why processes rule and how to make them better
DESCRIPTION
Comments are highly appreciated! My view on processes, their design and the general pitfalls of processes in corporate environments. As an example, I added my view on how recruiting processes should work, which is a work in progress.TRANSCRIPT
WHYPROCESSES
RULE
WHAT IS A PROCESS?
In engineering a process is a set of interrelated tasks that, together, transform inputs into outputs.
OUTPUTINPUT
PROCESSES ALLOW US TO BREAK COMPLEX THINGS INTO
UNDERSTANDABLE PARTS
Drawing out a process forces us to consider and research the actual tasks in a work flow,
allowing us to understand it better.
PROCESSES ARE EVERYWHERE
Most of them are natural and based on common sense. The best processes are the
natural way of doing things.
EVERYTHING IS ISN’T A PROCESS
There are things and there are processes. A process can make a thing into another thing, but
a thing is not a process.
A PROCESS ALWAYS PRODUCES RESULTS
They will not automatically be good or even the correct results, but it will always give out a
result.
PROCESSES ARE EVIL
Bad processes are the son of Satan, yes. Especially those which are forcefully implemented. The good
ones we don’t even notice.
1. We don’t know why we have a process2. We don’t know what the process is 3. We don’t know how to use the process
THE 3 PROBLEMS?
WHY DO WE HAVE A PROCESS?
Without everyone understanding the benefit of the process, it’s really hard to
motivate people to follow it.
ONE
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
If the people don’t understand what the process does, what’s the input and the output, it creates
more problems than solves.
TWO
THE PROCESS IS A PAIN IN THE ASS
This feeling usually stems from poor usability. An IT system is a thing, not a process, but often people
think that a system is a process.
THREE
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE USE PROCESS AS A SWEAR WORD
We don’t know why we have a process, what it does and even then it’s a pain in the ass to use because it
was designed for someone else but me.
ooE
SECRETLY, EVERYONE WANTS A GOOD PROCESS
That’s why we copy the good ones constantly, without even knowing them. “Did you see how those guys do this and that, we should do this
and that too!”
HOW CAN I MAKE PROCESSES RULE AGAIN?
NO PROCESS IS BETTER THAN A BAD PROCESS
A bad process can be a road heading to the wrong direction. We don’t want to go there. Don’t develop processes because processes
are a must.
ONE
PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS PREFER THE SHORTEST ROUTE
That’s a good thing. Don’t think them lazy, think them efficient. They are on to a process,
improve on that.
TWO
NO ONE CARES OF YOUR PRECIOUS IT SYSTEMS
A system is nothing but a tool, don’t assume that buying a system will immediately
improve your work. It won’t.
THREE
UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE PROCESS
If you can quantify your process, it’s much easier to see its impact. Without real data,
you’re just guessing.
FOUR
IF THEY COMPLAIN, IT’S BROKEN
This is very simple: A good process helps people be better and make it easier at their
work, not cause them more work.
FIVE
COMMUNICATE THE PROCESS
Don’t just implement – communicate and inspire. Let people know why and what the
process is all about. Then listen.
SIX
beans
BUILD AROUND THE PROCESS
Once you understand your process, design it usable. You might not have the tools to use
the process - even when the process is good.
SEVEN
O
buzzsaw
i
CHANGE MANAGEMENT MEANS YOU HAVE ALREADY FAILED
If people are fighting against the change, it means the change is not for the good. Sure, people resist, but if you provide something
better, they will use it.
EIGHT
START SMALL, GROW SLOWLY
A process shouldn’t be a massive megasloth. Start with small, important issues and when
they work, go deeper.
NINE
ii
DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL
No process will be correct the first time around. Try, test and iterate. That is the path
towards greatness.
TEN
MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC
We might have the most computing power ever, but we’re using less automation than
ever. That has to change.
ELEVEN5
BREAK IT INTO PIECES, THEN PUT IT BACK UP AGAIN
Everything is easier to understand, when it’s in small enough parts. Imagine your process as a
pile of Legos.
TWELVE
1. Learn why you have a process, turn it into numbers2. Draw out and clean the process, communicate it3. Design process tools that people want to use
THE THREE MAJOR STEPS
END OF PART 1
zZzzz
ii
PART 2
EXAMPLE: RECRUITING
“I CHOOSE A LAZY PERSON TO DO A HARD JOB. BECAUSE A LAZY PERSON WILL FIND AN EASY WAY
TO DO IT.”
Bill Gates
Bill Gates
RECRUITMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PERSONAL THING.
It’s been handled face to face or at least through the telephone. That model was based on the concept of apprenticeship and comes
from a time of age long working careers.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF JOBS HELD BETWEEN 18-46 YEAR OLDS IN THE USA
9.2 9.8 11.3
1976-1998 1996-2000 1978-2010
Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor
WE DON’T WANT A LONG CAREER.
They want to earn when they need to and they want to change often and the market has
responded to this.
WE CAN DIVIDE THE MASS RECRUITMENT PROCESS
INTO FIFTEEN STEPS
01 Create a job advertisement
02 Job posting finding
03 Job application
04 Data gathering and sorting
05 Initial qualification
06 Create interview lists
07 Interview acceptance
08 Interview scheduling
09 Final qualification
10 Participant messaging
11 Work contract creation
12 Offer other suitable jobs
13 Signing
14 Starting
15 Follow-up
Benefit: Create once, use many times. Better data from the start.
GET GOOD DATA NOW, BENEFIT LATER
The better data, the more automation we are able to perform in the future.
01 Create a job advertisement
Benefit: API allows use in several channels with a single data input.
MAKE JOBS EASY TO FIND AND SHARE
Once we have good data, we can share it into many systems and user interfaces.
02 Job posting finding
Benefit: Better forms to deliver just the necessary information and better data through design.
ASK ONLY WHAT’S NECESSARY
We defined the needed info, let’s stick to that.
03 Job application
Benefit: Less time used because less applications to go through
AUTOMATIC STACKING
You don’t need all of the applications, weed through them automatically.
04 Data gathering and sorting
Benefit: Keep people happy by letting them know that you’re not interested and not waste your own time doing so.
SPECIFY PARAMETERSAND EXECUTE
Poor matches are automatically refused, stored and sent a “thank you for participating” message.
05 Initial qualification
Benefit: Easy to use and quick lists, already put on schedule into right size groups
SIZABLE CHUNKS AUTOMATICALLY
Don’t make a list of a million names, make twenty lists of ten people instead.
06 Create interview lists
Benefit: Less hassle, less options means fuller group interviews and automation means less calls made in order to get the interviews
SCHEDULE INTERVIEWS AUTOMATICALLY
Accept your interview with a simple airport style SMS with a YES/NO option for a pre-selected time.
07 Interview acceptance
Benefit: Less manual work, more time to actually prepare for the interviews
LET PEOPLE DECIDE AND ROBOTS HANDLE THE REST
Automatic scheduling and conflict solving. The less calls, the more functional it gets.
Benefit: Less manual work, more time to actually prepare for the interviews
08 Interview scheduling
Benefit: Better communication, all the tools and info ready at the interview
THE TOOLS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS
Give the interviewer a tool to view and recommend people for jobs in the same tool.
09 Final qualification
Benefit: A happy client is a good client
LESS MANUAL LABOUR
Once the decision is made, the system automatically sends a message to all.
10 Participant messaging
Benefit: No copies of files, no downloads or attachments, clean and thorough process
AUTOMATIC CONTRACTS
Once the best ones have been found, the system will send the proper work contracts.
11 Work contract creation
Benefit: You only hire a small part, why waste the rest?
IF NOT THIS THEN THAT
A lot of people will not get the job, can we match then with others we have?
12 Offer other suitable jobs
Benefit: If you already built it, it’s good to use it more often
MULTI-PURPOSE TOOLS
Use the interview tool to schedule a signing time with approved candidates if they can’t sign online.
13 Signing
Benefit: Happier clients, better results and a good start for the new job
FIRST TIME USER
It’s nicer to start a new job when you have all the relevant information available.
14 Starting
Benefit: You already chose them once, they might be good enough for another job
STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FORMER EMPLOYEES
Keep contacting your chosen ones when a good match hits the scanner.
15 Follow-up
THIS IS A STARTING POINT FOR IMPROVEMENT AND
DESIGN
