Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007 - (Page 11)

At a Defined stage, most of the organization’s key processes are documented. Special attention is paid to ensure they are linked to corporate strategies and initiatives. The majority of the organization should not only be aware of their existence, but must also understand the importance and benefits of following a standard practice. The processes are designed to be repeatable and are used to establish consistency across the organization. Deliverable quality improves slightly and there is less of a tendency to exceed project budgets and deadlines. However, processes at this stage are not measured to ensure that they are actually being followed and repeated. (See Figure 1) Processes at a Managed stage are well documented and practiced by everyone involved in the process. Process discipline exists and helps ensure that best practices are retained during times of stress. When these practices are in place, projects are performed and managed according to their documented plans. Additionally, new employees are easily engaged and become productive earlier. Project status and the delivery of services are visible to management at defined points (i.e., at major milestones and at the completion of major tasks). This not only leads to information being made visible in advance of problems, but also creates a high level of predictability within the organization. ( See Figure 2) Once processes are managed and measurements are taken for a period of time, task analysis can be performed to identify areas of improvement. Measurable process improvement objectives (i.e., optimization through step elimination or technical innovation) are then established, continually revised to reflect changing business objectives, and used as criteria in managing process improvement. The effects of deployed process improvements are measured and evaluated against the objectives. Optimized processes, being consistently followed, help increase your output by eliminating unnecessary steps and free the staff from redoing work. It is important to note that the vast majority of organizations have their key production processes in either an Ad-hoc Figure 2 Stage or a Defined Stage. This underscores the tremendous potential available for improving output, quality and customer service simply by progressing these key processes through the Defined, Managed and Optimized stages. The stages provide a good framework for organizational improvement. It allows companies to prioritize their process improvement initiatives and strive to achieve highly optimized, consistent results. Predictability, effectiveness and control of an organization’s processes improve as the organization moves through these four stages and consequently has a dramatic effect on business results. And, since collaboration among project team members is so essential to having a cost- and time-efficient project, information and reports can also be published in various formats like printed diagrams and manuals, HTML pages, or even electronically delivered to an individual’s desktop through email or additional software modules. The goal, of course, is to keep every participant and professional involved in the project up to date on the progress of the various tasks needed to keep the development on schedule and on budget. Adapting to Personal Capabilities Another advantage to utilizing Process Mapper is that it can be implemented to the extent of the technological capabilities of the users. For instance, even though the software is easy to utilize, it comes with a full “help” menu and technical support services are provided at no cost – to real people located in the Midwest. Process Mapper is priced at at $2,995 and includes the help that may be needed. In addition, the Process Mapper software component is just one facet of Eagle Point’s Pinnacle Series™ solution suite. Different Strokes for Different Folks If one thing is certain about the land development industry, it is the fact that many different personalities and stakeholders are involved. Fortunately, the Process Mapper produces graphical diagrams with five simple shapes to help people visualize not only their individual work but how work flows through the entire organization. In addition to a graphical representation, it can create checklists and printouts for those that prefer to work with paper. (See figure 3) www.SLDTonline.com 11 http://www.SLDTonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007

Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007 Contents Our Voice Your Voice Editorial Board Mapping the Development Process Looking at a New Dimension The Environmental Liability Continuum GPS System Makes the Grade Regulations: Reactions Mixed Trends: Communications Easements Business Management: Recycling Sustainable Practices: LEED-ND Energy: Community Propane Systems Transportation: Mountain Solutions Recommended Reading Calendar Products/Services Showcase Classifieds Advertiser Index The Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007

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