Enterprise Design Patterns | Impact Patterns

#5: Co-Created Enterprise Design Charter

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
- George Bernard Shaw

Related Patterns:

#1: Personal Enterprise Vision, #4: Executive Buy-In, #28: Human Language

You want your Enterprise Design work to be supported by your major co-creators and communicated across the enterprise.

In this context:

Most people don’t understand what you are creating and are not interested in supporting your work. Co-creators often see your work as a potential threat to their autonomy or an obstacle to achieving their own objectives. Many of them will not engage with you and your work or even actively oppose it.

Therefore:

You co-create an Enterprise Design Charter. You achieve this by:

Inviting a small group of business experts to the “Safe Negotiation Space” to:
- Validate your understanding of the enterprise’s vision and goals;
- Align your Enterprise Design vision with the enterprise’s strategy;
- Discuss your planned creations and their timing.
Finalise the charter using the feedback and contributions of the relevant executives.

You then communicate the final Enterprise Design Charter widely and often. You emphasise how Enterprise Design helps your co-creators and the enterprise as a whole, what creations will look like and how your co-creators can contribute to Enterprise Design’s success.

Consequently:

Co-creating the Enterprise Design Charter with your major co-creators, helps them co-own Enterprise Design’s mission and vision. They will support your work and convince others to do the same. When you use the charter to communicate Enterprise Design’s vision and mandate, you do so on behalf of your co-creators. This will boost your credibility and increase the acceptance by the wider organisation.