The Secret Garden

Creating a DSF-02: Did we make an impact?

  Goodbye MaXjet! Maxjet Boeing 767-238 N250MY 
  Originally uploaded by Cubbie_n_Vegas

We might have thought doing PSF 3.13 was sufficient but in a complex system everything affects everything else- to a greater or lesser extent.

Before we decided to 'PSF' our activities we had decided to do a simple measure to monitor our activities. We were confident enough to believe that we were doing the right things... so we told our Clients (other departments) that when we took on a job we would finish within 2 weeks of agreed start date.

12 months later our job record sheets (which we filled in ourselves) showed we had a 100% record of on, or before, time completion.

I went to a quarterly meeting with our Clients and was lambasted for lateness and delays in delivery of our service! One person in particular (an American) hammered me for a crappy service! I did not wave my statistics in defence but retreated to start finding out what the row was all about.

Back in the design studio I gathered the team about me, recounted my meeting and asked for ideas on what it all meant. We had done a job for the American, let's call her Robin, not six weeks ago so I concentrated on a forensic examination of that activity.

Robin needed a model of a new pack proposal for for the middle of next month... it existed as a design agency sketch and our task was to turn it into a 3-dimensional digital surface model and machine a solid model with the right volume and dimensions.

Jeff, the modeller promised to start the job on the 4th of the month giving plenty of time to meet the meeting deadline of the 18th.

Due to an overrun on the previous job Jeff did not start until midday on the 5th; on the 6th Robin came to check progress and was told that there were some decisions on dimensions to be made; these were not agreed until the 7th which meant much of the slack time had been eroded. On Monday, 11th there were some communication problems between the Cad server and the N/C miller which delayed the job slightly. Robin now told us that she was going away for the weekend and would collect the model on Friday as she was flying not from our local Manchester Airport but was catching a train from near her hotel in the Cotswold's to Gatwick. She was out till late on Friday and would ring about the model progress on Thursday. Jeff had a dentist appointment Thursday afternoon but was coming in that evening to finish the model and paint it first thing Friday... it would be dry by late afternoon. John took the call from Robin Thursday afternoon and he explained that Jeff wasn't in and got an earful about the job... Robin began to make contingency plans, working out that she could drive a hire car back from the Cotswold's Sunday afterno0n and get a direct flight from Manchester first thing Monday... and just make it to the meeting!

When Robin got to her office late Thursday afternoon the model was sitting on her desk... waves of relief crossed her face and she shot off to have what was supposed to be a romantic and relaxing weekend.

So we concluded we were technically on time but perceptually a bunch of casual, inept guys who delivered things late!

So we rethought what we were about starting our formal PSF journey with 3.11 Never ever compromise your identity as described in part 01. We used PSF 3.23a: We help people! as an additional aid to thinking and soon realised we were not relly behaving like a full-service team as evidenced by not telling a coherent story about Robin's job... we decided to go for overkill... we will tell people when we intend to start the job, and we WILL start it then , or before! We will help each other keep on schedule; having a daily meeting to discuss the day's work and how we can help each other... following PSF 2.9: Conduct a weekly -or a more frequent- formal Current Projects Review.

We deputed one of our team to be the project co-ordinator following PSF 5.32: You need to be a rabid scheduler.

We put a video camera in the workshop so people could see their models being machined over the network. We communicated by phone, confirmed by email; made it a badge of honour to beat the schedule.. We always told them what was going on before they asked until they realised they never had a worry with us and we may often exceed their expectations.

Six months later at a similar client meeting to the one above I was asked to congratulate the team on their heroic work and could we see a way of widening the scope of our service setting into motion a five-year service radical improvement programme that was truly exciting and delivered by a winning team!

We learned two big lessons from the whole activity:

1. You can measure the wrong thing and be happy until suddenly everything falls apart.

So we changed our metrics to be externally focussed on Client satisfaction... seeking their feedback and suggestions for improvement, adding to our list

PSF 4.25. Insist ... that Clients submit a formal evaluation of “your people” (and “their people”) at the end of each project.

2. Communication is a great way of managing client expectations in an affective way... but do not forget what George Bernard Shaw said

 

"The problem with communication is the illusion that is has occurred.”


                                                                   Picture originally Uploaded by leinadsimpson . Used with                                                                                          thanks under CC.

 

Creating a DSF- Design Services Firm-01

  7049_MVC-001L 
  Originally uploaded by IC Pod

When Tom Peters published the three books~ the PSF50, the Project50 and the BrandYou50 ~ in 1999- at least that's when I bought one then a dozen of each - there were about 6 of us in the Design Technology group tasked with finding ways of improving the process of creating Fast Moving Consumer Goods packaging. The value of plastic packaging purchased amounted to a minimum of $2m per year. Effectiveness of purchasing is therefore strategically important but value creation and value release is generated at different points in the value chain that is therefore a challenge to manage!
In the PSF50 book Tom suggests we pick 10 of the fifty to work on...
But where to start?
Our approach was to start with

PSF 3.11: Never ever compromise your identity

Q1 What is our identity?
Q2 What is our point of view?

In endevouring  to generate a plausible  Answer we created a model

This connected Foresight (globalisation, digitisation, spiritualisation), Networks (of people), Technology (understanding) with a(n underlying agile creative) Process.

There needed to be a process of reflection on how this model gave strategic shape to the group's activities and the relationship to the individuals in the group.("Why are we doing it? How do I fit in?)

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After group discussions and reflections we decided to relate the 50 list to the model similar to this rough-cut  which I found in my copy of the book:  Foresight-4 8 17 35 36 41 48; Networking  12 15 17 23 24 24a 25a 27 41; Technology 4 8 25 35a 36; Processes 9 10 13 24c 25 25a 33 41 44; enabling 11 17 23 39 43 44 46.

So after working together on what they mean in our, group, cultural context (inward looking) and in the organisation cultural context (outward facing) we chose to work with this list

1.4. Turn e-v-e-r-y “task” into a ... Project. PSF = Client. PSF = Project

2.8. You are a Venture Capitalist. I.e.: What does your “project list”/“project portfolio” add up to? Is it exciting? (How exciting?) Is it bland?

3.13. MEASURE: Did we make an impact?

4.24c. Engage Clients in a measured “risk progression” process.

5.33. Pay attention to the “hard stuff” ... e.g.: methodology.

6.36. Turn your current portfolio of projects into a ... Research & Development playground/gold mine.

7.41. Demand that every PSF member be known for ... something.

8.50. We own this place!

After many months, when some of the behaviours associated with this list were becoming embedded we began to introduce

2.9. Conduct a weekly—or a more frequent—formal Current Projects Review. The project-list-is-us. So ... now we’ve got to start managing the Hell out of it.

3.17. PSF success boils down to ... the fine art of balance.

4.24. Make Clients an integral part of every project team.

5.32. You need a rabid scheduler!

5.40. Cherish instability! Mix up teams!

We noticed many changes...our client mix, the nature of projects, invitations to join teams; who we dealt with, range of technologies deployed... a small expansion of staff; the HR department experimenting on recruitment, buying doing things differently; engagement with external agencies changed as did the agencies we dealt with, etc., etc.,

All down to PSF? ... well yes and no... no in the sense other cross-organisational initiatives were going on too; but yes in that our catalytic actions seemed to stick better than top-down actions...

Also doing just one thing makes a ripple... that dies away eventually; doing several creates a wave that travels, reflects and can be ridden and re-energised.........more soon.

PSF 8.50: We own this place!

  Office: damagement 
  Originally uploaded by wili_hybrid

The mantra to end all mantras in PSF-land:

We are HR Inc.
"This is our joint.
It is our life.
We are in charge.
Excellence is in our hands ... to choose ... or lose."

The Nub
It's ours.
So ... live accordingly.

PSF 8.49: THINK ... DREAM ... ACT!

  Desert Leader 
  Originally uploaded by Hamed Saber

The nub:

WOW!
Beauty
Impact
Distinction

PSF 7.48: Challenge! Challenge! Challenge!

Mt Shasta
Originally uploaded by Go Climb A Rock

Demand .... the impossible.

From everyone. (Obviously starting with yourself.)
"I make myself the relentless architect of the possibilities of human beings" Bengamin Zander, Conductor, Boston Philharmonic, A Professional Service Firm.

PSF 7.47: Geeks—the antisocial, masterful diggers-of-obscure-facts—should be adored!

  602140738_419d436b15 
  Originally uploaded by IC Pod

The quiet ones - those listeners - often are on the short end of the Honours List. So, too, the geeky types. Just plain antisocial. Wouldn't (couldn't.) schmooze a Client if their lives depended on it. Day-after-day they pound away at the keyboard ...and unearth the most amazing, pertinent information imaginable ... time-and-time again.

Message:
HONOUR (HEAP ADORATION UPON THE SHOULDERS OF) THOSE HOPELESSLY ANTISOCIAL GEEKS!

PSF 7.46: Cherish great listening skills.

  Rapport 
  Originally uploaded by manitou2121

If Clients-R-Us ... then Listening-Had-Damn-Well-Better-Be-Us. I.e.: Love the quiet ones ... with Big Ears.

...
On the other hand that discerning Client is mostly awed because of the extraordinary insight the prooject team exhibits.

And such insight is often due - in my experience - to the quiet team member, with those Big Ears, who listens to the Subtle Vibes so brilliantly, who unearths the curious character in the bowels of the Client organisation who knows all the secrets and gives him/her an extensive/empathic hearing.

PSF 7.45:Provide “project management-leadership” opportunities ... A.S.A.P.

  Mountaineers 
  Originally uploaded by Ezzz

It can be done.

If you are determined you can quickly get every team member into a genuine leadership/ownership role relative to some project sub-sub-task.

Bottom line:
Nothing builds skills and confidence as surely and quickly as responsibility for delivering results in a real world|

PSF 7.44: T-R-A-I-N. Teach the “Professional Service Firm Basics” ... with a vengeance.

  no safety net 
  Originally uploaded by A tea but no e

Train in ... Project Creation ...and ...the Methodology  of Problem Solving. Train in ...Project Implementation. Train in... Client relations. Train in... Project Management ...and ....Project Membership.

THE POINT: THIS "STUFF" - THE STUFF OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRMS IS TRAINABLE!

PSF 7.43: Create stories/mythology around “project winners.”

Campfire in the Moonlight
Originally uploaded by Molas

Create stories about and mythology around those who have done great things..... in service to their Clients ....in the Pursuit of WOW! You're creating a Rockin' PSF.