Chapter 1.3: The Purpose of Process

The purpose of process is to create customer value.  That is a processes reason for existence.  While this may seem obvious when placed in print, in practice it can be less apparent.  Process can become both the end and the means.  When the sole measure of processes performance becomes “did we control execution of the process?”, then controlling the process becomes primary objective - not its creation of value.

Imagine a symphony orchestra; fifty extremely talented musicians led by an accomplished conductor.  In addition to these artistic people, there is sheet music to establish the procedure, and instruments as the tools.  There is a process in place to create beautiful music for the audience.

Remove the conductor and the sheet music and the result is a cacophony of sound that is out of control and of no value to anyone.  Symphony musicians have the skills to execute their individual activities; but are unable to apply those skills without sufficient control structures to guide them.  It is relatively easy to determine what skills are necessary to perform an activity.  It is more difficult to determine the appropriate level of control in order to deliver the desired value.  In the case of a symphony, the complexity of the music and the difficulty in its creation requires highly structured control.

Figure 1.5:  Do we really need process?

The purpose of process is to create value.  The question is not if process is requires, but what level of control is needed to govern the process’ value creating activities.

Allowing music to form spontaneously is known as jamming.  Jamming is a process.  IT has people (musicians), tools (instruments), and procedures (undocumented).  The musicians and the instruments involved in a jamming process may be the same musicians and instruments that are also involved in a symphony process.  Just as in the music world, there are situations in some organizations where a jamming process is to most appropriate and others where a symphony process is more suitable; it depends on the type of value to be created by the process.

If the answer is an innovative solution to a problem, then jamming may be appropriate. But if the answer is a carefully designed and constructed solution then the mix of people, procedures, and tools may be more structured to create the appropriate value.

A jamming jazz quartet does not require, nor is it even beneficial, to have the same level of control needed by a symphony of 50 musicians.  The purpose of process is not to control but to create customer value.  In practice only the minimum level of control should be applied for what is necessary to govern the process.  Enforcing more process control than is needed is a waste of resources and may reduce the ingenuity and innovation of the value created by the process.