Proving the value of process: If it moves, measure it, if it doesn't move, measure it

STOP! Don't do anything. Sir, move away from the process. Before you think about changing any process for the better there is one thing you must do: MEASURE.

Why measure when you know it's broken? Why measure when it's already caused a catastrophe? I'll tell you why; because one day some little prick with a bald head and a bad suit will come along and say "how can we justify all this spend on process?" and if you haven't measured anything you will have nothing to disprove him. He'll pack up your little process shop and go back to counting his beans, happy in the knowledge that he's saved money - even though we know he's cost more money in the long run.

So here's what you do - measure everything. Measure before you start, measure when you're finished and keep measuring when you're done. After that, start measuring again. You must always be constantly aware of where you are - that way when you make a change you can measure exactly how much you've achieved and thereby prove the power of process. Process is your compass, but if you're in the dark you'll never see where you've come from or where you need to go.

- TPN

Comments

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=706163946]

Excellent points TPN, as usual.

A real world example of this that I can offer is losing weight, since it is something I am working on at the moment.

Losing weight is a process. Would anyone seriously consider losing weight properly without first knowing how much they started weighing, and then subsequently how much weight they are losing through dieting?? NO!

And would you stop measuring your weight completely after you have reached your weight target??

Well... here is the thing; if you DO stop measuring just because your "losing weight project" has completed, then you are likely to find your weight starts creeping back up.

So, rather than being sufficiently aware of the situation and finding the pounds piling on as they happen, and being able to adjust your diet real-time to manage... you will find you're back to square one, having to invoke yet another major weight-loss diet project.

[The Process Ninja]

Nice analogy and one that many of us can relate to!!!