Process Improvement

 

Introduction

What is real process improvement? Process improvement should help you do your job better and reach the organization's business goals.

Wrong Turns in Process Improvement

Organizations frequently believe that process improvement means writing and implementing processes, as if creating huge documents will miraculously make people do things better. The problem comes when managers and engineers try to get these processes adopted. Some people see them as unnecessary or inappropriate. Others are overwhelmed by the vast amount of paper and lack the time to read it, much less implement the practices listed inside. This approach to improvement often wastes time and money.

Another problem is that people often see external standards or models such as the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) or ISO as goals themselves. They become too focused on the activities listed and lose sight of the intent, concentrating on proving they have achieved a standard, rather than ensuring that they are receiving the intended benefits of these practices.

The true value of process improvement is realized when individuals work differently and find benefit in doing so. Not all new practices need to be written as processes. Sometimes teaching new skills and practicing them is enough. Sometimes course materials are all you need. At other times, simple one-page summary sheets are sufficient. The most important reason people write documents is to use them to help do their jobs, but far too often they are written to solely satisfy some other group outside the company (such as ISO). Ultimately, a document should be used as a reminder of what to do. If you are writing documents right now, make sure they are useful.

For processes to improve anything, they must be used. To be used, they must be useful. It is best if they are tested using pilot projects, refined, and then put into more widespread use.

The people doing the work need the appropriate skills to use the methods, tools and written procedures. Helping them acquire the skills to support new or modified processes is the most challenging and time consuming part of process improvement. Often people expect others to start using new processes, methods, or tools simply because they arrive on their desks. In other cases, an overview course is provided with little or no follow-up to ensure that the practices are put into place. Good implementation requires significant training and guidance or assistance as people try the new skills.

Many organizations try to do too much too fast. Once the dust settles, they realize that they cannot sustain what they have created. Improvement priorities should be carefully set and managed so that new practices are introduced at a speed that people can absorb.

Some questions to use to determine if your process improvement program is serving your needs:

• Are the current process improvement activities tied to business goals and, if so, how do you know if they are helping?

• Are the current process improvement activities tied to actual problems experienced by the organization (will working on these issues help you?) This should be true for the organization, projects, managers and practitioners.

• Are you putting enough effort into adopting and practicing new or improved techniques (this should be as high as 60% of the improvement effort)?

• Have the practices been appropriately tailored to fit your needs? Have you run pilot projects using the new practices to make sure they are appropriate?

• Are you collecting evidence that things are improving? This can include anecdotal stories as well as some simple metrics. Even opinion surveys can give valuable feedback.

Summary

Good process improvement efforts balance the business needs, the writing of processes and providing help in getting those processes used.

The true test of process improvement is to look around and see if something has improved. Something should be better, quicker, easier, more enjoyable, or more profitable. If the effort hasn't helped you run your business, it may have been a futile effort and will evaporate with time.