Indiana Jones and the BPI project of doom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwl/3271472731/in/set-72157605226236207

Indiana Jones and the BPI

project of DOOM

Kevin Watt

VP Process Innovation

Westaedt

www.westaedt.be

Cue the music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bTpp8PQSog

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Indy knew his next business process improvement (BPI) project would have as much importance to his archeological career as finding the holy grail, so he knew he had to chose wisely.

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With the help of the company Westaedt. He learned that in order to get the “Jellybean of the ancients”, he had to invest as little time and capital as possible on potentially unsuccessful BPI Projects.

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Indy knew that success didn’t mean completion! Completion doesn't matter unless the deliverables are put to productive use in ways that change and improve how the business operates. . . . . . That’s Success!

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Dubious BPI propositions are sometimes hard to spot. There are some however, that are more easily identified.

Improvement projects that have no chance of success!

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Here’s 4 indicators he learned to look out for:


Size matters: Any business improvement project with more than 7 core team

members and a completion date more than 8 months after launch is dubious. Any project with a core team of 20+ members and more than two years to make its deadline has a chance of success that is technically greater than a snowball in hell -- but not by very much.

1

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Indy says

These can be made successful! Break them into smaller projects, each with no more than seven core team members and six months from start to finish. Another benefit of doing this is that large BPI projects tend to let “work dodgers” hide in the pack. Now they can run, but they can’t hide.


There’s no point: When all is said

and done, businesses process improvement has three main forms of benefit: 1. Increased revenue, 2. Decreased costs, 3. Better-managed risks. Any other supposed benefit is either a means to getting one or more of these, or it isn't a benefit at all!

2


Try fostering the attitude: NO revenue/NO cost-reduction/NO risk management = No project By following this discipline your life will be made a lot easier, because simple cost-cutting and revenue consideration will clear most of these BPI projects from the table before they even reach your desk.

Indy says

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No one wants to come out and play: No business executive was

willing to “come and play” and sponsor the project! Then forget it! Business change is SCARY!! Even when high-level executives are willing to stick their necks out and take risks to make it happen. If no business executive wants change enough to sponsor the business process improvement project, it won't lead to anything useful. . . . . . . Ever!

3


Talk to whoever is responsible for project governance and point out that since nobody seems to want the project's results enough to serve as a sponsor, the company should invest its resources in a business process improvement that business leadership does want. When you go to politely crack your whip, do NOT go empty handed. Have at least 2-3 cherry picked BPI projects on hand, so that they can review them and make an informed decision.

Indy says


A cardboard sponsor: Sometimes a BPI project has a

sponsor in name only. These are easy for the business process manager to spot: The sponsor is never available for update meetings, ducks important decisions, fails to commit resources to the project and informs the project manager when issues arise, “Not my problem, you deal with it."

4


All projects are about business change. Therefore include the tasks, deliverables, and participation required to make business change happen in all projects. This means the project plan will now include specific tasks that have business participants' names on them. If your “Sponsor” doesn’t show up, recommend to the executive committee that because the “Sponsor” is often unable to attend, the company is better off cutting its losses than continuing.

Indy says


Summary of indicators: 1. Size matters 2. There’s no point 3. No one wants to come out and play 4. A cardboard sponsor Indy swears by this and his BPI project success rate has never looked healthier!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwl/3478660349/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Kevin Watt

VP Process Innovation

Westaedt

[email protected]

www.westaedt.be

Image inspiration from Flickr: St3f4n, Hyku, kwl

Thanks Indy!

Indiana Jones and the BPI project of doom

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