Solution Design
Our clients ask us for solutions, “We want greater results for our efforts, our team could work together better, our communications could be more effective…”
First we work with them to identify the root causes, then we collaboratively design a solution, learning and adapting as we move the work to a successful conclusion.
That’s solution design!
Here are some examples of our work:
“Too many of our projects are running late and loosing money”
We interviewed the staff and determined that a better methodology and a customized project management tool kit would help fix the problem. We provided base materials and facilitated working sessions to help the project teams design what they needed and then provided coaching and support until the new processes took root.
“Our mid-level managers are not happy with the decisions the executive are making and are doing end-runs”
We worked with a representative group to clarify the model and build a handbook everyone could use to guide consensus-based decision making. The increasing level of trust and clarity was evident as the work progressed.
“We need to give better back-office support to our member-facing staff”
We developed and issued an online survey that measured the degree of satisfaction staff felt with internal services and support. Working with statisticians, we analysed the results and identified tangible opportunities for improvement. Then we presented the results in a series of workshops throughout the organization.
“ We need to really understand how our current systems work in preparation for choosing a new one”
We researched and mapped the current business processes using swim-lane diagrams. Then we facilitated workshops to identify process improvements and opportunities for improved system support. Our work was extremely well received and was used to establish the benchmark for future business process projects.
“Our Accounting Department is swamped and is asking for additional staff we can’t afford”
We mapped the current processes though one-on-one and group interviews and then facilitated working sessions to identify process improvements. The results built a ROI for additional staff, removed some long-standing obstacles and left the client with an easy-to-use process manual.
“We’re frustrated with our IT department, they just don’t listen!”
We established a framework for regular meetings that we called “solution circles” and then chaired the first half-a-dozen. We measured our success by the number of times we heard. “Oh, that’s what you need!” and “OK, since not technically possible, could we…”