Thoughts from Sandye Linnetz, Systems Coach and Goddess

Today’s “key to success” is to choose and use the best tool for the job. Toothbrushes are fabulous for brushing teeth… and fairly effective when cleaning the grout between ceramic top tiles, but not necessarily the proper tool of choice for washing a car. And so it is with systems design. Yes, you could use a “seat of the pants system” or an “it’s all up here (point to forehead) and I won’t forget” system, but my guess is that you’ve already tried both and neither was very good. You could make random notes on napkins, that giant desk blotter/calendar thingie or the backs of business cards; you might even get a bit more organized and write them out and keep them in a binder. How you organize those plans and where you keep them really will matter.

Once you have determined what system you are going to create (e.g. handling email) and have even a rough idea of what that system will entail, it’s time to get specific and write it down. Yes, you could write up your system in outline form or long hand and create “systems files” or use sets of file cards which are “systematically” organized in steps… not bad ideas… but there is better.

Focus on one system at a time. That’s vital. It’s also vital to decide AT THE BEGINNING of creating a system, what you want the system to do for you. What is the end result you want to create? “Gee, Sandye, I want a system that will end the constant interruptions of email and allow me to handle them quickly and efficiently.” “Okay,” I say to you, “let’s write down the necessary steps and actions that you would need to take to have that happen”. This is where you grab the pads of sticky notes and write one step on each page. This is how you begin to create your step-by-step process.

The favorite tool of Process Prodigy (right after the iconic sticky note) is the workhorse of system design, the flowchart. A flowchart is a blueprint or a map, a word diagram that visually represents a process – your tool for managing that process – by showing the integral steps of the process in order and how they are related to other steps. Information, data (i.e., the steps) are written out, in various shaped boxes and brackets, and connected with lines and arrows that represent the “flow” of the process.

flow chart (also flowchart or flow diagram) noun

· a diagram of the sequence of movements or actions of people or things involved in a complex system or activity

· a graphical representation of a program in relation to its sequence of functions (as distinct from the data it processes)

Now you need to transfer those sticky note steps onto a flowchart, with each of the steps and decisions to be made going into shapes to create your visual word picture.

Use these shapes and lines:

Process Box – rectangular; identifies a single step in the process

Decision Triangle – triangular; identifies when a decision must be made (typically a yes or no question)

Predefined Process – rectangular box with an extra set of vertical lines; identifies a named process such as a subroutine or a module

Arrow - line with arrow tip; connects the shapes and indicates the direction of the flow

Flag - line and bracket; provides additional explanations, notes and/or questions that are relevant to the item it is “flagging”

Now go with the flow…

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© 2010 Beth Schneider, Process Prodigy, Inc.
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Beth Schneider, President of Process Prodigy Inc., www.processprodigy.com , along with her team of highly sought after operations consultants, reveal the insider secrets billion-dollar corporations pay thousands of dollars for. Specializing in process creation, Process Prodigy tools and techniques have helped entrepreneurs increase productivity by as much as 600%, and revenues by as much as 250%. Visit www.processprodigy.com/ezineand grab your FREE systems starter kit valued at $297.00.