The last time we have a discussion about this topic; it was reported by two of my classmates in management information system. Even though it was reported clearly (I think) the explanations given are still a bit unclear to me. But after reading the fourth assignment I was forced to have some thorough study or even comprehensive reading about the topic. But reading does help. It sure does.
Before I will jump into many conclusions and expounding into thousands of words what are the steps for critical success factors approach, I will discuss first what critical success factors really mean and where it first originated. The CSFs approach was applied in case studies carried out in the UK universities. It was applied also as a component of a strategic information management (SIM) methodology put forward by Wilson. The CSFs approach was combined with the value chain concept by Porter in order to form an information audit. The idea of identifying critical success factors as a basis for determining the information needs of managers was proposed by Daniel in 1961 but it was popularized by Rockart on 1979. The ideas were very simple: in any organization certain factors will be critical to the success of that organization, in the sense that, if objectives associated with the factors are not achieved, the organization will.
Critical success Factors define key areas of performance that are essential for the organization to accomplish its mission. Identifying the business drivers for change and the critical success factors is the most important element of any business transformations. John F. Rockart concludes that CSF’s are areas of activity that should receive constant and careful attention from management. Critical success factors are strongly related to the mission and strategic goals of your business project. Whereas the mission and goals focus on the aims and what is to be achieved. Critical success factors focus on the most important areas and get to the very heart of both what is to be achieved and how you will achieve it.
For most businesses, there are only a generally a limited number of areas – like sales or product development – which makes a business succeed. We can select critical success factor with insights and analysis. The success or failure of your business depends on how you approach your unique set of critical success factors. Understanding these factors and spending 100 percent attention to them is a sure way to add power to your efforts and jump start towards a new level of performance.
For better understanding about the steps on critical success factors approach, let’s go further than the business issues. Let us narrow our senses. The following definitions are mostly ideas based on the explanation given by myGoals.com.
Critical success factors cannot be specifically defined for the masses because success can be defined quite differently by each individual, and for the goal at hand. Therefore, in order to identify critical success factors, it is first necessary to come to terms with your own personal definition of success. Each individual’s own definition of will be influenced by several key factors:
•Success is subject to individual interpretation based on upbringing, past experiences, role models, personal motivations and goals. For some it might be to own a home in an upscale neighborhood, while for others it might be a career in the Peace Corps. Carefully contemplate your definition of success based on your values—not what your brother-in-law or Madison Avenue tells you it is. Your own definition of personal success directly influences critical factors leading to that success.
•Your view of success will change at various times throughout your life. For example, what might be deemed successful in college or on your first job is very different from successfully raising a family or comfortably retiring in the Caribbean. Your definition of success will continue to change, so don’t make the error of pursuing an outdated version of it. Success factors will change over time.
•Personal success is sometimes measurable and sometimes not. Accumulating a certain amount of wealth is one way to measure success, but it is not the only way; a successful marriage may be far more meaningful to many people and can only be measured by how the two partners feel about each other as the years go by.
•Very few people achieve success accidentally. Most people who achieve success first defined it then planned for it; they set a goal to achieve it. Critical success factors change with the goal.
Once you have defined personal success for yourself, your next step is to set goals that will lead you to your definition of success. You must create realistic, viable plans to achieve those goals. Follow your plans, be flexible, and enjoy the process. It’s not about keeping up with the Joneses. Here are five success factors that will directly affect your success in achieving any goal:
Critical Success Factor #1: Clearly Identify your Goal
The first step is to identify your special set of critical success factors. Clearly determine what the goal is. Be specific when identifying your factors. Test your assumptions by imagining a decline in a particular factor. How would that impact your business? And then imagine an improvement in that factor and think if what will its impact in you business.
Critical Success Factor #2: Identify the Obstacles
The next step is to establish a measurement scale for each critical factor. List all the hindrances standing between you and the goal. Identify resources, assistance, information or anything else that might be needed to reach the goal. As you're writing, don’t get discouraged by the obstacles– they’re absolutely necessary to help you with the next step in completing your plan.
Critical Success Factor #3: Know the Tasks Necessary to Overcome Each Obstacle
Set the baseline after establishing a measurement structure for a factor. Taking each obstacle one at a time, write one or more ways the obstacle could be overcome. These are tasks that will comprise your to-do list. Expect to have several tasks per obstacle.
Critical Success Factor #4: Assign Deadlines
Next is setting new goals. Create a gap between where you are and your baseline and your target for that factor. Assign a start and completion date to each task in the plan. It’s ok to be working on several different tasks at the same time, but don’t over do it. Be realistic.
Critical Success Factor #5: Follow the Plan
By the time to you've reached this step, you will have defined a goal plan. You have now defined a baseline and a target for each factor. Complete each task in succession. Revisit your goal plan often and make sure to use your reminder system to keep you on track. Use any idea generation process you are comfortable with. Develop several possible initiatives to raise the level of that factor. With luck your ideas will work together and harmonize in terms of impact or implementation requirements. If you generate challenging ideas, select the best option. Choose based on return on investment, required resources, scheduling conflicts, time to impact, total cost, and possibility of success in opposition to risk of failure. Depending on the specific factor, and the size of the gap, you may plan to close it in stages or shoot the gap all at once. Once you launch your gap closing initiatives, continually measure your results. Report your progress to participants and stakeholders and post it publicly.
If the success plan is too long or a little bit complicated, try to break it into several smaller more manageable plans. Do not rely on luck or things outside you control as part of the success plan. Be flexible enough; expect your success plan to change before you complete it. Circumstances change, unexpected events occur, and your plan should be updated to adapt to changes. Use planning software to help construct your plan and modify it regularly. Seek the input of others who have expertise in the area or who have completed similar goal. Reward yourself for practical success as significant milestone are accomplished.
To top it all, critical success factor was designed to help a business achieve personal success, regardless of how you chose to define it. It helps you select and pursue personally fulfilling goals; you create a clear, defined path to your own personal success. Critical path method is extremely effective tools for creating viable plans and keeping you on track. As what the saying goes, “you can’t mange what you can’t measure”. This tells us that the positive results don’t come easy and are driven by many factors besides management alignment. Because its human nature to revert the old comfortable ways.
As priorities change (and circumstances change), goals will change as well. Defining steps of approach provides a convenient, flexible, and easy way to manage your path to personal success. We encourage everyone to pursue their goals with passion. Personal success is yours alone to define, pursue, and achieve.
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