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Lewins Force Field Analysis envisions change as a dynamic process rather than as an event. The situations of the organization can be considered as a state of equilibrium the results from the balance of forces pushing against each other. According to Lewin, the organization is pressured by various internal and external forces. These internal and external forces are known as the driving forces and restraining forces. The driving forces encourage change, growth, and development, and the restraining forces resist change and encourage stability and the status quo (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Lewins force field analysis uses Leavitts Systems Model of Change of people, structure, process, and technology. The change agent or the organization can use

Technology Page 7 of 14 force field analysis to identify the relevant positive and negative forces relate to the introduction of the new technology before it is implemented. The change agent has to modify this equilibrium of forces, he or she can do this y increasing pressures for change, and reducing resistance to change to implement new technology (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Lewin;s Three Phases of Change consist of a three-step process for an organization implementing a planned changed this is essentially a learning process in which people modify his or her behaviors. The process is for guiding a managing change it consists of unfreezing, changing, and refreezing (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Unfreezing. This process is the organization building support for change and learning readiness, it involves creating an awareness of the need to change, challenging previous beliefs, removing barriers to change, and emphasizing the benefits of change (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Changing. Learning occurs and the attitudes of employees, it involves the search of new information or learning new skills. With this employees learn new skills to perform his or her new role, to use the new system, adopt new procedures, change work flows, and working relationships with other to meet the organizations goals (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Technology Page 8 of 14 Refreezing. This is the phase end the process, when new business processes have been fully established and new behaviors are integrated in the organizations structure norms (Regan & OConnor, 2002).

Implementation Plan

The theory discussed is for the beginnings of a plan implementation in an organization. The plan for implementation of new technological systems consist of defining goals, researching, analyzing, deciding on a specific solution to the problem, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the results.

Defining Goals managers provide the need for change or meeting challenges. When defining the goals of new technology requires management to examine the organization current technology and locate where improvements can provide a benefit to the organization. This allows management to explain why installing a new system can help the organization. This information should not be communicated to employees until goals have become established and finalized (Ganly, 2011).

Researching is required for an effective technology plan. This will include the cost of various new technology projects and how the cost will affect the organization. Technology can save time and resources so any new technology requires research as well the amount of resources need for the implementation. The expensive cost of

Technology Page 9 of 14 technology and the frequency of technological advancements research must be done to obtain the best systems. During the research phase, communication between management and technical staff is important. Communication during the research phase should not be given to nontechnical staff such as office employees. This can provide resistance to new technology when a system is approved (Ganly, 2011).

Analyzing the information research allows management to make the appropriate decisions when designing the plan. When management analyze certain technological systems he or she must know what resources the new systems is going to use, and if the system will provide the organization with the most value. Analyzing also provides the organization with information on how to implement the new technology for employee training and timing. This information should not be communicated to nontechnical staff until training timeline and training materials are completed (Ganly, 2011).

Solutions determine how the implementation can be designed. The solutions for the plan should have the consideration of how, when, and where the plan will be implemented. This answers questions and provides the basic information on the many details of the implementation plan. Solutions that management has approved should be communicated to the technical staff and not to nontechnical staff members. The technical staff will know what solutions management has approved to start the creating or implementation of the approve system (Ganly, 2011).

Technology Page 10 of 14 Implementing new technology system is the follow through how the plan is designed. Employees of the organization should be notified and the steps of the plan for this new acquired technology system. Communicating with nontechnical staff members will allow him or her time to prepare for the new system. Implementation should follow the steps outlined in the detailed planned description (Ganly, 2011).

Monitoring provides management at different levels with necessary information on the newly implemented system. When management monitor the implementation permits any corrections or adjustments for unexpected issues to the plan. This also allows employees to provide feedback and areas for employees need extra training. When monitoring the new system management must stay in constant communication with nontechnical staff and technical staff members if any corrections and adjustment have to be made (Ganly, 2011)

Evaluating on how the implementation plan progress should happen during and after the technology has been installed. Evaluation provides the organization with information that can help in the future change. The evaluation process check if goals have been met, also allows improved strategies to be determined and poor strategies to be removed from the plan (Ganly, 2011).

Technology Page 11 of 14 Recommendations

For any implementation plan for new technological systems to succeed management must communicate to employees and technical staff members. However, management should not communicate certain aspects of the implementation plan to nontechnical staff member and management should keep in constant communication with technical staff members. The following are recommendations for managing technical changes within the organization.

Project plans management should be communicated only to technical staff member. Management should not communicate project plans to nontechnical staff member for it can cause resistance to change among employees. However, communication between management and technical staff member should be high, and this is because during this phase the technical team will make recommendation on certain technology systems

Implementation plans should be communicated to technical and nontechnical staff members this is that employees will need to prepare him or herself on the change of a new technological system. Technical staff member would need to know timeframes for each step of implementation system plan. This is consent with Lewinss change process in the organization.

Technology Page 12 of 14 Training plans should be communicated to nontechnical staff members, he or she will need to know how to perform his or her job with the new system. Technical staff members would not need to know how the nontechnical staff members are trained. Training plans is the refreezing phase of implementing change within an organization.

Support strategies of the newly implemented system should be communicated to nontechnical staff and technical staff members. Employees not part of the technical department would need to know that if a problem with the new system he or she can call the help desk for support on system issues. Technical staff can support management as well on evaluating the newly system implementation.

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References Ganly, S. (2011). Creating a Technology Implementation Plan. Retrieved on December 15, 2011 from http://factoidz.com/creating-a-technology-implementation-plan/ Regan, E & O'Connor, B. (2002). End-user information systems: Implementing individual and work group technologies. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc

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