- Management Reference Guide
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Strategic Management
- Establishing Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
- Aligning IT Goals with Corporate Business Goals
- Utilizing Effective Planning Techniques
- Developing Worthwhile Mission Statements
- Developing Worthwhile Vision Statements
- Instituting Practical Corporate Values
- Budgeting Considerations in an IT Environment
- Introduction to Conducting an Effective SWOT Analysis
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part One
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part Two
- Customer Management
- Identifying Key External Customers
- Identifying Key Internal Customers
- Negotiating with Customers and Suppliers—Part 1: An Introduction
- Negotiating With Customers and Suppliers—Part 2: Reaching Agreement
- Negotiating and Managing Realistic Customer Expectations
- Service Management
- Identifying Key Services for Business Users
- Service-Level Agreements That Really Work
- How IT Evolved into a Service Organization
- FAQs About Systems Management (SM)
- FAQs About Availability (AV)
- FAQs About Performance and Tuning (PT)
- FAQs About Service Desk (SD)
- FAQs About Change Management (CM)
- FAQs About Configuration Management (CF)
- FAQs About Capacity Planning (CP)
- FAQs About Network Management
- FAQs About Storage Management (SM)
- FAQs About Production Acceptance (PA)
- FAQs About Release Management (RM)
- FAQs About Disaster Recovery (DR)
- FAQs About Business Continuity (BC)
- FAQs About Security (SE)
- FAQs About Service Level Management (SL)
- FAQs About Financial Management (FN)
- FAQs About Problem Management (PM)
- FAQs About Facilities Management (FM)
- Process Management
- Developing Robust Processes
- Establishing Mutually Beneficial Process Metrics
- Change Management—Part 1
- Change Management—Part 2
- Change Management—Part 3
- Audit Reconnaissance: Releasing Resources Through the IT Audit
- Problem Management
- Problem Management–Part 2: Process Design
- Problem Management–Part 3: Process Implementation
- Business Continuity Emergency Communications Plan
- Capacity Planning – Part One: Why It is Seldom Done Well
- Capacity Planning – Part Two: Developing a Capacity Planning Process
- Capacity Planning — Part Three: Benefits and Helpful Tips
- Capacity Planning – Part Four: Hidden Upgrade Costs and
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 1
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 2
- 20 Major Elements of Facilities Management
- Major Physical Exposures Common to a Data Center
- Evaluating the Physical Environment
- Nightmare Incidents with Disaster Recovery Plans
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process – Part Two
- Automating a Robust Infrastructure Process
- Improving High Availability — Part One: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Two: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Three: The Seven R's of High Availability
- Improving High Availability — Part Four: Assessing an Availability Process
- Methods for Brainstorming and Prioritizing Requirements
- Introduction to Disk Storage Management — Part One
- Storage Management—Part Two: Performance
- Storage Management—Part Three: Reliability
- Storage Management—Part Four: Recoverability
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part One
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part Two
- Meeting Today's Cooling Challenges of Data Centers
- Strategic Security, Part One: Assessment
- Strategic Security, Part Two: Development
- Strategic Security, Part Three: Implementation
- Strategic Security, Part Four: ITIL Implications
- Production Acceptance Part One – Definition and Benefits
- Production Acceptance Part Two – Initial Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Three – Middle Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Four – Ongoing Steps
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part One – Objectives
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part Two – SWOT
- Case Study: Implementing an ITIL Service Desk – Part One
- Case Study: Implementing a Service Desk Part Two – Tool Selection
- Ethics, Scandals and Legislation
- Outsourcing in Response to Legislation
- Supplier Management
- Identifying Key External Suppliers
- Identifying Key Internal Suppliers
- Integrating the Four Key Elements of Good Customer Service
- Enhancing the Customer/Supplier Matrix
- Voice Over IP, Part One — What VoIP Is, and Is Not
- Voice Over IP, Part Two — Benefits, Cost Savings and Features of VoIP
- Application Management
- Production Acceptance
- Distinguishing New Applications from New Versions of Existing Applications
- Assessing a Production Acceptance Process
- Effective Use of a Software Development Life Cycle
- The Role of Project Management in SDLC— Part 2
- Communication in Project Management – Part One: Barriers to Effective Communication
- Communication in Project Management – Part Two: Examples of Effective Communication
- Safeguarding Personal Information in the Workplace: A Case Study
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 1: Building a Manageable Schedule
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 2: Tracking and Reporting Availability
- References
- Developing an ITIL Feasibility Analysis
- Organization and Personnel Management
- Optimizing IT Organizational Structures
- Factors That Influence Restructuring Decisions
- Alternative Locations for the Help Desk
- Alternative Locations for Database Administration
- Alternative Locations for Network Operations
- Alternative Locations for Web Design
- Alternative Locations for Risk Management
- Alternative Locations for Systems Management
- Practical Tips To Retaining Key Personnel
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Using IT Consultants and Contractors
- Deciding Between the Use of Contractors versus Consultants
- Managing Employee Skill Sets and Skill Levels
- Assessing Skill Levels of Current Onboard Staff
- Recruiting Infrastructure Staff from the Outside
- Selecting the Most Qualified Candidate
- 7 Tips for Managing the Use of Mobile Devices
- Useful Websites for IT Managers
- References
- Automating Robust Processes
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part One: Quality and Value
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part Two: Benefits and Use of a Quality-Value Matrix
- When Should You Integrate or Segregate Service Desks?
- Five Instructive Ideas for Interviewing
- Eight Surefire Tips to Use When Being Interviewed
- 12 Helpful Hints To Make Meetings More Productive
- Eight Uncommon Tips To Improve Your Writing
- Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Fire Drills
- Sorting Out Today’s Various Training Options
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 1
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 2
- 12 Tips for More Effective Emails
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part One
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Two
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Three
- Asset Management
- Managing Hardware Inventories
- Introduction to Hardware Inventories
- Processes To Manage Hardware Inventories
- Use of a Hardware Inventory Database
- References
- Managing Software Inventories
- Business Continuity Management
- Ten Lessons Learned from Real-Life Disasters
- Ten Lessons Learned From Real-Life Disasters, Part 2
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 1
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 2
- 15 Common Terms and Definitions of Business Continuity
- The Federal Government’s Role in Disaster Recovery
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 1
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 2
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 3
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 4
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 1
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 2
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 3
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 4
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part One
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Two
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Three
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Four
- The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- The Origins of ITIL
- The Foundation of ITIL: Service Management
- Five Reasons for Revising ITIL
- The Relationship of Service Delivery and Service Support to All of ITIL
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part One
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part Two
- Characteristics of ITIL Version 3
- Ten Benefits of itSMF and its IIL Pocket Guide
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Delivery Processes
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Support Processes
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part One: Service Delivery Processes
- Case Study: Recovery Reactions to a Renegade Rodent
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part Two: Service Support
- Case Studies
- Case Study — Preparing for Hurricane Charley
- Case Study — The Linux Decision
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at an Aerospace Firm
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at a Defense Contractor
- Case Study — Evaluating Mainframe Processes
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part One: Quantitative Comparisons/Natural Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Two: Quantitative Comparisons/Man-made Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Three: Qualitative Comparisons
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Four: Take-Aways
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part One: Planning
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Two: Planning and Walk-Through
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Three: Execution
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Four: Follow-Up
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part One: Qualitative Measures
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part Two: Quantitative Measures
- Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part One: What Did the Team Do Well
- (d) Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part Two
This section was written by David Pultorak.
Improving Business Process Management, Part One
Some common prescriptions for business process pain not only do not cure the pain, they often make it worse. This article lists and describes the first five of ten 'Bad Medicines' for business process pain—commonly used prescriptions for process improvement—along with 'Better Medicines'—alternative prescriptions for business process pain.
We have all had the occasional pounding headache. What if the medicine you take does not make the pain go away? What if it actually makes it worse? Would you take it the next time? In the case of business process improvement, seemingly against all reason, their prescriptions remain in common use, even when they have been shown to be ineffective. These prescriptions often have side effects that make matters worse or, at best, are ineffectual. For each bad medicine described below, an alternative prescription is offered to help you get better results from your business process improvement efforts.
Bad Medicine Number One: Keeping it real...not! This business process "cure" is divorced from reality. It advises you to manipulate documentation: abstract descriptions of process flows, roles, forms, and screens. You end up with a lot of slick charts and tables beautifully compiled into hundreds of pages of process documentation and no real results. Alternate prescription: Keep it real! Focus your efforts on getting actual behavioral changes in the people that perform the processes. Aim at getting people to perform the process differently than before. Create process documentation only where and to the extent it supports behavior change. Measure progress by qualitatively changed behaviors rather than the number of documents delivered.
Bad Medicine Number Two: Magic Pills. The classic panacea, this "cure" promises results without effort or reflection: instant gratification. All you have to do is buy the "all-singing, all-dancing" tool or methodology that, beyond the decision to acquire it, requires no "messy", or difficult decisions. Side effects of this prescription include spending lots of time and resource on selecting the perfect solution. Alternate prescription: Reflect and act! A "pill" can be part of a solution, but reflection and action is necessary. Focus on getting the message – the process aim -- right "between the ears" of those who enact the process, and setting the expectation that reflection and action at the individual contributor level is a "basic and expected"—something that they will be measured on, and something that is in fact essential to relieving process pain. Work to create a shared vision of a compelling outcome and a strong commitment to it. Balance high-immediate-ROI/low commitment projects with high-deferred-ROI/high commitment programs and projects.
Bad Medicine Number Three: The Tool is the Process. Here the prescription for suboptimal or "broken" business processes is to buy a tool that will create a new process. The assumption (unlike the Magic Pill, where it is assumed that the tool is a panacea), is that the tool is the process. In this prescription, there is nothing else to do but use the tool and the process will occur. Side effects include lots of in-house or externally developed tools, usually not used optimally, and no attempt to make any process improvement before a tool is purchased and installed. Alternate prescription: Configure the tool to enable the process. Focus on changing the mindset: tools facilitate processes, but do not constitute the process itself, as processes include other elements such as the policies, disciplines, and interactions required by process participants for process execution. To be sure, tools do matter; for example, you cannot optimize the new business potential of customers if you do not even have their names and addresses in one place. However, since the process is behavior that is enabled (or in some cases, disabled) by the tool you choose, focus on configuring the tool to enable that behavior.
Bad Medicine Number Four: Check it off the list - we are already doing it. Here, the prescription is to get together and talk about doing or planning process improvement, as if discussion, general agreement to do something, and planned and in-process deliverables sufficed (See Pfeffer and Sutton's excellent book, "The Knowing-Doing Gap" for more on this). The real deliverable of this here seems to be that we can say that we have something in progress; whether we are actually doing something that will get us from point 'A' to 'B', and whether anything has been or will be delivered other than status reports seems inconsequential. Alternate prescription: Check it off the list only when it is actually done, and 'it' is behavior change. Measure results by what is "done and dusted", not what is "in progress." Capture in writing who is going to do what action and when, and establish tracking and communication mechanisms for follow up. Make sure there is an "organizational response" to lack of action, omitted tasks, and missed deadlines. Ensure 'it'—the deliverable of your efforts—is behavior change and not just status reports.
Bad Medicine Number Five: Process Management as a Project for Managers. The prescription here is to have people who are removed from the process—like managers and consultants—engineer the new process. This approach is preferable, because these folks can step "outside of the box" and because it reasonable to expect that as managers, they have the requisite skill and knowledge. Keep involvement from those involved in the current day-to-day enactment processes to a minimum. Side effects include managers missing from operations to work on abstract process development, and documented process that have no basis in reality. Alternate prescription: Focus on real actors and real interactions. Get the real participants talking about the real process around a real problem or situation and work the problem through all stages of the process improvement lifecycle. Managers, and perhaps consultants, might be of use, but as enablers, not as the sole problem solvers in an abstract decision space.
In the next instalment of this series I will identify five additional 'bad medicines', will describe why these 'cures' can be worse than the symptoms, and will offer alternative prescriptions that effective, long-lasting and have no discernable side effects.