Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Part 5: Thoughts of “How we do?” - Process

Every morning I walk to a bus stop to catch my bus to go to office. For that I have to cross the road and go to the bus stop. While I am waiting one side of the road, I have to check entire vehicles which pass other side: to decide to cross the road or have to wait for the signal light to walk on the pedestrian crossing. I normally wait for signal light to turn green or for no vehicle on the road so that I can cross safely.
The question is, if I am waiting to cross, should I look at the other side vehicles as just as vehicle or should I check for my bus as well. Say if I want to catch bus numbered 811, If I sow a bus moving towards the bus stop with the same number, then should I consider that and harry up myself? Is that safer? , faster ? Or correct approach?. Actually once I cross the road and reached the bus stop only I can get the bus. So before getting to that stage, do I need to worry about that? Will it be safer?. Of cause, If I missed that bus then I want to wait for next bus which may come after another 10-20 min or some reasonable time.
For that, a simple advice may be: you shouldn't think about your bus number until you reach the bus stop. That always safer. Because if you think about your bus number then your mind will say to cross the road without looking for other vehicles, that will cause dangerous accidents. You may have to loss your self even.
Normally, the process will be defined for every project with a set of rules and procedures to ensure the safety or quality of the project. But that may slow down the project and we may loose a business because of the delay also.
Say If I have a meeting today at office and I should be on time. While waiting at the start of the crossing, If I sow a bus which I want to catch to go to office and if there is no vehicle then way I shouldn't cross the road? Of cause I shouldn't practice this in main junction or in a traffic area.
On the whole, If we follow all the process regulations in our project and if we missed our dead line we can only say that we have follow this and that process and our project is a better project etc. But we will loose the business at that time. Mostly business needs Good project rather Better project same as real life.
So, It is important to define and follow a process for our project, but at the same time we should identify and change or leave the process when ever its need. Again this is a skill of switch between following and leaving the process, we should be eye open for this always.

3 comments:

Lo Sheng said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lo Sheng said...

To be process centric or to be adaptive doesn't have to be an exclusive choice. The trick is to incorporate adaptive responses into the process.

So, identify the most important prerogative: self preservation. Then develop a strategy that doesn't compromise it: check for clear traffic first, then check for approaching bus. Don't do the reverse, because seeing an oncoming bus first might cloud your judgment, thereby risk crossing the road when you shouldn't.

It isn't easy to find a formula that is will give good results in the long run in every case. But that's what makes the game interesting :-)

Sudar Nimalan said...

Thanks for your comments Lo Sheng, Let me think more and write next time :)