The world has changed. Why is this happening? Smartsheet transforms your work.
This article was written because I wanted to focus on the recent shift in Scrum at our agency. This is what happened after our small PM team was certified ScrumMasters earlier in the summer. Crema is a Midwest-based tech agency and innovation agency that specializes in building custom web and mobile applications for a wide range of clients. Since the beginning, we have been focusing on agile methodologies and are constantly striving to improve our craft. I mean constantly.
Let’s just say that our love for LaCroix cannot be overshadowed by our commitment to continuous improvement.
Although a brief case study may be interesting to some, I realized that key lessons could be applied to any team trying to implement anyprocess.
A process improvement could be as simple or complex as adding a tag to your project management tool, or even reorganizing the approval process for a release.
You have a lot of things you want to improve, whether you are a DPM in a small agency or one in a larger organization. You may be able to make changes that will help you reach your project and team objectives more effectively. Although it may not be as simple as flipping a switch to make it easier, there are ways to make the process less daunting.
Five Tips to Make Process Improvement Easier
No matter how large or small your organization, these are some things you should remember when you implement a new process.
#01. Be Empathetic
This could be the most important value in project management. However, empathy should prevail when incorporating a new process. This change will likely have an impact on someone’s workflow, or their preferred method of doing things. We are all creatures that are accustomed to our routines. Even if the process changes are beneficial in the long-term, there is a chance that it will cause some discomfort before everyone feels the true benefits.
Try to see process changes through the eyes of everyone who will be affected. Better yet, gather multiple perspectives before you roll out any process update. You can make adoption more effective by bringing in more people earlier and understanding the downstream effects of a change.
It may take more time than expected for team members to fully embrace the change. Remind them of the benefits and offer to help them overcome any obstacles.
#02. #02. Be strategic
There’s a time for everything. Process improvement is no exception. I am currently managing a project in which we made a quick decision to move from Asanato ZenHub just a week before the development began. We felt the benefits outweighed the risks and moved everything over after the whole team had given their approval. We have learned a lot about the new tool and process. Although it was a bit unconventional, we knew it was the right approach.
Our PM team may also discuss ways to improve the process for a particular project. We will use the project to test and report back to our team with any learnings or challenges. Once the team has agreed to the measurement, the changes are rolled out to other related projects.
It contains a little bit of “strategery”.
A few key variables are essential to improving a process: time, cost, project, team and cost. If all of these factors are in place and there is a common desire to move forward, then pull the trigger! Be sure to keep an eye on the situation and take appropriate action.
#03. #03. Be Realistic
It would be wonderful if you could make a process improvement a reality in an instant, but these things are more common than not. Conversations. And commitment. Remi