The Power of Process: For lean product and process development

In companies that adopt hierarchical functional models, processes are often designed in successive blocks. 

In these circumstances, various functional teams may begin working without prior alignment on the activities necessary to transform raw materials into finished products, resulting in operational lines that often underperform in terms of quality, cost, and time.

What would happen if different business functions met to discuss process design?

The Power of Process starts here – a cross-functional working group composed of operations, engineering and finance is engaged in designing a process for a new product. After a gemba walk and a brainstorming session, the problems and potential solutions of the existing line emerge. The team then begins to develop a framework for process design.

In recent years, Lean professionals, practitioners and enthusiasts have seen a proliferation of dozens of books and publications on process improvement. Many of these have followed the literary genre of some foundational texts in the Lean movement (M. Rother and J. Shook, Learning to See, 1999; J. Shook, Managing to Learn, 2008), which I would describe as the transformation novel. The structure of this novel usually follows a hero's journey, where an individual or group of managers, at different levels of skill and expertise, starts from a precarious business and personal situation and ultimately transforms themselves, their team, and the company into a resonant and effective entity through their actions and behaviours. The Power of Process fits this genre but introduces a topic that is often overlooked and undervalued: Lean Product and Process Development.