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Improve That Process! - Change Management
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Experience a process, improve it and put it to the test! Hands-on activity delivering clear lessons about processes, systems and change management.
Five departments (your five teams) at Tagus Pharmaceuticals will deal with today's orders for 'tablets'. They must be produced, inspected and packaged - and all the paperwork prepared ready for despatch (in 30 minutes). Admin pass their requirements to two Production departments where tablets are made (all using the materials supplied). Control checks for defects. Packaging makes the containers. Sales do the paperwork: invoices, delivery notes and labels.
As the system isn't working too well - they fail to fulfill all the orders - teams review the process and agree changes for the better. There's lots of ideas - every department sees it differently! They thrash out an improved process and put it to the test with Day 2's orders (seemingly different from Day 1's but they add up to exactly the same amount of work). Having empowered teams to make changes they are highly motivated to succeed. Productivity and profits are far greater - and usually all orders are fulfilled!
Beautifully demonstrates the benefits of embracing change management in order to improve things, empowering teams (who knew the process best) and the value of continuous improvement.- to see the benefits of evaluating for themselves the current systems
- that improvement of systems & procedures is ongoing
- the benefit of cross-functional teams and open communication
- to think outside the box and be creative
- to embrace and manage change
- to identify the bigger picture
- to focus on customers’ needs
- how motivation and team spirit affect productivity
- Introduce the activity using the PowerPoint presentation provided.
- Divide participants into five teams and allocate materials.
- Allow 30 minutes for the Day 1, making a note of the orders successfully processed (if any).
- Rearrange the group into new teams for a review session; and then let the whole group come together for a plenary session to agree new working practices.
- Allocate materials for Day 2 and after 30 minutes make a note of the successfully processed orders.
- Lead a Debrief session.
John Lee, Employee Development Adviser, Cheshire County CouncilUsed on our corporate training programme that promotes “systems” thinking. It highlighted how we unconsciously try to make bureaucratic, hierarchical, naff systems work – rather than radically design them.
A highly participative exercise that very quickly demonstrates how systems that aren’t designed to meet demand demoralise willing workers and fail to meet customer needs. Delegates realise that activity and customer focussed outputs are two different things.
Sue Martin, Training & Development Consultant, Westland HelicoptersUsed on a training course to demonstrate change and continuous improvement with a group of 12 junior managers. The best learning points included: planning, change, working smartly and process management.
A good activity – very useful and active. Ideal for my course. Translated theory into practice very well.
J. L. Vogel, Lehmann Vogel & Partner, Germany
It was truly amazing! You could see what happens in an organisation with poor processes. Issues that surface slowly over a period of time within an organisation were simulated in just half an hour! Everyone felt the exercise was extremely valuable and powerful.
S. Brown, Developing People LtdI used Improve that Process! with a group from a manufacturing industry. It was a great game, with lots of learning points about the benefits of Process v. Departmentalised working –and it was easy to use.
S. Richardson, London & Quadrant HousingThank you for a successful team event. Improve that Process! went really well, we all learnt a lot from it and hope to meet up with you again soon.
- Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
- University of New South Wales
- Kingfisher Housing Association
- Land Registry
- Apter International
- Cheshire County Council
- The Oracle Corporation UK
- Sheffield Primary Care Trust
- Weightmans Solicitors
- Unilever
- Trainer's Notes
- CD-Rom (containing PowerPoint and for re-printing materials)
- Team In-trays and one Post Tray
- List of Orders (Day 1 & Day 2)
- Briefs for Team A, B, C, D & E
