Personal Plan for Kip M. Twitchell
1999

My 1995 personal plan contained the following analysis and chart:  “In the long-term, (3 - 5 years) I believe I could be rated at the following level in any one category (not all categories simultaneously).  In other words, if I concentrated exclusively on a particular category, I could achieve the ranking in the category at the exclusion of other categories.”

The following analysis shows that I have almost achieved this ranking in all categories.  It is time to review my career plans and set a more defined long-term direction.  This plan is geared to progression toward partnership.  It assumes that the best course toward partnership is to improve my ratings in certain grid dimension.  This plan reviews my grid capabilities and weakness, and makes plans to improve in certain areas.

Grid Placement

The grid below indicates my self-assessment results.  The actual results of the evaluation process may be different, but will not have a significant impact on this plan.

The grid below represents where I believe I could possibly be rated in the long-term (3 - 5 years).

Short-term Goals and Development Priorities

I will concentrate on improving my grid level in the following dimensions during the next year.

• Business Development
• Project Management

To do this, I will do the following:

State Farm        I will continue work at State Farm but reducing the time to perhaps 2 – 3 days a week.  My work will include:

1. Completing current assignments
2. Assist with account management by developing new opportunities and developing relationships with State Farm management
3. Sell the work to connect the new Geneva front-end to the mainframe batch process.

Geneva ERS        I will assist with development of the new version of Geneva.  This will require 2 – days a week.  My work will include:

1. Development of marketing materials
2. Giving presentation and demonstrations to new clients
3. Assistance with management of the development effort

Grid Analysis

The following is an analysis of each grid area in development priority order.  √        Represents current placement and O represents my goal grid placement

Business Development

Current Year        I was only involved in business development activities by doing presentations to other clients during the current year.  I expect my grid rating to remain the same as last year.  

Future                I would like to concentrate on my business development skills.  I feel comfortable with my ability to grow in this area.  The following factors will allow me to do this:

1. Near completion of a new version of Geneva, which has substantially improved marketability;
2. Reduced commitment as technical lead on a major project at State Farm; and
3. Additional opportunities at State Farm.  

I would like to increase my skills by developing additional projects at State Farm, which includes completing the development of the new version of Geneva, and by selling Geneva to additional clients.  

Specific Goal        I would like to be ranked a level IV next year.  I might then be ranked a level V two years after that.  The most difficult grid criterion would be the following:  “Achieved annual booked revenue equal to 50% of the average partner in the consultant’s business unit and service market OR maintained a productive relationship with a multidimensional target client.”  

The new version of Geneva may allow me to satisfy the first point, but the product will probably not be ready for general release until fall of 1999.  My relationship with State Farm may allow me to satisfy the second criteria.  This can begin almost immediately.

Project Management

Current Year        I have increased my project management skills during the current project.  This has been the largest project by far I have been involved in.  I did not attain level IV this year because I was not involved in contractual or financial aspects of the current engagement.  I was not able to improve my project management skills as much as I would have liked because the project relied so heavily upon my technical knowledge.

Future                I need to improve my project management experience and gain greater confidence in my skills.  However, improvement in this area cannot be achieved if I am required to be the main technical resource on the project.  I must be able to pursue a project management role to be more proficient in project management tasks.  

I do not believe management of the Geneva development would adequately fill this requirement because it would lack certain client management aspects.  I would like to develop a new project (through business development) and then lead that project.  

Specific Goal        I would like to be ranked a level IV next year.  I might then achieve level V one year after that because I only need to complete a contract and manage a WIP in the current year.  The biggest challenge would be developing some good technical people to replace me in the deployment of Geneva.

Industry

I have increased industry experience simply by being at this client for 2½ years.  I have gained a basic understanding of the issues surrounding financial service companies.  I am not interested in specializing in the financial services market.  However, I need to improve my industry understanding to develop new business at State Farm.  I would like to be able to demonstrate how PwC can contribute to State Farm through a solid understanding of the financial services market.  I will proactively study this area during the current year.

Process

Current Year        I have succeeded in implementing a process solution, thus earning a level 4 ranking.  I have demonstrated my understanding of finance systems, particularly through development of the allocation process.

Future                While I am confident of my knowledge of financial systems, I am not as confident in my understanding of some aspects of a process improvement.  With additional exposure to process improvement project, I could increase my grid placement from a level IV to a level V.  However, I am not interested in developing a deep process improvement capability.

I am only interested in processes as far as demonstrating the viability of events based accounting concepts are concerned, and improving the information provided by the accounting function.  I also would like to increase my skills in these areas to assist in business development work.

Specific Goal        I will continue to learn about finance processes, and attempt to develop new projects in this area within State Farm.  I would also like to receive some process improvement training during the year.

Technology

Current Year        I have refined my technology skills during the previous year.  I have learned about the PeopleSoft package.  I have demonstrated my ability to architect a large, complex, multifaceted system.  I have broadened my skills in some new technologies, and demonstrated an ability to automate a complex business process.   I have also developed a deeper understanding of the full life cycle.

Future                With the new opportunities available with the new version of Geneva ERS, I could easily increase my technology skills by understanding new technologies.  However, this would probably not have a significant impact on my grid rating.  This would also be incompatible with my need to do more project management.  Movement from a level V to a level VI will require emphasis on thought leadership both internally and externally.  This would complement my work in the Business Development dimension.

Specific Goal        This grid dimension is comfortable to me and I am tempted to continue to emphasis this work.  I will therefore set a goal to NOT become the main technical resource during the coming year.

Strategy

Current Year        I have begun to work on strategic change issues the last two months.  However, I overlooked this work in the current year’s assessment.  I will probably not be girded on this dimension.  I have helped to define changes to the current organization structure and new initiatives that need to be pursued to support the data-warehousing environment at State Farm.  I expect this work to be more fully complete in the next two months.  I will include the current years work in next year’s assessment.

Future                With additional exposure to strategic change projects, I could increase my gird placement to a level III or possibly a level IV.  Exposure to this type of work would be helpful to me in being able to explain what PwC does to clients.  I also expect this type of work to be a component of the new work at State Farm.

Specific Goal        I will continue my involvement in the strategic change effort at State Farm.   I would also like to receive some strategic change training during the year.

Learning and Professional Development

I have spent a significant amount of time this year running the Geneva training program here at State Farm.  I do not expect to pursue additional levels or to concentrate on this criterion further.

Appendix:  Gird Progression

This shows the changes in my grid assignments over the last four years and goals for grid progression in the next three years.  It uses the following symbols:

√        Current placement

O         Changed grid placement or

Goal grid placement

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000 – One Year Goal

2001 – Two Year Goal

2002 – Three Year Goal