You have seen it numbers of times. A squad of cheerleaders leading a stadium filled with employees of a company: “We got Process! Yes we do! We got Process, Better than YOU!”
Yeah, never!
However, for all of the excitement about Process, Standards, and Automation, why are they so maligned, mistrusted, and mocked? To understand, we have to recognize what they can do. (And more importantly, we have to recognize what they cannot do!)
Process Creation
To create a one, you have to know how something works. Too often, a Problem is defined and the knee-jerk response is “There should be a Process / Standard for that!”
Both arise from a Solution; they do not create one. In the same way that they do not create a Solution, they are not a replacement for one. Their best use is to socialize it to the larger audience. Have a Creative type solve the problem, then identify ways to standardize that Solution into a Process.
Process Creator
If someone cannot solve the problem, they do not need to be creating Process or Standards for someone who can (or likely did). With due respect to the Process Engineers or Standards Officers, if these topics excite you, then you need to be involved in their enforcement (not creation).
There are important roles in review of metrics and enforcement. Frankly, without metrics and enforcement, there is little value. Why set milestone if there is no intent to determine whether or not your meet it? Without a measure, it is usually worse than having none at all!
Process Value
They support the Creative exercise. Without them, Solutions usually lack historical reference and come at a high cost. Without Solutions, they dissolve into wasted energy and pointless meetings. Used properly, they make your day-to-day operations repeatable within your organization.
Remember these points the next time that someone tells you: “There should be a Process for that”. If you try to design one without first identifying the Solution, just know that #YourProcessStinks too!
Check out my first five Process Laws.
Feel free to leave comments or interact with me on Twitter: @SwamiDaveSays .
