Jan 08 2008
Process approvals: valves and gauges
One of the jobs I have involves evaluating and improving processes for web based applications and tools. Now, I’m not working on the back-end coding processes but rather the people processes on the front end. Commonly the question arises when evaluating an existing system, “Do we need all these approvers?”
When defining the term “approver” I’ve found it to mean two things: 1. A person with the authority and responsibility to make go/no-go decisions on an item moving through the process workflow. 2. A person with the responsibility to monitor and assess the items moving through the workflow for potential issues and risks. While they sound the same, they definitely are two different things.
I use a plumbing analogy when describing the difference to people when we are making the often difficult choices as to who gets “approver” status in a workflow. Picture this:
In front of you is a large pipe through which a quantity of liquid is flowing. On that pipe is a valve and a gauge. In relation to that pipe, you need to know who’s job it is to turn the valve on and off to control the flow and who’s job it is to watch the gauge and say when there is a reason to turn the valve on and off. Multiple people can keep an eye on the gauge and warn when there’s a potential problem with the pressure, but only the person with the valve can stop the flow.
When dealing with a workflow, the common solution to process approvals is to add several checkpoints with management sign-off along the workflow. Think about these as adding multiple valves to the pipe. You may stop the flow from that valve forward, but the pressure builds up behind. However you can add a variety of gauges up and down the pipe measuring all kinds of things, just so long as everyone knows who is the person to turn the valve.
Too many hands on the valve or too many valves on the pipe and things cannot flow along. However, many people have different insights in to the potential risks involves in the materials flowing, so their eyes on the gauge are a benefit. There’s lots of room for eyes on a gauge, but only room for one hand on a valve.
Managers who have responsibility to make sure things continue to flow smoothly need gauges…and need to know who has their hand on the valve. Plan your implementations to show how things work and what their status is, but limit the controls of those workflows to a select few, thereby minimizing bottlenecks and keeping things running smoothly.
