Process & Organization Design

Modern organizations are under constant pressure to produce more, make better use of resources, and keep costs to a bare minimum.   The ways you can approach this need are limited to changing how the work gets done, changing who does the work, or changing how the groups that do the work interact.  The first involves changing work process or the steps required to perform a task (e.g. pay a bill, fix a broken water main, and reach out to customers).  The second and third involve organization and roles.  Training and staff development also play a part and this is addressed under our training capability.

To understand how we can work with you to execute these changes let’s look at two scenarios.  The first is a professional services organization with increasing staff costs and declining sales.  The second is a public utility that has implemented a new billing system only to discover that staffing has gone up and error rates have not improved.

The rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, competition in most industries will probably speed up even more in the next few decades."
— John P. Kotter Leading Change

Solution

In each case we would recommend a joint client and consulting team with makeup depending on skills, availability, and budget.  The steps shown will always be adaptable to local corporate practice.

Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have—and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up."
— James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, Flight of the Buffalo (1994)

Scenario I

In the case of the professional services group the steps are designed to establish alignment between corporate goals, process, structure and roles in order to change the corporate sales outlook.  The focus is on the future not on the current process and structure.

Scenario II

In the case of the public utility an overall business model is not required.  The focus needs to be on the billing processes that were automated.  Our focus needs to be on defects and waste in the process.  Using a range of process tools including many borrowed from lean practices, we will identify process and organization improvements that simplify process and take advantage of the automation.

Outcomes

Measureable change in one or more of the following:

• Cost
• Capacity
• Sales
• Job Satisfaction
• Facility & Equipment Utilization

Project Team Roles

(Roles may be full or part time depending on team, project size, and risks both to success and to the sponsoring organization).

• Project Manager – Responsible for cost, schedule, and quality as well as integration of the effort
• Change leader – Responsible for defining who is impacted and how. Leads effort to prepare the impacted staff for transition and post-transition activities
• Communications Lead – Responsible for engaging stakeholders at all levels in a planned manner that supports overall project objectives
• Analyst – Responsible for data, requirements, financial, and process analysis
• Training lead - Responsible for planning developing and executing any required training.  This includes content, scheduling, equipment, materials, facilities and any required trainers

TBO can fill these roles with individuals to augment your team or entire teams contracted to meet your objectives.  Alternatively we can provide coaching or progress assessments to your team enabling an internal team to achieve corporate goals.

Resources

Scenario I - Professional Services Firm
Scenario II - Public Utility

Improve Processes When Implementing ERP

Leadership Strategies for Org Change

 

 

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