10 Impediments to Achieving Process Excellence

Transcription

1 A BPTrends Clumn April 2010 Dwn Under Jhn Jestn The LITMUS Grup Jhan Nelis TuchPint Business Prcess Services Authrs: Business Prcess Management Practical Guidelines t Successful Implementatins 10 Impediments t Achieving Prcess Excellence Over the years, all f us have tried t cnvince executives abut the imprtance f business prcess. Yu have prbably suggested that they shuld adpt a client-fcused, result-driven, and prcess-fcused rganizatin. The imprtance f these appraches was recently highlighted in the findings f the BPTrends The State f BPM 2010 survey. Unless yu have fund the magic frmula (and, if s, please share it with us all) then maybe we shuld try t find a different way f cnvincing them. We thught humr might help! S let s have a lk at the 10 s t achieving prcess excellence within an rganizatin. Please nte that these types can apply t external and internal cnsultants, managers, and ther prcess prfessinals. The Catastrphic Cyclne The Crude Cwby The Fiery Firefighter The Paint-by-numbers Prfessinal The Re-arranging deck chairs n the Titanic The Manic Mdeler The Pndering Philspher The Crafty Carpenter The Lnely Labratry The Peple as Packages 1

2 Impediment Hw t identify the? (Check applicable bxes. If 3 r mre bxes are ticked the Suggestins n hw t deal with the The Catastrphic Cyclne Lts f initial activity, but eventually mre chas N buy in frm Business As Usual (BAU) staff T busy t dcument N knwledge transfer N business benefits specified, agreed, and delivered N adaptatin t specific circumstances Business Prcess Management is at the heart f the functining rganizatin. Therefre, it is best that BPM prjects are perfrmed predminantly by internal staff. External cnsultants may assist internal staff t understand and perfrm their duties. In ther wrds, a cnsultant shuld nt catch fish, but train peple t catch fish r even better train them t train thers, achieving a multiplier effect The Crude Cwby Wh needs prcess infrmatin when yu can trust yur instincts? T busy t be invlved in prcess imprvement N data is required t adjust prcesses Fighting symptms rather than rt causes Architecture is a dirty wrd Bragging abut wn achievements nt the team s Glbal cmpetitin has intensified, and cmpanies can n lnger rely n ballpark and indicative figures. It was shcking t read in the State f BPM 2010 Survey that a majrity f managers never r rarely used prcess measures. Mst business prcesses need t be high perfrmance, and that requires fine tuning t achieve even higher value. The Fiery Firefighter Wh needs preventive actin, when yu can fight fires as gd as me! Unwilling t delegate Unwilling t explain and train staff / clleague Wuld prefer t cure rather than prevent Restless withut a crisis N strategic thinking A leader cannt d everything alne. True leaders prvide the purpse and visin as well as enabling and facilitating their team t be successful. In ther wrds Be a servant leader. The yardstick t measure gd leadership is the culture f enduring excellence which they leave behind (Chibber). 2

3 Impediment Hw t identify the? (Check applicable bxes. If 3 r mre bxes are ticked the Suggestins n hw t deal with the The Paint by numbers Prfessinal I am creating unique art by fllwing a predefined inflexible apprach. The Re arranging deck chairs n the Titanic Missing the critical aspects: Penny wise, pund flish. Require step by step instructins Always using the same methdlgy, withut deviatin Unable t think innvatively Unable t wrk in a team (wants t d it all by themselves) Methd is central, nt the client, prblem, r business utcmes Obsessed with detail Fcus n perfectin, nt n benefits and pragmatism Ignring the big picture Want t prduce a lt f data and graphs n details Avids difficult issues Business prcesses have similarities, but have crucial difference in the challenges, strategic bjectives, peple aspects, partner netwrk, and IT supprt. Hence, n single step by step guide exists t deal with all these specific issues. It is abut an verall framewrk that prvides guidance, and the skills and interactin f a prcess prfessinals use t make things wrk. Business prcesses are crucial t achieve strategic bjectives. They are nt interesting puzzles that are enjyable t slve. We need t cntinuusly lk at hw business prcesses at the executive level can steer away frm key prblems and then subsequently wrk n the finetuning f the prcesses. The Manic Mdeler Success is defined by number f mdels created, nt by the business value created. Fcus n number f mdels rather than business value Preference fr cmplexity rather than usability Welcmes nly psitive feedback Cnsiders themselves t be the wner f the prcesses Prefers an utdated clr prcess pster t an updated black and white versin Prcess mdels are just a tl t assist the business in managing and imprving the prcesses. They can never becme mre imprtant that the executin f the prcesses. A prcess mdeler is nt the prcess wner just because they mdeled it. The business is and will always be the prcess wner as they are accuntable fr the perfrmance f the prcess. 3

4 Impediment Hw t identify the? (Check applicable bxes. If 3 r mre bxes are ticked the Suggestins n hw t deal with the The Pndering Philspher I have lts f thughts and ideas, but dn t knw hw r where t start. Cntinuus circular reasning Initiate many activities, but never cmpleted them Indecisive Easily influenced by thers Prefer t be perfect rather than t start small Business prcesses imprvement and management cmprises many different aspects and cnsideratins and can be verwhelming at the start. Hwever, as Keynes stated: It is better t be rughly right than precisely wrng. S, it is strngly recmmended t start with small steps, widen the hrizns, keep ding and learning. The Crafty Carpenter I have the tls. Nw what s yur prblem? Every prblem has the same slutin (in this case, a hammer) Tl centric implementatins Insufficient attentin given t human change management Nt pen fr suggestins and feedback Prefers speed abve fit fr purpse It is still amazing t see that in 2010 many BPM prjects are still IT driven. The slutin is pushed by the vendr in an rganizatin that is unable t cpe with the fld f change and activities. Any slutin has t be fit fr purpse within the rganizatin and has t shw hw the prcesses can imprve the service t the custmer and achieving business bjectives. Metrics are critical here. The Lnely Labrant It wrks well within my lab. N idea hw it will wrk in the real wrld. Fcus n theretical mdels and cncepts Uses slely prcess mdels rather than bservatin f the actual prcess executin N understanding f dayt day business Intrverted Prefers t d research rather than finding slutins Business Prcesses cannt be develped in islatins frm its executin. Many prcess issues relate t the incrrect executin f the defined prcesses. 4

5 Impediment Hw t identify the? (Check applicable bxes. If 3 r mre bxes are ticked the Suggestins n hw t deal with the The Peple as Packages Peple are just bxes that yu can arrange and direct hwever yu feel like. Treats peple same as applicatin systems N, r little, fcus n human change management Allcate peple 100%+ f their capacity Des nt distinguish between individuals Cmmand and cntrl apprach Lack f trust and accuntability Peple (nt just staff, but als partners and clients) are at the heart f prcesses. Ignring them ften leads t a very mechanical view n prcesses and rarely leads t any psitive results. 5