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Capacity building for improving business process interoperability: soft aspects that matter

Natassa Iliadou, ALTEC SA, Greece

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Business processes: the real wealth of companies

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How we define wealth?

What is “wealth” for a company?The Resources?The access to resources?The various material and immaterial assets presented in its balance sheet?...

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On people and knowledge...

Considerable literature focuses on the human resources aspect and the knowledge possessed by them.Obviously both concern “soft” aspects with a high degree of interaction– People possess and create knowledge, – Knowledge is transferred and evolved amongst people, – e.t.c.

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Processes on stage!They are everywhere:

In computer applications and programsIn bureaucratic organisations as e.g. in the public sector– Amongst the employees of an authority (e.g. for receipt and

registration of incoming documents, internal forwarding for signature, communication of a decision, etc.

– In the communication with the citizens (e.g. for the provision of public documents and certificates, etc.)

In the communication we have with our boss as well as our friends

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Process types

“Easy” and “difficult”Simple and complexTime consuming with multiple layers and “quick” ones with only one stageCheap and expensive (in whichever way we define cost)...

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What exactly is a process?

There are many definitions – related with the domain we investigateThey all converge to a common denominator:The existence of a formally defined sequence of steps and functions, with specified input, output, conditions for execution, results, etc.

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Who defines a process?

The companyThe boss of a companyThe employees of the companyThe client(s)GodNobody (in particular)All (partially)All the above!

Which is the right answer?

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Why are processes the wealth of a company? (1/3)

Because a company operates through processes!Even if these do not ‘exist’

Not true: as they take place, therefore they ‘exist’! It is only that they are not documented – in some cases this is extremely good!

Even if they are invented each day from scratchEven if they are ‘bad’, incomplete, error prone, non functional, ...,

They exist!

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Why are processes the wealth of a company? (2/3)

Through the processes, a company:‘experiences’ its presentplans its future (and its new processes)

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Why are processes the wealth of a company? (3/3)

The cost of a company is defined from its processesThe profit of a company is defined, again, from its processesThe value of a company is defined - guess what! - again from its processes!

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Consequently...

Processes are of central importance of the corporate “food chain”:With ‘bad’ processes you have neither a present nor a futureWith ‘good’ processes you have both!

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What does this mean?

Threats and diseases:Process-maniaProcess-phobiaProcess-overflowProcess-plexiaProcess-anexia

Of course, for every disease there are different treatments!

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Αegrescit medendo (1/2)

What does this mean?The disease worsens with the treatment (or else: the treatment is worse than the disease!)

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Αegrescit medendo (2/2)

What else does this mean?Much (much) money spent to consultants, IT companies, management overhead costs, (much much) waste of time, and (many, too many) lost opportunities!And the worst of all: disappointment

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Disappointment...

As bad as enthusiasmMain difference: enthusiasm lasts only for a whileWhy is it bad? Because it hinders learning. After any process-disease, the company, the Management and the employees are ready to learn (after they got exposed to the experience...)Disappointment disables learning– The same is caused by blameshifting, assignment of

responsibilities (usually to the innocent or less involved...)

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The solution (a solution!)

A ‘holistic’ framework that:Concentrates all employees, customers, suppliers and collaboratorsHelps in the design, the implementation, the execution and the monitoring of the corporate processesUses as a shadow capital the mistakes of the pastRecognises the future challengesAnd does all these together, continuously, with all possible instruments and all the powers that reside in the ‘system’

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In short we talk about…

A capacity building infrastructure that takes care of and improves soft skills of employees and customers!

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About soft aspects

Relates to a sad reality faced by many (high technology) companies:– They are not lacking on human resources to take or

make decisions, – BUT they are lacking all the necessary underlying

constituents frequently described as ‘soft skills’ and capacities, which can make the difference

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How we came to this finding

We realised that several of our innovative systems and applications simply failed in aspects related to – deployment, – adoption, – usage and – uptake

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Also…

We bitterly recognised that a great part of our developments was ignoring the real user, while our programmers – analysts – technical managers and project managers (see picture next) had little intentions to improve their attitude.

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Soft aspects

Are generally ignored but…Seem to now get more attention

Why?Because we all have experiences with the suboptimal results when ignoring them

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Purpose of our investigation

Provide the tools and techniques for managers and supervisors to build and maintain strong working relationships with their employees.This will enable managers and supervisors to manifest Vision, Values, and Commitment in the workplace. The environment is designed to facilitate productive, frequent, and motivational dialogue between supervisors and employees, and among employees.

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Goal

The environment is generally dedicated to equip managers and supervisors with specific techniques and processes in order to foster an open and communicative environment and employee engagement through a truly inclusive approach

Specifically:1. Improve overall business process production, execution,

and quality2. Maintain/increase existing employee commitment to the

various business processes

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Goal (cont’d)

3. Retain quality people in critical positions4. Enable managers to feel more competent and

confident to meet daily challenges of managing employees in the corporate context

5. Help managers provide clarity to employees on how/where they fit within the organisation, thereby increasing loyalty and commitment

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Desired result

Every employee – will perceive that he/she is an important, valued member of

the team; – will be motivated to achieve high standards of business

process performance and conduct; – will experience an open, communicative environment in which

he/she feels free to surface ideas, questions, issues, and/or concerns about processes of his/her responsibility;

From the supervisor’s perspective, they – will overcome what many supervisors experience as the

“caution syndrome” in order to feel once again that they are “driving the bus” in terms of running their work groups.

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Soft Skills Most Sought After by Organisations

Demonstrate effective interpersonal relations.Demonstrate self-management strategies.Work within teams.Creatively solve problems.Make Decisions.

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Social Skills are Needed to Enable an employee to:

Cooperate with others.Interact within the work place.Advance to new positions and responsibilities within the organisation.

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To Advance to New Positions an employee must be able to:

CooperateAccept supervisionWork within diverse environmentsResolve conflict.Provide supervision for others.

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Demonstrating Self Management Strategies Requires the Ability to:

Display responsible personal behaviors.Display responsible work behaviors and time management effectively.Display the ability to solve problems effectively and creatively.Display an ability to make decisions when necessary.

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In short it is all about…

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We (tried to) build on lessons…

Lesson nr 1:

There is no such thing as “IT Project”

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Other (equally important) lessons…

Business alignment is one of the key factors blurring the line between IT and business. IT is now embedded across many of the processes and operations that run today’s organizations. Think about it. Computer systems and databases route information throughout a company and keep coworkers, customers and contacts talking to each other. Software runs customer service applications, coordinates the distribution of goods and is necessary for administrative functions to be accurately completed. In short, IT no longer functions as a separate entity. As a result, technology professionals are required to frequently collaborate with their cross-departmental colleagues. In order to do so, IT practitioners must speak in a language that those outside the computer world understand, be familiar with the unique needs of various end users and be able to devise technology solutions that help solve business challenges.More than ever before, the IT department must take a service-minded approach, treating internal teams throughout an organization as its customers.

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The serious side …

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And the very serious side …

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From all this mess we focus on…

Implementation procedures…

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Salient action points for capacity building

Identification of training needsTraining techniquesSoft skills such as communication, motivation, team building, attitudinal change, leadership etc.Net working skillsProject monitoring and evaluation

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Emergence of the Versatilist

Source: Gartner's Top Predictions for 2006 and Beyond. Gartner Research.

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Business AlignmentIT is embedded in many functions that run today’s organizations, regardless of industry, such as:– Accounting– Operations– Sales/Marketing

IT staff must:– Collaborate with cross-departmental colleagues– Speak a neutral language– Understand the unique needs of end users– Think strategically– Take a service-minded approach

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Soft Skills Needed

Effective communication skillsMotivation, drive, willingness to learnAn understanding of business fundamentals (multiple domains)Customer serviceProject management, leadership and consulting skillsContinuous improvement, knowledge of best practices, following emerging trendsThe ability to collaborate with peers, colleagues, users, external clients and vendorsBusiness acumen, ability to act as a change agent within the organization

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Evaluating People’sSoft Skills

Develop competency models (existing vs. lacking soft skills)Look beyond just tasks and business processes - qualities required to complete them– E.g. Patience, leadership, conflict resolution, ethics, sales,

customer service, motivation, attitude, professionalism, etc

Look at top performers, consult customers

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Helping People Develop Soft Skills

Provide training in non-technical areasLeverage in-house resourcesEncourage staff to enroll in business-training coursesProvide workplace and working hours flexibility

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Thank you for your attention.