Optimizing Processes
We had the final meeting for the CMMI presentation this evening. Using the revised power point slides we did a sort of rehearsal – how I could smoothly put some Japanese explanations on the English materials and how I can make things clearer by adding the additional explanations and anecdotes, etc. Since Mr. V does not understand Japanese, I still used English on the part that I was supposed to use Japanese. The point was to check if we can cover the given time of the presentation, and can give the audiences the sufficient, satisfactory information. I hope our rehearsal can be helpful for the Wednesday's presentation.
As reviewing the materials, I felt that CMMI was really the model that focuses on processes. It is the process improvement management. It is the framework that can tell us how we can improve the processes and what the ideal level of the process management can be. As I said before (See this page), by focusing on the process rather than the technology and the people in the organization, CMMI is to lead the organization itself to the optimal state and the further, continuous improvement. In this state the organization can consistently provide the high quality of products and/or services.
For example, the management of Starbucks (I am not totally appreciate this kind of Orange based service industry, but from the point of view of the process management, we can say that this shows a certain optimal level). Though I do not think they use CMMI as it is primarily for the software development, their management can be one of the good examples as to how and why the process is more crucial than the people and the technology in the organization.
As you notice, wherever and whichever Starbucks you visit, you can encounter the same kind of smiley customer services, though there might be subtle differences that we can never avoid, of course. At least, we can see and appreciate their effort that they have tried to provide the same quality of products and services in all branches. Thus, it is not that Starbucks A can be exceptionally better than the rest of Starbucks, because of the exceptionally talented performance of the workers in Starbucks A, or because of the exceptionally advanced equipments in Starbucks A.
The quality does not rely on the people and the technology but rather on the process itself. From the point of view of CMMI, while the sufficient competition might exist moderately among the workers (that should not the main source of the motivation, though), what is more important is the process. If the process is matured enough and properly institutionalized, then the individual efforts motivated by the competitive, materialistic incentives are not needed.
People do not have to work hard or harder, but what they need is that they have to work more satisfactorily in a peaceful way. If the process is properly institutionalized and implemented, then such clear process can let people feel that they are doing right and contributing to the whole organization, at the same time they also maintain their own dignity as the whole. In the optimal CMMI circumstances, the employees can feel that they are the part of the larger whole, at the same time they are also the dignified whole as the independent entity. They are no longer the intimated, pressured slaves. They are no loner the intimidating, workaholic managers / supervisors. The optimized process is the one to guide both of them satisfactorily and peacefully.
The work place is no longer the battlefield where the employees work harder and harder, or they must die, but rather the peaceful environment where they can easily feel the whole around them (organization) and the whole within themselves (individual) that is where they can pursue their self-actualization. Thus, in the principle of CMMI, such words as "I am always busy," "I am always in a hurry," "we try our best to meet the deadline," "It is urgent" etc. are never appropriate. Rather, people should be ashamed of being busy. Quite often some workaholic people keep on even proudly saying "I am busy." No, if you are always busy and need to work harder, then you should think that there must be something wrong in your process management. That is the approach of CMMI.
In the software industry, based on the research by the Department of Defense in the US government, what they called "software catastrophes" has frequently taken place. This means that a number of software related projects had failed and could not complete their missions. There are really a lot of them. Even the atmosphere that people are always pressured by the deadline has been considered as the normal state in this field. But from the point of view of the Department of Defense, that should never be accepted.
Considering the psychological study, it is natural that people tend to make mistakes and become less productive when they are always busy and pressured in the messy, chaotic environment. Even if we hire the highly qualified people, even if we install the highly advanced technology, if we put them on the immature process, then we can never maximize them, or rather have them burn out and eventually invite the catastrophes. We also notice that the rate of the psychological breakdown, depression and even suicide are significant in this highly competitive industry. It is a big loss if the highly qualified, intelligent people have been exploited in such a way.
Although CMMI focuses on processes, it is not that dehumanizing the process for the mere productivity just like the belt conveyers had been installed in the factories. Rather it is the model of "integration" to make all the processes optimal just like providing the healthy blood (not using drugs) for the truly active body. Using drugs can let you work harder in a moment, but does not make your body healthy. In the same way, beating workers by the pressure or the material incentives can work in a short term, but that way will surely invite the catastrophes of the "body" at the end.
Just like Spiral Dynamics can be the model for the human consciousness development, CMMI can also contribute to the process improvement of our lives. Above all, everyday life is also the matter of how to mange the process if we consider each of us as an independent organization. This is how to use CMMI for our everyday lives. If our lives are surrounded by the full of pressures, then we can consider that the process of our lives have not optimized yet.
It can not be, however, applied for all the aspects of our lives since unpredictability is also the essential part of life. Unpredictability is not really what to be blamed, unlike the filed of industry that really needs to be predictable in terms of the project implementation. As I wrote in "Serendipitous," however, creativity can come out only when we let go most of our conscious planning and when we invite our unconsciousness. In fact, that is what I everyday am experiencing in my writing here. Thus, we should not totally accept the principle of the process management.
But, some part of our productivity may surely increase when and if we can really adapt the model and optimize the very process of our lives.
As reviewing the materials, I felt that CMMI was really the model that focuses on processes. It is the process improvement management. It is the framework that can tell us how we can improve the processes and what the ideal level of the process management can be. As I said before (See this page), by focusing on the process rather than the technology and the people in the organization, CMMI is to lead the organization itself to the optimal state and the further, continuous improvement. In this state the organization can consistently provide the high quality of products and/or services.
For example, the management of Starbucks (I am not totally appreciate this kind of Orange based service industry, but from the point of view of the process management, we can say that this shows a certain optimal level). Though I do not think they use CMMI as it is primarily for the software development, their management can be one of the good examples as to how and why the process is more crucial than the people and the technology in the organization.
As you notice, wherever and whichever Starbucks you visit, you can encounter the same kind of smiley customer services, though there might be subtle differences that we can never avoid, of course. At least, we can see and appreciate their effort that they have tried to provide the same quality of products and services in all branches. Thus, it is not that Starbucks A can be exceptionally better than the rest of Starbucks, because of the exceptionally talented performance of the workers in Starbucks A, or because of the exceptionally advanced equipments in Starbucks A.
The quality does not rely on the people and the technology but rather on the process itself. From the point of view of CMMI, while the sufficient competition might exist moderately among the workers (that should not the main source of the motivation, though), what is more important is the process. If the process is matured enough and properly institutionalized, then the individual efforts motivated by the competitive, materialistic incentives are not needed.
People do not have to work hard or harder, but what they need is that they have to work more satisfactorily in a peaceful way. If the process is properly institutionalized and implemented, then such clear process can let people feel that they are doing right and contributing to the whole organization, at the same time they also maintain their own dignity as the whole. In the optimal CMMI circumstances, the employees can feel that they are the part of the larger whole, at the same time they are also the dignified whole as the independent entity. They are no longer the intimated, pressured slaves. They are no loner the intimidating, workaholic managers / supervisors. The optimized process is the one to guide both of them satisfactorily and peacefully.
The work place is no longer the battlefield where the employees work harder and harder, or they must die, but rather the peaceful environment where they can easily feel the whole around them (organization) and the whole within themselves (individual) that is where they can pursue their self-actualization. Thus, in the principle of CMMI, such words as "I am always busy," "I am always in a hurry," "we try our best to meet the deadline," "It is urgent" etc. are never appropriate. Rather, people should be ashamed of being busy. Quite often some workaholic people keep on even proudly saying "I am busy." No, if you are always busy and need to work harder, then you should think that there must be something wrong in your process management. That is the approach of CMMI.
In the software industry, based on the research by the Department of Defense in the US government, what they called "software catastrophes" has frequently taken place. This means that a number of software related projects had failed and could not complete their missions. There are really a lot of them. Even the atmosphere that people are always pressured by the deadline has been considered as the normal state in this field. But from the point of view of the Department of Defense, that should never be accepted.
Considering the psychological study, it is natural that people tend to make mistakes and become less productive when they are always busy and pressured in the messy, chaotic environment. Even if we hire the highly qualified people, even if we install the highly advanced technology, if we put them on the immature process, then we can never maximize them, or rather have them burn out and eventually invite the catastrophes. We also notice that the rate of the psychological breakdown, depression and even suicide are significant in this highly competitive industry. It is a big loss if the highly qualified, intelligent people have been exploited in such a way.
Although CMMI focuses on processes, it is not that dehumanizing the process for the mere productivity just like the belt conveyers had been installed in the factories. Rather it is the model of "integration" to make all the processes optimal just like providing the healthy blood (not using drugs) for the truly active body. Using drugs can let you work harder in a moment, but does not make your body healthy. In the same way, beating workers by the pressure or the material incentives can work in a short term, but that way will surely invite the catastrophes of the "body" at the end.
Just like Spiral Dynamics can be the model for the human consciousness development, CMMI can also contribute to the process improvement of our lives. Above all, everyday life is also the matter of how to mange the process if we consider each of us as an independent organization. This is how to use CMMI for our everyday lives. If our lives are surrounded by the full of pressures, then we can consider that the process of our lives have not optimized yet.
It can not be, however, applied for all the aspects of our lives since unpredictability is also the essential part of life. Unpredictability is not really what to be blamed, unlike the filed of industry that really needs to be predictable in terms of the project implementation. As I wrote in "Serendipitous," however, creativity can come out only when we let go most of our conscious planning and when we invite our unconsciousness. In fact, that is what I everyday am experiencing in my writing here. Thus, we should not totally accept the principle of the process management.
But, some part of our productivity may surely increase when and if we can really adapt the model and optimize the very process of our lives.
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