Process is the intersection of Intent and Action. Intentions are what characteristics or behaviors are important to the organization. The Process requires specific Actions to execute that Intent.

Why Process is Important

In order for organizations to scale beyond the capabilities of individuals, there needs to be way to ensure that critical actions are performed consistently and correctly. For example, food must be cooked to the proper temperature to ensure the food is safe for customers to consume.

It is true that most individuals would take the correct and appropriate action without any additional process. However, we all make mistakes. The Process is a safety net to try to ensure all critical steps are completed with minimal mistakes.

Key Attributes of a Good Process

Having worked in many types of organizations ranging from startups (which have no process) to huge multi-nationals (which have too much process), I believe there are some key attributes of a good process.

Intent Has to be Clear

As noted above, a process is really a combination of two key elements: Intent and Action. The Intent needs to be clear to everyone following the process.

In larger organizations, I have been asked to follow time-consuming processes which I did not understand. Even when I asked I was not given a good explanation. I found these processes draining.

Organizations need to take the time to ensure that all members are clear on why the process exists, and more importantly, what are the key values behind the process.

Action Needs to be Well-Defined

Every Process should have well-defined Actions. Going back to the fast food example, it could be measuring the temperature of the food before passing it down the line.

By contrast, Processes with vague Actions like “Every code change must be documented” is incomplete and ineffective. Does creating a JIRA ticket satisfy documentation? If so, how is my change related to that JIRA ticket? 

A better version of the process might be:

• Every code change requires a JIRA ticket. The ticket should reference the reason for change and how it was tested.
• When submitting a code change, there reference to the JIRA ticket must be included in the comment. Format of comment should be “TCKT-1234: <reason for change>“.

Processes Need to be Re-Evaluated

Remember, Process are extra steps we are asking people to take and that does increase overhead. The key questions are:

• Is the Process working as expected? Are we getting the intended results?

• Does this process cause unnecessary overhead? If so, what can we do to minimize this overhead?

In my experience, Processes are not evaluated and modified frequently enough. 

As I noted above, I’ve been asked to follow processes where no one could explain the Intent. If no one can explain the Intent, then do we need the Process?

Another example is adding dependencies without appropriate checks and balances. In a prior organization, all PROD changes needed to be reviewed by Operations, which made a lot of sense. However, there were no timelines for approval and deployments could be delayed for months! 

In this case, the intent is clear, but there needs to be some defined timelines on the Actions around the Process.

Communicate the Values behind the Process

Ultimately, Processes should drive behaviors which are key to the organization’s values and success. It is important for the organization to communicate those values and what are acceptable tradeoffs.

For example, if food safety is paramount, then its acceptable to implement a process which may slow down the line, but ensures customer safety.

The communication of values will help those who are following the process refine the process as they go forward.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the definition, implementation and execution of a Process all need to be balanced. I have seen a lot of Processes implemented without the necessary communication and review, which has led to a lot of friction. That friction results in the Process being poorly executed, which defeats the original Intent of the Process.

On the other hand, a well-communicated and well-defined Process with clear Intent can help organizations scale while maintaining key values and scale!