The 4 D's that will help to improve your automation

There is this misconception that by working or managing operations you are all about numbers, execution, procedures and zero creative.

Well, although it's important to focus on following the procedures, guidelines, etc. sometimes it is equally important to look at your processes with a fresh perspective and challenge your current workflows. Creativity, Curiosity and Client-centricity (3 C's) are instrumental in this fresh approach and can be exercised by using the 4 D's framework.

You are about to read a compilation of steps that can be very powerful to problem finding and problem solving. The framework can help you better understand current situation and explore multiple alternatives while keeping you also focused on deliver the best solution.

We were inspired by the Design Thinking Process, where divergent and convergent thinking are used alternately from the problem statement until its solution. This framework is also known as the Double Diamond.

We revisited its concepts and uniquely adapted it for process enhancement usage. So here is the 4 D's that should be applied in sequence:

D1 - Description

It is the first divergent step: is the problem we think we have real and exactly the way we believe? Well, to answer these questions you must map the current process, understand all the stakeholders and the relationship among them, the data flow. it is not just the case of following internal manuals and guides. It's very common to find divergences between what is written and what is actually done. Different stakeholders might have different interpretations and hidden pains. Different people or teams executing the same task might do things differently. Different hierachical positions certainly will see the process through their specific lenses. the beauty of this step is to try to avoid biases and get the most accurate description of how a given process works.

D2 - Diagnose

It is the first convergent step: once the process is described now we can assess it, elaborate on what's really going on, identify pain points and their root-causes, what are the boundaries of the process and restate the problem we want to solve. Look that in the previous phase we just gather information and organize all the puzzle pieces. This phase is meant to add our opinion and our judgement of what is the right pains we should tackle given the goals, the painpoints, the feasibility, the restrictions (money, people, time, etc.)

D3 - Design

Now the second divergent step: once the problem is clear how we can solve it? what adjustments we need to make? what pieces of technology can be used? It is time to formulate and play with different scenarios, different technologies, different tasks order, maybe change some stakeholder... time to experiment. There are many different tools you can use to try assumptions. the fast an assumption/alternative fails the more options you are able to test.

D4 - Deliver

Finally the second convergent step: time to choose the best "new" process and deliver it. Here execution and planning are key. This phase start by choosing the champion solution, but it is way more comprehensive. how to actually build the new process in production, how to softland it to the stakeholders and make sure they are engaged. An efficient communication clearly stating the changes and the outcomes is key. And how run it until the new process becomes "business as usual"? We need to constantly monitor KPI's, create or adjust manuals and procedures and check if the process has been well executed by all the stakeholders to consider it DELIVERED.

I hope you find this article useful. If you have any questions or comments feel free to write a review.

Best,

Stephan