Once initial interviews with leadership and stakeholders are complete the next tool to use is a detailed process review. The focus is to interview specific individuals to capture detailed processes that occur in a unit, department or team the project will impact.
During the interviews reassure individuals they are more than welcome to make adjustments to any information given during the discussion to document process or workflows. This is also a time to build trust with staff associates who may feel put on the spot or that what they say could be used against them. Associates performing task know the finite details and are the best resources so be a good listener and build bridges.
Good listen skills allow the paraphrasing of information to ensure details are properly understood. These sessions may have a five person panel or just one person. Allow everyone to speak freely and have a list of probing question that focus on the process. Search for delivery dates and times (SLA- service level agreements), data checks and balances, hand off points, types of data, frequency of events. Use open-ended questions to acquire the information.
Open-ended questions are inquiries that yield and explanation and not a “yes” or “no” answer. Remember this is a time to probe for details and the open ended queries will provide a lead way to obtain information. Also, attempt to keep the detailed review short.
The initial detailed review should not go longer than one hour. Keep panel interviews to 45 minutes with a 10 to 15 minute summary to review. During the wrap-up, request documents to review and setup follow-up discussions. The detail given in the interviews should provide a wealth of information such as:
- A view of sequential operations and processes
- Work data delivery schedules
- Key workflow personnel
- Specific procedures
- Variance and Risk Management
- Documents
The culmination of data will lead to a host of tools and techniques. The next area we will cover are JAD sessions.
