Business Driven Action Learning Project

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

BDAL Project Nomination

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.
3

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:

BAP Structure (Table of Contents)

1. 2. 3. 4. Background (8pgs) Valentin due 7th Dec Business Need (4pgs) Thabo due 7th Dec Impact Analysis (4pgs) - T assisted by Joe due 8th Dec 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 Ss, 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 clarity 10. References V due 14th Dec 11. Appendices V due 14th Dec

Guidelines
Approximate length 7500 BUT purely a guideline Use 1 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.

Background
Background/Introduction to the business/organisation Background/Introduction to the department/division/product/service being investigated Introduction to the Project

Business Need
Why does the business need your research? How will the business benefit from your research?

Impact Analysis
An summary of your conversations with your Sponsor around the following:
Individual Team Business Environment Which parties outside of our organisation will benefit or be impacted by our research project and why? How will you (the Which teams in the How will the Sponsor) benefit or business will you business benefit or be impacted by our benefit or be be impacted by our research project? impacted by our research project? research project and why?

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
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.

Why
Ensuring clear understanding of WHY these individuals are stakeholders. What is this impact and why are these individuals the right people to engage with.

What
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

How
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.

10

Desired State
What is the desired state? Likely to be determined from your external research & benchmarking

11

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

12

Desired/Current/Gaps
Desired What have we found to desired moving forward? Current

Key Issues
Gaps What is the gap between these two states?

What is our current state (as mapped against the desired)?

What are the KEY ISSUES (issues that will impact on our business) to emerge from the Gap Analysis?

13

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

14

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
15

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)

16