Process measurement is a trend, but its advantages and repercussions go beyond an indicator design and approach. Far are most organizations from carrying robust systems framed in a tool like the Balanced Scorecard. However, valuable time and resources are invested in data collection, presentation of results, accumulation of information, and glorious results. All this framed many times under a robust Paper Management System. Flexible organizations have complex structures where people fulfill very dynamic and wide coverage roles. They really know what to measure, how to measure, and when to measure?
Related concepts
Management Indicator: These are measures used to determine the success of a process, project or organization.
Performance: It is the sum of results obtained by a person, or group of them in a certain period, while executing an activity, process or project.
Process measurement is nothing new, nor is it an isolated concept of everyday life. Almost anything tangible or intangible can be measured. But we know how much it costs what is measured and even more so what is not measured? It has become a trend, almost fashion measure by measure. There is no point in raising metrics to meet requirements. It is common to observe ostentatious indicators, where people do not know what it means and do not add any value to their processes, no matter how stylized it is presented under the latest tools.
It is observed that it often happens that the time of a group of people is invested for the data collection, or it is spent in a company dedicated to the activity. The requirements of a system are met, and also compliance with an optimal result is demonstrated. The paper system works so well that any certifying entity can notice the organization's efforts to make continuous process improvement. When you step on reality, the banner of continuous improvement is dusty.
There are no magic formulas to measure, but it is possible to stick to a methodology that helps to develop a measurement chart appropriate to each process, or organization, for example: The PHVA cycle, the 8 disciplines, among others. The main thing is to focus on what are the objectives of the process:
What is this process for? What is the added value? How much does it cost? What contribution does this process generate for the organization? These questions can lead us to determine the Key Performance Factors of the process, and to visualize its reason for being. If you don't know how a process is, the answer is that it is wrong. What is not measured is not controlled, what is not controlled cannot be improved. A paper system does not allow this type of measurement to be developed, which in reality can change with dizzying speed and which many organizations may fear losing from their hands. There is a trend in which Management wants to control the measurements, and the information of the processes. Today people know trends much more easily because networks have become part of everyday life,and everyone who lives in it has a notion of what this means. Any person within the organization is in the capacity to raise what are its key performance factors of the process it executes, as long as they know the objectives for which they live in it. The role of the system, (and not the role system) is to guide, the efficient synchronization of resources to achieve the required performance.
Not measuring costs a lot of money, and it can be reflected in the opportunity cost where you stop having efficiency and effectiveness in the organization to satisfy your customers, more serious even when this measurement gives values like 100%, since it generates a false feeling that everything is fine. Measure by measurement, costs much more expensive, the previous cost is added to the cost of people and resources invested to obtain the current measurement. This means that it is better not to do it, than to measure something that does not add value. What is interesting is that the result speaks of the temperature of the process, and those who monitor this data, possibly transform the information to make assertive decision-making.
Conclusions
Efforts to evaluate must be directed first to the clear focus of the objectives of the process, disclose the goals and desires of the organization, the reason for their existence. This will inevitably lead to the visualization of the key performance factors, which, led to a specific management system, will become indicators of the process. If what is measured is at its optimal value, it is necessary to check if the activities are controlled and / or it is necessary to evaluate other environmental factors. The important thing is to constantly review and not carve the indicators that may be giving the information of the processes today.
