Whenever I design a new system or re-engineer one, I add a couple of things into the system design to help with these problems. They are as follows:
1. Visibiity: This is pretty easy to build into your system. Just make it impossible to cover up things. The KISS principle applies here as well as the principle of checks and balances. The benefits are that it is a two edge sword. On one hand, it will show all problems as soon as they happen and will make the cause (if designed correctly it is the root cause) evident and thus more easily remidied. On the other hand, when the system works well, it will also show. If you take this to application, it shows employees as being consistant, quality minded, and proactive or in need of training, overcomplexity of the system or in need of discipline.
2. Consistancy: Build your system so that it is foolproof. During the design process run through the process 3 times; backwards, forwards and then backwords again. flow charting can help but it is still possible to miss internal and external affecting factors. Play devils advocate relentlessly during this process. It may be a harsh technique but if you can throw everything possible at the system and it still holds true when you're done, you have something that will be reliable.
3. Documentation: Documenting the system is very important. Going through all the detains of exactly what steps must be peformed, where it will be recorded, what information is desired to be kept and who will do it lead toward reliable system integrety. Even if you are not in an ISO or QS environment, the exercise is essential. The document is not a waste because you can then use it as a trainint tool. Documentation is not ment as an end all and be all as most currently expect it to be. It is only another tool. but by documenting the steps, rules and policies, management has something to stand upon and hold people to.
4. Training & Implementation:
How you implement is very important. I am a firm believer in documention where it's needed, but the documentation must be accompanied by training and then coaching. Whenever you re-engineer or develope a new system and desire to implement it, you are inflicting change. The success of implementation is all in how you manage the change process. Change management is the key. 1st document the system, make sure that all involved in the system have been part of the process, providing input and helping you to run the system to find holes. pay attention to likes and dislikes. This is cultural and is a very important part of your system design. 2nd, train those who will use the system. Tell them why, what is behind it, educate them, don't just teach them what to do. This does not lead to understanding, smooth implementation, longevity or continuous improvement. 3rd, coach. Once implementation has begun, the designer/trainer should be on the sceen, gently guiding the users of the system. humor and sarcasism are great tools, make the mistake seem silly, laugh at it and move on. We're all learning afterall. It is the attitude that makes the implementation successful. If you make it a stressful experience, implementation will not be successful, so make them understand, comfortable with the adaptation process, OK to make a mistake then fix it. This also breeds teamwork and discourages finger pointing. it also breeds higher quality because there is less fear.
These of course are not generally new ideas but they are applied in a unique manner. If ndone correctly, not only will you have a successful implementation but it will happen alot quicker than you expected at a much higher reliablility level yeilding higher quality.
