“Diligence is the mother of good luck.” February 1736
Ben Franklin understood that self-improvement is a lifelong affair. He developed a chart to track how well he adhered to the virtues he espoused as essential to a good life. Ben even made a “black mark” any time he failed to live up to his goals.
We can follow the same philosophy for how we manage our operations. We must be diligent in our efforts to find ways to improve our processes. That means we must continue to work on our workflow.
In established organizations, people often accept the way things are done because “we’ve always done them that way.” The methods appear to work well, so there’s no reason to make changes. No one stops to ask about the logic behind the current process.
Leaders should regularly evaluate processes. Walk through each step, interviewing operators, programmers and users. Don't take any part of the process for granted. Many times what you think should be happening actually isn't. And steps you’ve never considered are important.
The most important question to ask during these interviews is "Why?" Note the reasons for conducting each step. A good follow-up to "Why?" is "What if that step failed or was eliminated?" The answer may show that the step is either redundant or a potential critical point of failure.
In addition to talking with your employees, involve your customers – internal and external. Ask about any service failures or errors made by your department. Inquire whether they’ve made changes to their processes, or anticipate changes in the near future.
Customers are often reluctant to complain. This is especially true for in-plants, as your customers are also co-workers. They don’t want to get anyone in trouble. A good question to use is, “What can we do better for you?”. This open-ended question starts with a positive tone, and will help elicit more responses.
This is an exciting time for our industry. New technologies, including artificial intelligence, are rapidly changing the services and products we provide. Implementing these new technologies also present opportunity to improve our workflow.
For departments that transform data files into physical documents, the processes of yesterday won’t work tomorrow. Software is able to analyze files and determine the printer that will produce the best output and the finishing equipment that will deliver the best results. By adding information regarding service level agreements, new products can ingest all digital files and create a schedule that maximizes performance of people and equipment.
Similarly, software and cameras can improve processing inbound mail and packages. Handwritten addresses, improper addresses, even incomplete addresses can be decoded. Inbound packages from carriers can be analyzed ahead of receipt to assign staff to different delivery routes. However, taking advantage of these new technologies means changing existing workflows. Today – and tomorrow.
A simple tool in helping improve workflows is making them visible to everyone involved. Hang oversized posters displaying the workflow in the production space. These posters become teaching aides for new employees or when a new issue arises. During team meetings, allow employees to mark up the workflows to show alternative paths.
Consider sharing digital versions with your clients. As discussed above, they may be considering changes. Understanding your processes can help them improve theirs. In-plants can post on their intranet page or SharePoint site. For external copies, created a password-protected page to secure confidential information.
One truth about improving processes is that your work is never done. New technologies, changes in business, a better understanding of your customers; these all will lead to the need to adjust your processes to remain efficient and effective. Be proud of your organization, but never remain satisfied.
Be diligent, and continue to work on your workflow.
