Like most of you, I sit amazed at the downfall of South Carolina's governor, Mark Sanford. I have mixed emotions. Sure, he committed a sin. But this is between him and God to sort out. Not me and you to judge him.
A part of me feels bad for him. Since the revelation, I have spoken several prayers for him and his family. It is sad in so many ways. But life moves on hopefully in a good way for him and his family.
Governor Sanford heard a voice. We all hear the voice. The words entice us to do something we know is wrong. At times, the voice comes at us in an incessant whisper. Often, it screams at us and seems to push and pull in an effort to get us to listen.
The essence of life is how we respond to this voice. In short, without a solid relationship with God, we will never be able to ignore the voice. Even with God, the voice will nip at us. It will never quit. Jesus himself was often tempted by the voice but he never gave in to the voice.
There are two concepts in process improvement that come to my mind as I collect my thoughts on this issue. Both involve the management of variation.
First, there is a statistical control chart. Control charts are great tools for controlling a process and are often implemented in the control phase of a six sigma project. From a control chart, we see multiple sources of variation. We see the variation WITHIN a subgroup and the variation BETWEEN a subgroup. For the chart to be effective, the variation WITHIN must be minimal in order to detect variation BETWEEN groups of collected data.
Second, analysis of variance (ANOVA)is a tool often used in the analyze phase of a six sigma project. ANOVA compares the means of two or more populations. It does this by comparing the variation WITHIN each population to the variation BETWEEN the populations. One of the assumptions in ANOVA is the variation WITHIN is the same for each population. For example, say we have five machines in our department and each machine produces the same part. It would be good to know if the machines produce similar output. ANOVA will compare the output WITHIN each machine to the output BETWEEN machines. If the variation WITHIN is larger that the variation BETWEEN machines, the machines may be seen as the same even if there are noticeable differences between the machines.
So by now, hopefully you have picked on the concept of variation WITHIN something and the variation BETWEEN somethings. Let's make it personal. We all have variation within ourselves. Part of this variation is the voice that I mention above. To be good professionals, parents, and spouses, we must work to minimize this variation. If you drink too much, stop! If you never exercise, start!
One of God's commandments is that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Well, we can't love others (analogous to variation between) if we don't love ourselves. (analogous to the variation within). This is why I am so passionate about personal and professional development. If we don't reduce the variation within our lives, it is silly to think we can positively influence the lives of others.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Five Steps for Improving Municipal Government Work Processes
From the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) website (www.icma.org) :
“Process improvement efforts systematically document, analyze, and reduce redundancies and inefficiencies in processes. The best systems focus employees on customer needs to drive improvements. They require time and management commitment across the organization.”
Well said.
My main “take aways” from this paragraph are the need for process improvement and the importance of meeting customer needs. But let’s make sure this is more than just lofty rhetoric.
Every organization needs a structured approach for improving processes. Any sound process improvement technique will have customer needs as an integral part of any activity.
Here is a simple and effective five step process for improving processes.
Step One: Define the Project
You should always start with a definition of the project. Often, there is a rush to action without truly knowing where action must be applied. Spend time (as painful as it may be) up front laying out the case for the project and constructing a context for the team to work through in the project.
The project definition should always start with the voice of the customer. Start this voice by identifying as many project stakeholders as possible. Stakeholders are all departments, people, entities, etc. that may be affected by the results of the project. (internal and external customers are examples of stakeholders) They deserve to know about the project before it starts. Their input will be valuable to help the team formulate a plan for action.
Other key components of a project definition include:
a. The project team
b. The team leader
c. The project’s scope
d. A business case for the project
e. A mentor for the project
f. A goal for the project
g. A metric for the project
Step Two: Measure the Process
As part of the project definition, the business process needing improvement must be defined. In step two, the team starts understanding the process. Measure its current performance by mapping the process steps and collecting as much performance data/information as you can.
Techniques for measuring a process include:
a. Simple process flow diagram
b. Deployment diagram
c. Value stream map
d. SIPOC diagram
e. Videotaping the process in action
f. Time studying the process in action
g. Brainstorming
Step Three: Analyze the Process
Now that you have thoroughly measured the process, take time to analyze the results of the measurement. Within the data and information is a story. You are looking for tangible opportunities for improvement. A key concept in the third step is the relationship between inputs and outputs.
Simply defined, a process converts inputs into outputs. Outputs are what customers require and are what we see and notice. When we say a process needs improvement, we are really saying an output must improve. To improve an output, we must improve inputs. The analyze step helps define the key inputs driving outputs.
Techniques used in the analyze step include:
a. Fishbone diagram
b. Nominal group technique
c. Matrix diagram
d. Scatter plot
e. Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA)
Step Four: Improve the Process
Once you hone in on the key inputs, you should have a good sense of what is needed for the process to improve. Now, take actions to improve the process. Use the PDCA cycle to implement your ideas. First, develop a plan (P) for implementation. Be clear on what you will try, experiment with, or implement. The plan is just a plan if you don’t put it into action so be sure and enact or do (D) the plan. You don’t know if it will work but you will not know until you try. Once you do the plan, take time to check (C) the results. What did you learn? What went right? What went wrong? Using the results of your check, decide on the next actions (A) to take. Do you go back to the drawing board and develop a new plan? Do you need more evidence? Did you like the results enough to permanently enact the changes? Whatever the case, go back to the plan step and start a new journey through the cycle.
Step Five: Control the Process
Once you have implemented and verified improvements, be sure and implement controls to sustain the positive results. If this step is skipped, the process could revert back to its previous state. Implement controls to keep an eye on the process and to alert the team if more opportunities for improvement arise.
Example of process controls include:
a. Process audits
b. System audits
c. Control plan
d. Statistical process control
“Process improvement efforts systematically document, analyze, and reduce redundancies and inefficiencies in processes. The best systems focus employees on customer needs to drive improvements. They require time and management commitment across the organization.”
Well said.
My main “take aways” from this paragraph are the need for process improvement and the importance of meeting customer needs. But let’s make sure this is more than just lofty rhetoric.
Every organization needs a structured approach for improving processes. Any sound process improvement technique will have customer needs as an integral part of any activity.
Here is a simple and effective five step process for improving processes.
Step One: Define the Project
You should always start with a definition of the project. Often, there is a rush to action without truly knowing where action must be applied. Spend time (as painful as it may be) up front laying out the case for the project and constructing a context for the team to work through in the project.
The project definition should always start with the voice of the customer. Start this voice by identifying as many project stakeholders as possible. Stakeholders are all departments, people, entities, etc. that may be affected by the results of the project. (internal and external customers are examples of stakeholders) They deserve to know about the project before it starts. Their input will be valuable to help the team formulate a plan for action.
Other key components of a project definition include:
a. The project team
b. The team leader
c. The project’s scope
d. A business case for the project
e. A mentor for the project
f. A goal for the project
g. A metric for the project
Step Two: Measure the Process
As part of the project definition, the business process needing improvement must be defined. In step two, the team starts understanding the process. Measure its current performance by mapping the process steps and collecting as much performance data/information as you can.
Techniques for measuring a process include:
a. Simple process flow diagram
b. Deployment diagram
c. Value stream map
d. SIPOC diagram
e. Videotaping the process in action
f. Time studying the process in action
g. Brainstorming
Step Three: Analyze the Process
Now that you have thoroughly measured the process, take time to analyze the results of the measurement. Within the data and information is a story. You are looking for tangible opportunities for improvement. A key concept in the third step is the relationship between inputs and outputs.
Simply defined, a process converts inputs into outputs. Outputs are what customers require and are what we see and notice. When we say a process needs improvement, we are really saying an output must improve. To improve an output, we must improve inputs. The analyze step helps define the key inputs driving outputs.
Techniques used in the analyze step include:
a. Fishbone diagram
b. Nominal group technique
c. Matrix diagram
d. Scatter plot
e. Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA)
Step Four: Improve the Process
Once you hone in on the key inputs, you should have a good sense of what is needed for the process to improve. Now, take actions to improve the process. Use the PDCA cycle to implement your ideas. First, develop a plan (P) for implementation. Be clear on what you will try, experiment with, or implement. The plan is just a plan if you don’t put it into action so be sure and enact or do (D) the plan. You don’t know if it will work but you will not know until you try. Once you do the plan, take time to check (C) the results. What did you learn? What went right? What went wrong? Using the results of your check, decide on the next actions (A) to take. Do you go back to the drawing board and develop a new plan? Do you need more evidence? Did you like the results enough to permanently enact the changes? Whatever the case, go back to the plan step and start a new journey through the cycle.
Step Five: Control the Process
Once you have implemented and verified improvements, be sure and implement controls to sustain the positive results. If this step is skipped, the process could revert back to its previous state. Implement controls to keep an eye on the process and to alert the team if more opportunities for improvement arise.
Example of process controls include:
a. Process audits
b. System audits
c. Control plan
d. Statistical process control
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Wilderness of Business and Life
God's chosen people were working as slaves in Egypt. None of them chose this path in life but it was all they knew. They had food to eat and a roof over their heads so things could have been worse. Then along comes Moses who, on behalf of God, tells the slaves that they were to be freed and delivered to a wondrous land. "Sounds great" was the reaction. "What about the Pharaoh?"
Moses boldly tells the Pharaoh to let the people go worship their God for three days in the wilderness. Pharaoh says no. God then starts the plagues to work on Pharaoh and to test Moses' strength and courage.
As the plagues progressed, the Pharaoh cracks the whip on the slaves. His thought was if they had enough time to wonder in the wilderness for three days surely they needed more work. The overworked, chosen people grab Moses and tell him to stop. "Just leave well enough alone. Things were tolerable until you came along."
But God and Moses did not quit. Eventually, the people leave Egypt and enter the Wilderness. They no longer had rules and structure to live by. No one told them how to live and what to do every day. In short, they had no standards for living.
Well, it doesn't take long for the complaints to start about hunger and thirst. Gratitude gave way to material needs. God listened and provided.
Soon after entrance into the Wilderness, God begins to implement standards for living. We all know about the Ten Commandments but there were many more. In very specific detail, God (through Moses) gives instructions for living and worship. All he asked of the people was to obey the rules and they would reach the land flowing with milk and honey. At times, they struggled to follow the standards and God acted to bring them back to the laws and rules.
In 1996, my company decided to pursue QS9000 registration. It was a painful experience that initially seemed to be an exercise in tree killing. All we did was write procedures and instructions dispersing stacks of paperwork throughout the organization.
I learned several things during the registration process. First, any workplace must have standards. I'm not saying they must be good or bad standards but only that they must exist. Standards are the basis for continuous improvement. How can you improve a process if you don't know what it is? You define the process by creating standards for work. Train people to the standards and hold them accountable to the standards. If they don't follow them, actions must be taken to bring work back to the standards. As simple as that.
Without standards, you have organized chaos. The technical term is variation. One person does the work differently from time to time. Multiple people perform the work differently over time. The effect is cumulative and usually has bad business consequences. Variation leads to inconsistent product and services. Inconsistent product and services lead to unsatisfied customers.
Moses boldly tells the Pharaoh to let the people go worship their God for three days in the wilderness. Pharaoh says no. God then starts the plagues to work on Pharaoh and to test Moses' strength and courage.
As the plagues progressed, the Pharaoh cracks the whip on the slaves. His thought was if they had enough time to wonder in the wilderness for three days surely they needed more work. The overworked, chosen people grab Moses and tell him to stop. "Just leave well enough alone. Things were tolerable until you came along."
But God and Moses did not quit. Eventually, the people leave Egypt and enter the Wilderness. They no longer had rules and structure to live by. No one told them how to live and what to do every day. In short, they had no standards for living.
Well, it doesn't take long for the complaints to start about hunger and thirst. Gratitude gave way to material needs. God listened and provided.
Soon after entrance into the Wilderness, God begins to implement standards for living. We all know about the Ten Commandments but there were many more. In very specific detail, God (through Moses) gives instructions for living and worship. All he asked of the people was to obey the rules and they would reach the land flowing with milk and honey. At times, they struggled to follow the standards and God acted to bring them back to the laws and rules.
In 1996, my company decided to pursue QS9000 registration. It was a painful experience that initially seemed to be an exercise in tree killing. All we did was write procedures and instructions dispersing stacks of paperwork throughout the organization.
I learned several things during the registration process. First, any workplace must have standards. I'm not saying they must be good or bad standards but only that they must exist. Standards are the basis for continuous improvement. How can you improve a process if you don't know what it is? You define the process by creating standards for work. Train people to the standards and hold them accountable to the standards. If they don't follow them, actions must be taken to bring work back to the standards. As simple as that.
Without standards, you have organized chaos. The technical term is variation. One person does the work differently from time to time. Multiple people perform the work differently over time. The effect is cumulative and usually has bad business consequences. Variation leads to inconsistent product and services. Inconsistent product and services lead to unsatisfied customers.
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