Course unit

Learning topics

1. Organisational Transformation Foundations

• define organisational transformation and its relationship to digital transformation
• understand key drivers and critical success factors of Organisational Transformation in the context of digital transformation initiatives
• analyse the role of finance professionals in the context of organisational transformation, with particular emphasis on roles, responsibilities and the RACI
• identify key stages in the transformation process.

2. The Strategy Behind Organisational Transformation

• identify the ways that an organisation's purpose, vision and culture impact organisational transformation and digital transformation
• describe the process through which leadership aligns finance strategy with business objectives to establish strategic outcomes for organisational transformation
• explain the role of finance professionals in the analysis and identification of strategic outcomes and the development of business and value cases
• examine the input that finance team members at all levels have in setting strategic goals and outcomes.

3. From Business Case to Value Case

• describe the key components for the development of business and value cases for organisational transformation
• identify methods to track and manage cost and benefits of transformation, including performance metrics and KPIs for transformation
• use data analysis techniques and data visualisation tools to influence strategic decisions and facilitate transformation
• discuss the impact of sustainable and circular business models on business and value case development.

4. The Target Operating Model and the Transformational Roadmap

• define the concept of the target operating model and its relationship to organisational transformation
• apply process analysis to plan effective organisational transformation
• explain how the key components of people, process, data and technology combine to integrate the target operating model with the organisation-wide operating model
• describe the role of finance professionals in the analysis of current state processes, identifying the future state and developing the roadmap to get from one to the other
• apply the TOM framework and process analysis to identify transformation risks.

5. Managing Organisational Transformation

• define key approaches to change management through the lifecycle of a transformation project
• recognise different project management approaches and how they support change management
• identify the key domains required of the finance function in a transformed organisation and how these can be delivered
• describe the role of benefits realisation in the transformation process
• examine the importance of ongoing change activities during the design phase.

6. Design, Governance and Change

• explain how finance professionals add value to the detailed level design
• recognise how change impacts individuals and the importance of managing impact at an individual level
• identify the main ways a future-focused finance function will support an organisation after transformation.

7. Data and Governance

• describe the importance of robust data ownership, governance and integrity as a key deliverable from a transformation
• examine the role finance professionals play in data ownership, governance and integrity, including and beyond traditional accounting data
• understand the data governance dependency chain and the role of people, processes and technology
• analyse a real- world data discrepancy and identify where people, process and technology failures occurred.

8. Skills for Transformation

• identify the role of finance teams in the implementation of organisational, technology and data change
• recognise effective change leadership activities that finance professionals can undertake during a change programme
• describe the influencing and negotiation skills that support change management with stakeholders
• explain why finance team members (including leaders) are crucial change agents in the implement phase.

9. Delivering the Transformation

• recognise the key factors that must be managed when a transformation goes live
• contribute effectively to managing risk at workstream and programme level
• define the types of criteria that indicate readiness to go live with transformation
• recognise the role of finance professionals in delivering transformation.

10. Evaluating and Embedding the Transformation

• explain the purpose of a benefits realisation review and a post-implementation review, and how they are different
• apply benchmarking techniques to assess the value of the finance function
• use a data informed approach to evaluate whether a transformation initiative met its business case.