A quixotic attempt to change the world, one iteration at a timeIndex: Click to expand:
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Scratch pad on how to do the initial scoping of a process/documentation fix:

First thing you need is to identify the symptoms. What is wrong? Why is someone calling you? Symptoms are usually the things you want to fix — but they are not the causes of the problem. They are its output; its manifestation. If you address symptoms without addressing their root cause, they will continue to recur as soon as you stop doing what you are doing.

Describe existing symptomatic process

Understand how and why we got here in the first place.

  1. Map out how the symptomatic process currently happens.
  • What is the desired outcome?
  • What is typical path, including horizontal escalations and expected hand-offs?
  • What risks and unwanted outcomes are addressed and how are they addressed?
  • Are they the right things to focus on?
  • How effectively are they dealt with? (is it “day-to-day relationship management”, “enforceable legal remedies” or disclaimers and “disclosures”) ie are these effective coping strategies?
  1. What are the practical challenges/delays/inefficiencies in this process.
  1. Solutionising: In a perfect world, what would be the optimal process? (ie ignoring tech/budgetary constraints)
  • What would have to change to make that perfect world
  • Things that are practically impossible
  • Things that are too expensive
  • Things that involve changes to policies and rules
  • Things you could change now.
  1. Assuming that perfect word is unattainable, what would be the nearest practical scenario we could realistically get to?
  • What dependences/challenges/changes would we have to make to get there (e.g.: challenging the rule that we have to send out the “legal entity disclosure”; a decent file management system, harmonising us rules etc)

ii. Who would need to agree to it? iii. What would need to be done and who would be doing it? iv. How would you implement it?

See also