Email Sign Up

HOMELab Blog

Process Management

PRODUCTS & SERVICES > Process Management

Our Services

PDL continues to evolve the next generation of its process Improvement and management methodology, which we bring to our clients through our workshops and our consulting services.

Workshops - The Process Design and Management Workshop focuses on the Process level and presents our robust, practical and proven methodology for the analysis, design and management of business processes. 

Consulting - PDL can provide consulting services for the following:

Our Experience

PDL’s process improvement, design and management roots go back to Geary Rummler’s pioneering process work for Motorola and GTE in the early 1980’s. With the publication of Improving Performance – How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart, in 1990, the Rummler-Brache process improvement and design methodology became the standard for such organizations as Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Chevron, ABB and DuPont. With the formation of Performance Design Lab in 1999, Geary Rummler and his partners have endeavored to take the methodology to another level with a particular focus on process management and the linkages to value chain and enterprise management, Business Process Architecture, and IT alignment.

Over the past 20 years, PDL partners have been involved in the improvement of hundreds of critical processes for dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Geary Rummler is currently the chair of Brainstorm’s Organizational Alignment & Performance Symposium Series, working to bridge the alignment gap between IT and business. 

Process Improvement and Management Today

Back in the early 80’s process was a new concept to most organizations. Today process is generally recognized as fundamental to achieving organization results. Despite this increased attention and focus organizations today still stumble in their attempts to improve and manage this fundamental component of their business. Some of the key stumbling blocks to achieving process improvement results are the failure to view process improvement in the larger systems context, including clear definition of the organization's process architecture and the failure to address the management system surrounding the process.

More and more, the mantle of Process Improvement has shifted to the IT function due to the automation of many of the organization’s processes. IT organizations are struggling with moving from their traditional project approach to a more process based approach – one that will lead to more successful and aligned IT solutions.

Our Methodology

An important differentiator of PDL’s state of the art methodology is always viewing process improvement and design projects in the larger systems context of multiple levels of performance - Organization, Process and Job/Performer (Human or Technology Performers) Operationally that means that the process design must be aligned with customer requirements, organization strategy and goals, and is not complete until the job/performer level and supporting IT systems are fully aligned with process requirements. The result is a tight alignment between organization, process job/performer and technology goals. The methodology also addresses redesign of the supporting management system ensuring that they stay in alignment.

PDL’s improvement methodology spans the four phases of a project – definition, analysis, design and implementation - and the five dimensions of design - process, information technology, process management , change management and project management and had built in the key differentiators that Dr. Geary Rummler and his partners have learned in over 40 years of improving processes.

Contact us to learn more about what our Process Improvement and Management Practice can do for you. 


Process Analysis and Design / Redesign

Process improvement methodology spanning 4 phases (Definition, Analysis, Redesign and Implementation) and five dimensions of design (Process, Information Technology, Process Management, Change Management and Project Management):

  • Agile, optimized business processes for sustainable results

Needs addressed include:

  • Gaps between required performance and process results
  • Slow, bureaucratic processes
  • Silos between organizational functions
  • No well-designed processes
  • No mechanisms in place to launch new capabilities or products
  • Waste in the way work is performed

Back to top


Process Implementation Planning and Support

Support for getting new or redesigned processes successfully institutionalized:

  • Process designs executed

Needs addressed include:

  • Failed process improvement efforts
  • Good designs that never get implemented
  • Slow, unsatisfactory implementation progress
  • Organizational history of poor implementation

Back to top


JIT Coaching

Expert advice and real-time instruction in process improvement methodology, tools and techniques for process improvement teams, help in integrating different improvement approaches into a coherent methodology:

  • Effective and efficient process improvement projects

Needs addressed include:

  • Stalled or uncertain improvement teams
  • Delays in critical projects
  • Requests for help from improvement teams
  • Disagreements about methodologies or tools

Back to top


Value Chain/Value Stream Analysis and Design/Redesign

PDL’s time-tested improvement methodology applied at the value chain (mega-process) level:

  • Optimized value chain and consistent delivery of value to customers

Needs addressed include:

  • Misalignments in the value chain (e.g., new product development vs. sales, sales vs. delivery)
  • Mismatches between value chain and market changes
  • Cross-functional misalignments
  • Dissatisfaction among key customers

Back to top


Business Process Architecture Definition

Methodology for identifying and aligning an organization’s key business processes against business requirements and to determine how to organize and implement formal process management. This service is a precursor to Process Management System Design :

  • Clarity about what processes are critical and need to be designed and managed for sustainable performance

Needs addressed include:

  • Lack of understanding or agreement about what processes exist or are critical to organizational performance
  • Slowness in responding to changing business conditions or issues
  • Focus on functional silos; lack of cross-functional collaboration
  • Lack of linkage between IT efforts and business needs
  • Process documentation or improvement efforts at a low level, without a driving business reason

Back to top


Process Management System Design

Given a defined business process architecture, this service is to design and implement a formal governance infrastructure for key processes that is integrated with the organization’s existing management system. This service focuses on the process level, but is often a sub-set of Org IQ service:

  • Effective process management

Needs addressed include:

  • Failed process management
  • Process owners uncertain about their roles
  • “Process” has become a contentious word
  • Process management is in place but not producing value
  • Conflicts between process owners and line managers

Back to top


Process Managed Organization (PMO) Journey

Assistance in helping management design an effective journey to becoming a process-managed organization. Typically includes most of the Process Services listed above:

  • An effective process-centered organization

Needs addressed include:

  • Vision of becoming process-centered but no plan or insight about how to get there
  • Stalled efforts
  • Confusion about the goal or the means to get there

Back to top


Strategic Lean Six Sigma

Puts traditional six sigma approach into “organization as a system” approach and focuses on projects that contribute to strategic intent or competitive advantage. Includes design of management system:

  • Real results from six sigma investment

Needs addressed include:

  • Languishing six sigma effort
  • Lots of projects with little bottom line impact
  • Need for integration with other improvement efforts
  • Need for connection to real business needs

Back to top


IT Department Transformation

Assist IT management to redesign IT department for better alignment with business and more effective product and service delivery:

  • More effective IT support

Needs addressed include:

  • Dissatisfaction with IT
  • Costs and wasted effort
  • Increased demand for IT services
  • Mismatches between IT mission and demands

Back to top

Contact Us

Phone: 616-881-2488

Fax: 616-784-1163

Email:
pdl@thepdlab.com

 


Products & Services | Workshops | News & Publications | About PDL | Case Studies | Lab Blog | PDL Community | Contact Us
Copyright © Performance Design Lab 2006 • Website by Advance Design Interactive