On Process

I have a colleague who likes to say "we have a process". Now, I'm pretty sure I know "the process". And I'm pretty sure he knows "the process". And I definitely know lots of people don't know "the process". What I don't know is whether my version of "the process" is the same as his. If it is different how do either of us teach others "the process"?

The crux of it is that I don't believe is really a process unless it is written down somewhere. Or at least, it isn't a valuable or stable process. You can certainly have a process that isn't written down but without a written reference point how do you know when you are diverging from the process? And how do you improve the process? And what happens to it when the only people following it leave the company? Simply: if it is written down and followed it's a "process", if its just written down it's a "document", if its just followed then it's "people doing stuff". Why do I feel that both my colleague and I are "people doing stuff" rather than people "following a process"?

So - here is my new analogy. Processes are like written language. You and I can read and write English - presumably. You and I can do this without a dictionary at hand. Broadly we know what's in the dictionary and generally we don't need to use it. Even though we don't know everything, we know enough to communicate and we know that there is a dictionary in case we want to check what we're doing is right. Similarly, we can both follow a process without having a written process or manual to hand. But we need a written manual to hand when we have questions or think we're diverging from the process. Imagine if all dictionaries were banned. We might be able to communicate with each other for a while. But give it two, maybe three, generations and we'd be incomprehensible. We'd fall back to verbal communications. Without that common reference to reinforce the standard the whole thing would fall apart.

Continuing the theme, some more observations:

• A process needs to be written down to provide value. (You need a dictionary)
  
• If a process is written down that doesn't mean it is effective. (You need to use the dictionary)
• A process needs champions (English teachers? Pedants?)
• A process needs governance (Spell checker? Dictionary publishers?)
• A process must be relevant (A French dictionary won't do the job)
  
• A process must evolve ("bootylicious adj sexually attractive, esp. in the buttocks")