Works in Progress
I'm currently working on two books:
 | Process Management will deal with my model for process management. I've nearly completed the chapter on control (that's where I've started) which revisits Shewhart's pioneering work on the subject and repositions it using modern computer (PC) based techniques. In addition, I'll show how economic considerations can be used to more rationally set control limits and other out-of-control alarms and to develop strategies for out-of-control action plans. |
| Performance Measurement will expand on several of my journal articles on this subject and in particular the half-life method and balanced scorecard. |
I'm also working on several journal articles including:
| Setting
Improvement Priorities” |
This working paper proposes a methodology for prioritizing processes in need of improvement. It follows the same approach used in Quality Function Deployment. Through a series of interconnected matrices, it moves from alternative stakeholder strategies to stakeholder requirements and then to the underlying business processes. Through a customer and competitor gap analysis, it produces a numerically weighted list of processes in need of improvement. This list also points to the appropriate set of metrics and goals for incorporation in a balanced scorecard. The approach’s feasibility is demonstrated by its application to the three alternate strategies proposed by Treacy and Wiersema. It awaits a real application.
| “Managing
Processes: 7- Steps to the Voice of the Process” |
ISO 9000, TQM, SPC, metrics, scorecards, 6s, reengineering, ... are they all different concepts or just parts of an integrated system of process management? This article develops and demonstrates a comprehensive 7-step process for managing processes. It shows how these apparently disparate approaches are really pieces of an overall system for managing processes. The model highlights two areas that have not yet been adequately addressed: process characterization and the “re-engineer or incrementally improve?” decision process. It also proposes a new approach to the process control step.
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In an earlier article, I established criteria for good metrics and applied them to the order fulfillment process. However the new product development process differs in two critical ways: it is much more complex and it is usually subject to unpredictable exogenous changes during its execution. In this article I propose the two dimensions of complexity and chaos as differentiators of business processes and argue that traditional results and process metrics become ineffective for complex and chaotic processes such as the NPDP. A case study is presented that demonstrates one organizations unsuccessful attempt at several cycles of refinement of results metrics for the NPDP. Based on this experience, I have concluded that a focus on the process itself, as well as the use of revenue modeling and simulation may represent more fruitful approaches to the management and improvement of new product development.