Implementation is the culmination of all your work in solving a problem and requires careful attention to detail. There are three basic stages involved:

• planning and preparing to implement the solution
• implementing and monitoring the action
• reviewing and analysing the success of the  action.

Planning and preparation

Planning and preparation is the key to successful implementation. The more important the problem, or the more complex the actions required to solve it, the more thorough your planning and preparation needs to be to ensure success.

These questions highlight the main features of planning and preparation, which involve:

• constructing a plan of action
• the actions required
• scheduling the actions
• the resources required
• measures to counter adverse consequences
• management of the action
• reviewing the plan
• selecting, briefing and training those involved.

Implementing and monitoring the action - Once action has been initiated, it has to be supervised and monitored to ensure that the plan is followed accurately, implementing corrective action when necessary. The details of this stage are specified in the plan of action.

Supervising the action ensures that individuals carry out their tasks efficiently according to the plan.

Monitoring progress enables you to identify whether or not the results being achieved are meeting the planned requirements, and if not, why not. A decision can then be made on the action required to put the plan back on course. Reviewing the overall achievement once the plan has progressed significantly will indicate how well it is achieving the objective. If there are major discrepancies it suggests that the plan is inadequate and needs to be revised.

Taking corrective action may involve implementing the appropriate countermeasure laid down in the plan, or taking unplanned action to counter unforeseen problems. For example, if time. has been lost in completing one activity, other activities may have to be completed more quickly than planned in order to meet a deadline. Minor problems which are unlikely to recur may not require any action. Major faults in the plan may make it necessary to abandon implementa­tion if no appropriate corrective action is possible.

These three processes must be maintained until the plan is completed.

Reviewing and analysing the outcome - When the plan has been completed and the solution implemented it is important to measure and analyse its success. This tells you whether the solution has been effective in solving the problem and how useful it will be in solving similar problems in the future. There are three stages

• measure the success of the solution by comparing the outcome of the action with the expected results
• analyse any discrepancy to identify the reasons for it
• take further action if necessary.

SkillsTech has been working with the Solution Implementation concept since inception. Being associated with many of the Solution Implementation projects in both Govt and Non-Govt organisations, SkillsTech is promoting this technology driven structure.