Reengineering Useful in Down Times?
You'll remember that business engineering got a lot of press in the nineties. I revisited Hammer's book to see just what is applicable today. Here's Hammer's part of a list of things to do to make sure your process works (Hammer, 201-213).
- Don't fix the process - change it.
- Focus on process, not trivialities. Look for big issues to address, or don't bother.
- Focus on values and beliefs as part of your process. Ignore them? Ignore your employees who are watching very carefully for a reason not to help you.
- We talked about trivialities. Minor results are the same. Big results, or don't try.
- Don't give up. Well, that's obvious, but how many instances can you supply where a company you are involved with gave up too quickly?
- Don't constrain the scope. Everything is on the table, or nothing.
- Move through, around, by culture if you must. Don't get mired down.
- Bottom up doesn't work. Without the support of senior management, you've got nothing.
- Now here's one that I don't like so much: Don't assign someone who doesn't understand reengineering to lead the effort. Well, remember, this book was written by consultants. They want you to hire them, and no one else. Remember that when you decide to hire them or not.
- Reengineering has to be at the top of the agenda. Focus on the most important items that are likely to get the biggest results.
- One project at a time, and only one project at a time. Concentrate your efforts if you want to succeed.
- Don't stop when folks resist change. Resistance just might be healthy indication of results just over the horizon.
- Get things done. Don't take too long. Get going.
Hammer, Michael and James Champy. Reengineering the Corporation. A Manifest for Business Revolution. HarperBusiness. 1993.