What are disbenefits?
Understanding, and avoiding, the negatives
The unfortunate term 'disbenefits' was coined to refer to the unintended consequences of a project or change programme. It reflects a binary view of the possible outcomes of an activity. An outcome is either a uniformly good, or uniformly bad. Within the context of this viewpoint, benefits management concerns achieving the desired benefits, whilst avoiding the disbenefits.
Shades of gray
A more complete view of benefits and disbenefits recognises that every output, every change, contains both positive and negative aspects. Actions taken, change itself, all impose negative consequences on the organisation. At the same time, even a negative consequence can have positive aspects.
Instead a view which quantifies and understands the plus and minus sides of each effect allows for the best course to be taken, at the same time as allowing a better recognition of the cost benefit equation.
People dimension
Understanding of the benefit<>disbenefit balance is mostly focused around the impact of any change or development on people. In many, if not all cases, the real impact on the individual members of staff in the organisation are overlooked, or insufficiently recognised. Whereas the direct impact on a financial measure or rate can be quickly and easily determine, the emergent effects on peoples' behaviour is complex and can only be understood by in turn understanding how they will react, change and adapt. This is where the AlphaStep focus on game theory and modelling of win patterns helps to shed light on potential real world effects.