Business Driven Action Learning Project

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What is the “BDAL”?

• BDAL is the Business Driven Action Learning Project.

• It asks you, as delegates, to identify a current need or

challenge/issue within your organization, to investigate the

need/challenge/issue and to develop a business case for a

successful resolution

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• A balance is sought between the three areas of focus, scope and depth

- and with the reality of the time you have available and your access to

the required information.

• Focus addresses the specific issue to be investigated. If you try to cover

too much or too wide ranging an issue you will not be able to complete it

in the time frame allowed.

• Scope addresses questions like “is the research based on the whole

organisation or just a department/division?”

• Depth addresses questions of how deep you will probe the issue.

  

 

“BDAL” – Project Nomination

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Topic & Title

• Must address and issue or need that is CURRENT in nature to the organisation

(aligned with Strategy).

• Must NOT have a PROBLEM presented in the title – as this has to be proven first.

• Must NOT have a Final SOLUTION in the title

• Should answer two questions:

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 BAP Structure (Table of Contents)

1. Background (8pgs) – Valentin due 7th Dec

2. Business Need (4pgs) – Thabo due 7th Dec

3. Impact Analysis (4pgs) - T assisted by Joe due 8th Dec

4. Research and Analysis (16pgs)• Detailed Stakeholders Analysis (5pgs) – J due 8th Dec• Desired State (5pgs) - Ndapiwa due 8th Dec• Current State and Gap (PESTEL, 6 Forces, 7 S’s, SWOT)

(6pgs) - J/N due 10th Dec

5. Key Issues(2pgs) – Daphne due 11th Dec

6. Options (1pg) – D due 11th Dec

7. Constraints (1pg) – D due 11th Dec

8. Recommendations (6pgs) – T due 14th Dec

9. Personal Learning (Individuals) - all, seek clarity10.References – V due 14th Dec

11.Appendices – V due 14th Dec 5

Guidelines

• Approximate length 7500 BUT purely a guideline

• Use 1 ½ line spacing and a font such as Arial 12

• Ensure that ALL diagrams. Tables etc., are numbered,

labelled, sourced and referred to.

• Ensure document correctly referenced.

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Background

• Background/Introduction to the business/organisation

• Background/Introduction to the

department/division/product/service being investigated

• Introduction to the Project

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 Business Need

• Why does the business need your research?

• How will the business benefit from your research?

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 Impact Analysis

• An summary of your conversations with your Sponsor

around the following:

Individual Team Business Environment

How will you (the Sponsor) benefit or be impacted by our research project?

Which teams in the business will you

benefit or be impacted by our research project

and why?

How will the business benefit or be impacted by our research project?

Which parties outside of our

organisation will benefit or be

impacted by our research project

and why?

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Stakeholders Analysis

• Identify individuals/groups who will either have an impact

upon the project or are / will be impacted by the project.

• Prioritise these individuals e.g. Influence/Interest Matrix

• Create a Stakeholder Analysis

Who Why What How

Identifying who will have an impact on - or will be

impacted by - the project and who needs to

be engaged with, to gather either primary or secondary information.

Ensure that where possible you put a

NAME to the individual.

Ensuring clear understanding of WHY these individuals are

stakeholders. What is this impact and why are

these individuals the right people to engage

with.

Understand exactly what information is required

for either primary or secondary research.

Given that research can often involve 2 maybe 3 rounds it is imperative that the right questions

are asked.

“Garbage in – Garbage out”

Establish an engagement strategy on HOW this information will

be gathered. This is where putting a name to a face is critical as this will guide the approach to take : one on one,

interview, questionnaire etc.

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Desired State

• What is the desired state?

• Likely to be determined from your external research &

benchmarking

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Current State

• What is currently happening within the organisation with

regard to your research topic (current state)?

• At the very least a PESTEL & SWOT Analysis is expected in

this section.

• Additional ‘diagnostic tools’ will add value to the quality of

your research

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Desired/Current/Gaps Key Issues

Desired Current Gaps

What have we found to ‘desired’ moving forward?

What is our current state (as mapped against the

desired)?

What is the ‘gap’ between these two states?

What are the KEY ISSUES (issues that will impact on our

business) to emerge from the Gap Analysis?

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Key Issues/Options/Constraints

Key Issues Options Constraints

What are the KEY ISSUES (issues that

will impact on our business) to emerge

from the Gap Analysis?

What Options are available to address

these Key Issues

What ‘Constraints’ are likely to impact on the Options identified e.g.

Resources, cost implications, skills, time

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Recommendations

• Following the review/analysis of the Key

Issues/Options/Constraints, what are our recommendations

for addressing the need/challenge/issue identified at the start

of the research

• May be possible to consider short, medium & long term

recommendations

• For each recommendation a justification, cost/benefit analysis

& proposed roll out (implementation) plan is expected

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Personal Learning's

• Each syndicate member is expected to review and write up

their individual learning's/leadership insights and new

knowledge & skills that they have acquired from the

Programme (including the BDAL)

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