Process Work Changes People’s Thinking
I am still amazed at what can be accomplished by improving the process first and then looking at how technology can support the process. I have always been a big advocate of looking at process first. Yet, still today I see great cases of studying the process first and then implementing supporting technology. In most cases, the technology needed to support the process is simpler than the original technology plans.
The rewarding part of the work is having success in an area that was hesitant to have the process work done. An area claiming just to need the technology. After completing the process work and seeing the benefits, that same area starts to ask for more process work to be done. That is a great feeling.
Another benefit of getting people to see the benefit of doing the process work first is they start to ask more questions around the end-to-end process. People start to see the entire process and the affects a change has in one area can have on another area. The end-to-end discussion becomes easier for people to have.
This shift in mentality can start to break down work silos and get more people engaged in the entire process.
Are you doing end-to-end process improvement at your company? Is it starting to change people’s perspective?
Posted on April 8, 2013, in Engagment, Process, Technology and tagged Business Process, Engagement, Mindsets, Process Improvement, Technology. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
Beyond Lean 
Not only is it motivating for your people to start by fixing the process first it is also far less costly. Reaching for technology ahead of it doe not only result in buy it in the wrong size, but often buying what you do not really need. Capital is far costlier than most organizations realize, yet far to often it is the first direction people turn.
Companies like Toyota embraced lean ideas originally because they had zero access to capital, so they learned to firts fix what ever they could and only use capital when they had no other choice. Half their recent troubles rult from a shift to using capital faster.