Why Processes? - Contd...

Part 3:

Since we can’t leave tasks to be performed differently by different individuals, we try to streamline activities by framing processes around them.

But, why is quality always looked at as ‘documentation’ or an overload of that? Why should we document? Is there any relationship between ‘process-focus’ and ‘documentation’ at all? Do we need SEI or ISO to tell us we are process-oriented? Why?

Let us take the example of your mother making ‘Dal’ or some delicious ‘Sambar’ in her kitchen…

She has the process ‘institutionalized’ in herself. She is habituated to making it a thousand times. Hence, she need not go through a manual or look at a written down process. She knows clearly what she is doing.

On the other hand, you/your wife/sister/brother want to emulate her cooking skills. You need to note down (document?!) the process, follow it a few times until you become an expert!

Alternatively, you could watch her and repeat the steps. But that is not scalable! You can’t really pass it on to the others who may want the recipe…

That is exactly what we do in business. We have some experts. They have tried and tested many recipes for successful projects. They have documented all that worked (and those that did not too!). If they had not documented or felt lethargic about it, we would be reinventing the wheel now! What a waste of everything it would have been?!

Now, you may ask me, why do I have to document my own project-related details (why a requirements document, a design doc and a test plan)? Well, wait for me to continue on more ‘whys’…

Why Processes?

Part 1:

Those of you who have ‘worked’ with me ;-) would know how much I philosophize on this subject. The main reason being, all the quality manuals/policies/procedure documents/guidelines/templates of any company would have loads and loads of information on How/What/When/Which/Where/Who and what not? But, there would not be any mention on “Why we need these processes”. May be the Quality Evangelists always thought that this is a silly question. And, it is “understood”.

The fact of the matter is, unless we face a challenging situation, we never realize, as practitioners, “Why” we need these processes.

Without asking a “Why” knowledge is not complete. For those of you who follow Tamil and have watched our evergreen “Puratchi Thalaivar” singing “En endra kelvi ingu ketkamal vazhkai illai” (translated “there is no life if we do not ask the question why”).

Asking a why enriches the knowledge by making one understand the rhyme and reason for every theory/concept/action.

So, again, WHY processes?
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Part 2:

There are successful small-timers who do not have processes. But they have to have the same set of people executing the projects.

So, first step, we need processes so that what person A does very well is repeatable by person B (and all the others), in more or less the same precision as person A. This is the baby step towards becoming BIG. Avoid ‘people-dependency’.

Else, we would stay in that ’small-timer’ position until we breathe our last.

However, the choice is yours! Do you want to grow “BIG” or remain where you are and be contented with that? Ask yourself…

More to come…