Design disrupts outdated mentalities at IBM

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Project: Context: Team: Timeframe

Updating the alarm response procedure at all IBM locations in Canada Consulting to IBM on security operations across Canada Flying solo Fall and Winter 2008 – 10 weeks

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During my first year as a consultant to IBM I noticed a few inconsistencies: •  Long lines of customers and contractors and one

security guard helping them – both security and those in line were clearly frustrated.

•  But when it was quiet there would be three guards with one typically sitting idle – underutilized resources could be better used elsewhere.

Challenge I was curious why and thought to observe the security guards over the course of a few days. User-centered research I noticed that whenever there was an alarm, it would without question be given priority and responded to – even though there was a line at the security desk. The guards explained that a lot of time was wasted checking false alarms that were caused by people without knowing it. “We do what the procedures say, even it they’re wrong” -Security guard

Misaligned priorities causing conflict

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70% of alarms were false alarms and

90% of those were disrupting business

Insight •  Being chained to their procedures, the guards didn’t

have the power to do what they knew was right. • Meeting security needs trumped business disruption.

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I now had security’s perspective and wanted to understand the other side of the equation – how is this impacting IBM’s business? I spoke to the business offices and found out that billable hours were being lost and projects were falling behind schedule. On top of that, when the guards did check an alarm in their office, business was being further disrupted. Reframing the problem At this point, I collaborated with the security guards and the business offices to ask the tough questions that hadn’t been considered before and get feedback. The majority of alarms are within buildings – do alarms inside a building need to be responded to during the day when everyone in the building has been screened? The guards know how to prioritize and how to best use their time - why not give the guards the ability to choose; respond to an alarm or help customers?

Tough questions lead to common ground

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Insight • Collaboration between the differing groups led to an

understanding of each others needs and with that choices could be made to benefit each other.

What do the procedures say

I should do?

Drop everything, go

check it out

Customers and contractors are

neglected

Business is interrupted in

their own office

Unproductive security guards ,lost business and stalled projects

Current Alarm Response Procedure

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I set out to design a set of policies and procedures to allow security guards to judge the importance of an alarm and customer facing duties. Collaborating with the security guards and business offices we differentiated between alarms inside and outside of business offices and agreed that those within an office only need to be responded to after business hours.

Redesigning security with business in mind

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Current Alarm Response Procedure

What do the procedures say I

should do?

It’s an alarm, go see what caused it

Within a business

office

Is it after business hours? YES

Hmm, are there customers at my

desk? Is this alarm really important?

GO

Outside of a business

office

NO

Cancelled

Can wait

Proposed Alarm Response Procedure

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Business Case I developed a business case outlying the opportunity and and resulting productivity gains and presented it to the director of security for IBM Canada. I was given approval to implement the changes at all IBM locations, which encompassed approximately 6 million square feet and 200+ security guards across Canada. Implementation I led a team of nine managers and supervisors across Canada and completed the project in two months, which was one month ahead of the timeline I was given. Key Outcomes •  Alarms interrupting business offices decreased by 80%

across all locations •  Security guard time spent responding to alarms

decreased by 50% •  Realigned security guard scheduling so only two guards

are needed throughout the day and extra guard was posted to another duty, further improving productivity.

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Question status quo

Redesigned procedures that save money and

improve productivity

Leading a team to cross-Canada success

Collaborate with diverse

teams

Design meets

operations

Reframe the

problem