Telecommunications :: A Simple Tool, Kept Simple, Goes a Long Way

Project: Design and Implementation of a Performance Monitoring System.

Issue: A new business unit within an established telecommunications company was growing faster than it could have ever dreamed.  It was having trouble defining jobs for current and new employees, monitoring performance, and keeping complete chaos from ensuing.

Solution: Through personal coaching, facilitation, and just-in-time training, we…

• Documented Key Processes (core and enabling); Defined metrics used to measure performance against corporate objectives.
• Designed and implemented a graphical user interface and supporting software for PC driven corporate report package.  This was the prototype for the corporate-wide application.
• Devised a documentation numbering scheme and update procedure to meet ISO 9000 and customer standards for format and retrieval.

Results: The process maps revealed huge gaps (for instance, there was no one sending out bills!) and many redundancies (wasted time and effort) in non-critical processes.  Report-generation cycle time was reduced by 75%.

Lesson Learned: In a small, especially growing, organization, there is little or no time to attend training or conferences.  It is difficult to focus on disciplined problem solving because change is fast and resources are thin.  In this situation, small bites of information – over lunch or at the end of a weekly meeting – were very effective methods of explaining concepts and immediately needed tools.  Process maps, with no data attached, were hugely valuable as communication tools, and served as the foundation for many efforts (customer certification, ISO certification, defining metrics, prioritizing projects, determining personnel needs).  Only the most basic of tools were needed, and therefore, discussed.