What is a good process...?

As we put together procedures for one of our clients to help them make their business more efficient, the question I kept asking was, what makes a good process? And then I was trying to explain why you need to have procedures written down?

Using my degree in Human Sciences, a "bit" of life experience (!) and learning from mistakes along the way, its clear that without some kind of structure, us humans find it difficult to work together for a common aim/goal. And if you don't "read" people right, then what you put together or describe won't enable people to follow what you're trying to explain.

In order to have a process described though I think you must first understand how it works. I've used physical post-it notes on a wall:

[See photo]

or a computer generated process map using either a software package or placing text boxes one after the other (pretty laborious!) or pen and paper (and I always run out of space whichever way you start or turn on the paper!). Each option worked for that project but could equally have used another option just as well/as badly!

So, how does one tailor things to how people learn or respond best without compromising one's ability to manage one's own workload? And does one method fit all? I think the answer is simple. Although you can build a common structure you have to individualise the way you instruct people to follow it. A good company or leader or coach will realise this and will keep trying different methods until they find the one that fits that individual or group of individuals. You need a good tool bag of tricks that you know works.

At the moment I think we are in a very exciting and interesting phase there is so much information, so many different tools, and so many different medias to utilise to help get the message across. The difficult bit is trying to find out which bit works! If I'm honest, this is the bit that I love! I love the challenge of finding a way to make and keep it simple, clear and effective without losing sight of the end goal and the aspects that need to be included in order to maintain a strong structure.

Writing down a process doesn't have to be the "written word" or complicated either. Being able to use photos, videos, one-to-ones, group training as well as electronic or hard copy words, are just a few of the ways one can describe your process. Cool little apps that help you put it all together e.g.:

- Auditor to document an effective audit tool/checklist [ http://www.auditforms.net ]

- AdobeVoice to do an audible video [ https://standout.adobe.com/voice/ ]

- Trello to strategise a work process or project [ https://trello.com/platforms ]

to name but a few

And cloud-based storage facilities that allow you to access your work wherever you are with wifi or access to a data network on any number of different electronic devices.

All of these things help keeps things portable and if you do them right, can target the vast majority of the population's learning styles (a whole different topic for discussion!), but the ability to print it out for those that need something tactile to read or learn from is still a very important tool to remember!

Knowing people and knowing that not everyone will have had the same education, reached the same or even basic education level and will have very different learning and life experiences that dictate their reactions to instruction and most obviously to change, is also vital to remember.

THE most important thing that I've learned, is to make sure it's dead easy to get to. You can make the most beautiful document of your important processes but if people can't find it, it's worthless and a waste of your time!

And it's not just me who thinks so either! One of this week's blog articles from Enterprise Nation lists having good processes which "plan, do, check, measure" as number 3 on their list of Things you need to do in your first year running a business:

[to read the article you may have to join Enterprise Nation first:

https://www.enterprisenation.com/users/new ]

If you want more than one person to do a task or take part in one that is replicated, then you need to present it as a process. Without it, you will be repeating yourself, getting irritated that the other person isn't doing it "properly" or worse still, your business will suffer because the end product is inconsistent and ultimately of varying quality.

So then, what is a good process? One that is simple, effective, produces the same outcome each time and allows for variations on how it's delivered to cater for different people's learning styles. But that's just my conclusion. Would be really interested to hear someone else.

Next time "Creating a QMS just why would you want to and how?!..."