The Process Ninja

Process Tip - What Frank Sinatra teaches us about People & Process

Frank Sinatra can teach us plenty about process improvement. A lot of Frank's songs weren't originally sung by him, but when he did sing them, magic happened - they were better than the original versions. Why? Well because Frank was a better singer and he had something unique that people loved.

The lesson in this is that people can make a huge difference in process. Sometimes it's not your processes that need to be fixed, it's your people. So when ol' blue eyes sings about "that little old ant" moving the rubber tree plant, think about whether you've got people who can do the same - and take your processes beyond expectation.

Process Tip - Always Ask Stupid Questions

There is such a thing as a stupid question, but if there’s anyone who should be asking it, it’s you. It’s your job to prod, poke, harry and harass as need be to get the information to build the picture. Tell everyone to explain things to you as if you are a 3 year old. That way you will be able to create processes and procedures that anyone can understand.

Process Tip - Make process diagrams look the part

Whatever tool you use to map processes, take your time and make it look good and easy to understand. If your process diagram looks like a plate of spaghetti you’ll quickly find it assigned to the “too hard basket”. Make use of templates and make sure that your diagrams all have a consistent “look and feel”. Where possible make yo ur process maps “interactive”; link them to documents, templates, web pages, intranets, etc. so that they become “living” documents that define the way you do things rather than the kind of 2 dimensional, grey images you find posted on an obscure page on your intranet (last updated in 1999).

Process Tip - How to see the big picture

 

Big pictures (even of pineapples) are very important...

You need to aim to see the big picture as soon as you can  – most people are so focussed on their own particular niche (or silo) that they do not see or are not interested in what the other guy is doing or wants. Everyone is out to make their own little world a better place, but it is up to you to figure out what that world looks like and to change it for the better. Think of yourself as a benevolent all-seeing eye - not Dr Evil.

Process Tip - How to discover the true story

Donkey...suitable for talking the hind legs off of...

Talk to everyone, talk to everyone’s best friend’s sister’s dog. The trick is that everyone knows something, but one person does not know everything. The more people you talk to the more you will fit the jigsaw pieces together that give you the “real” picture of what is going on – the picture that the little people sitting in their sweaty little cubicles can’t see…so talk to people who are part of processes, but also talk to those touched by the processes – but don’t be afraid to also talk to those who have opinions about the processes. Less isn’t more when it comes to process. Obviously you have to manage your chattering within the time constraints of your project…but the more you can talk, the more you will see.

eBook Review - "The Perfect Process Project" by Gary Comerford

In “The Perfect Process Project” eBook Gary Comerford (of The Process Café fame) shares with us some of his 20 years of experience of running process projects.

For those of you with a short attention span – don’t worry – this isn’t a heavy read, nor is it a long one. Gary’s style is very readable, very well presented and will probably take you about an hour to read the 41 pages.

Overall, I like this eBook as it’s highly practical – some good tips that you can actually use to make your projects better (rather than hypothetical hyperbole) and some really good real life examples. I like Gary’s take on “Best Practice” and what that really means, his criticism of the overuse of confusion acronyms and his section on metrics (including his very own “Comerford’s 3 Laws of Metrics”!)

To experienced process professionals much of what Gary is talking about may seem like common sense (and it is) but for those of you (like me) who tend to run solo process projects, I am sure you will take comfort in the book. It’s like a little helping hand to guide you along the way…

When processes fail Humanity

I felt compelled to write this post after reading one of the most horrific news stories I have ever read. It related to the death of a 17th month old boy at the hands of his own "family".

I would suggest that if you are a parent you don't read this story. It is too upsetting. I am a father of three young children and I found it extremly upsetting - but now I feel I have to write about it as the death of this innocent child could have been avoided if suitable processes and procedures had been in place:

- Why were these people allowed to keep this child when he had 50 injuries in 8 months?
- Why was a doctor that was so inept allowed to slip through the system? Where were the checks?

Processes can save lives. Think of the emergency services. But it is hard to understand how a process can fail so awfully that an innocent child dies as a result. Of course, the authorities are conducting "a review" of the processes - but it's all too late.

When lives are at risk, there is no room for any error; no excuses for not getting it quite right.

When processes like this fail - we fail humanity.

Can innovation and process co-exist and are you scared of creative people?

I saw an interesting article today on whether Innovation & Process can co-exist

I totally agree - there is space for innovation & process - in fact, to make continual improvement work we need to be able to break processes and re-build them - that requires creative thinking!

(In this particular instance the chap might also want to consider a collaboration tool, such as a wiki to streamline their RFP process).

However, it also requires the right people - people who can challenge the norm; creative people. I have to say I don't see many creative people working in "big business". I like those kind of people. So why is it that big corporates are so scared of creative people? Are they too difficult to handle, are they too scary?? Are you a creative person? What do you think?

The Process Ninja Widget from Widgetbox now available for your Blog!

Just go here: http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/the-process-ninja