Excellent Introduction to Process & the Process 'Big Three'

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Book:		Process Improvement Essentials
Subject:		Excellent Introduction to Process & the Process 'Big Three'
Date:		2007-06-26 21:18:59
From:		C Masotti, Sacramento STC

Rating: When you think about quality improvement and process improvement, what comes to mind? Cars? Phones? Japan? How about IT? James Persse, a veteran of the Process Improvement field, has written a guide to process improvement for the Information Technology world. In Process Improvement Essentials, Persse offers his insight to those who know they need some quality process and want an overview of the ‘big three’ quality programs. In the first part of the book, we are treated to a couple of process success stories—some well-known names, their pre-process deficiencies, and their post-process gains. And in case the reader is inclined to dismiss those success stories as out of reach for all but the Boeings and Raytheons of the world, Persse moves right along to make his case against what he calls the Six Common Myths that are behind people’s resistance to process. This resistance, he argues, usually results from either complete lack of exposure or exposure to poor examples. Throughout part one, he counters the myths, illustrates the benefits, and provides general guidelines for planning, getting started, recognizing success, and continuing the improvement process. Persse offers his years of experience in the process improvement field to readers who want to take the first step. The ingredients in his success recipe include securing executive sponsorship (getting backing for the project from someone at the top), capitalizing on your strengths, and focusing on targeted improvements (start with a manageable scope—don’t try to take on everything from the start). He also provides a lot of guidance for building the process team. Something worth noting for technical communicators is that the technical writer serves a key role on this team. The second part of the book is an overview of the three best-known process frameworks: ISO 9001:2000, Six Sigma, and CMMI. The goal is to help readers get an idea about which (if any) of these three would be the best fit for their own needs. If you are looking for detailed instructions on implementing one of these frameworks, look elsewhere. What Persse does is explain some of the requirements, tools, and goals of each, highlighting some of the pros and cons as well. The demand for process frameworks like these is growing. Demand will probably continue to grow. The existence of a quality process is increasingly becoming a requirement for doing business with large companies. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other legislation will continue to increase the reporting requirements for even small publicly traded companies. Persse makes a great case for process improvement, and does a fine job of presenting the options. If your organization is on the road to putting a process improvement program in place, you’ll find Process Improvement Essentials a useful starting point.