Linda asks for information on
> hands-on expertise concerning the design,
>project roll-out, implementation and monitoring of a Virtual Office
>setting within a learning organization culture. The existing work process
>is somewhat mechanistic and task oriented. There are several factors that
>will move hand-in-hand with the implementation process.
>1- Knowledge Management System
>2- Work/process redesign
>3- Work space redesign
>4- Team and individual development
>5- The day-to-day business
>6- Business growth
Sorry Linda - some things don't seem to be congruent at the moment, so the
"virtual office" may be a bit harder to realise, as your list of factors
suggests you are already aware e.g.
"within the Learning Culture Setting" and "mechanistic and task-oriented"
Sounds like a typical engineering/professional organisation (am I right?)
where the first step is to get the people involved to think of PROCESS and
PEOPLE - that is probably item 4 on your list.
Then I would (as I have done before) start on a Workshop envisioning new
ways to work (i.e. 3 - but extend to home working) linked closely to 2.
However, even before that some kind of audit to check where folks are at
in terms of attitude, working methods, support systems etc. and the
company is at in terms of IT and HR maturity, innovation capabilities,
propensity to change etc. At all times you will need to bring in
appropriate "experts" or, even better, peers who have gone through similar
transformations. As a rule of thumb for virtual offices - start with an
employee:desk ratio of 1.5:1. Some companies are now up to 4:1 and some
groups 12-20:1, but it depends on nature of the work and how much time
folk spend with each other vs. with clients etc.
Hope this helps
David
--
David J. Skyrme
Management Systems Consultant Tel/Fax: +44 1635 551434
David Skyrme Associates Limited Newbury, Berks, England
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david@pop3.hiway.co.uk (David J. Skyrme)