I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about a couple of client problems related to turning around a business unit or making a business more efficient. As we’ve delved into the detail of the problems, we’ve discovered that many of the problems are related to simple neglect. Processes were defined years ago, in some cases. Those processes became a part of the culture. Those processes became the ultimate objective of those employees executing the processes and those managing the processes. There was no innovation. There was no optimization. The status quo became acceptable… then it became the unquestioned practice. In one case, IT systems were built around these status quo processes, which further entrenched the existing processes and the people who executed the processes. Meanwhile, the business suffered. Cycle times remained the same. The business could not improve because of culture… because of the poorly automated processes… because of the uninspired workforce.
We’ve been working on a way to organize and codify process improvement initiatives that allows the businesses to manage their processes in groups, or portfolios, in ways that give senior and mid-level managers ways to optimize segments of their businesses at a time. More to come.
