Organizations invest heavily in new software expecting faster work, better service, and measurable results. Yet many implementations fall short because the way work gets done never changes.
A new system doesn’t create a better process. It supports the process that’s already there. That’s why the most successful implementations begin before the software goes live.
Instead of simply configuring a new system, organizations should first ask: How can this be a better way to work?
Focus On Momentum
Taking time to examine workflows, eliminate unnecessary steps, and clarify responsibilities creates benefits that extend far beyond implementation.
A better process helps teams fully leverage new and existing software. Instead of adapting people to inefficient workflows, the technology supports work that’s already been improved. The implementation itself also becomes smoother. Fewer workarounds, less confusion, and clearer processes help reduce installation time, labor, and overall cost.
Optimize for Your People
Employees benefit, too.
When work is consistent and well defined, training becomes easier for existing and new staff. Employees spend less time learning exceptions and more time understanding how to produce great results. As confidence grows, frustration decreases, making it easier to retain knowledgeable team members.
Organizations also begin seeing measurable returns from their investment. Innovation Process Design clients recapture an average of 2,800 labor hours annually by improving processes alongside new system implementations. Those aren’t simply hours saved. That time can be redirected toward serving customers, solving problems, and driving additional improvements.
A Path to Continuous Improvement
Perhaps the greatest benefit comes after implementation is complete.
When employees are involved in improving the way work gets done, they develop the confidence and capability to continue improving it. A software implementation transforms from a technology project into an opportunity to build a culture of continuous improvement.
Organizations will always need new systems to meet changing demands. The key to success is improving the process at the same time.
The software may power the work, but it’s the process—and the people behind it—that determine the results.
About Lee Kuntz and Innovation Process Design
As founder and president of Innovation Process Design, Lee Kuntz brings over two decades of experience helping leaders of complex service organizations solve challenges through process improvement.
Through expert training and coaching, she helps teams see their work with fresh eyes, transform processes, and deliver meaningful results.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to Lee to discuss your unique situation and goals.
Is your team evaluating new software? The decisions you make today will shape both the success of the implementation and the effectiveness of ongoing operations.
This blog series explores how process redesign can reduce risk and improve outcomes during software implementation.
The success of any software initiative depends on two key factors: choosing the right solution and implementing it effectively within your organization. To set your team up for success, consider the following five questions:
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1. How can you achieve the most nimble outcome?
Software needs are evolving faster than ever. Which combination of software capabilities and process redesign efforts will enable your team to remain adaptable and responsive to change?
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2. Are you preserving a broken process?
Does your implementation plan simply reinforce the current process—even if it’s inefficient? If your organization is moving away from existing software, there’s likely a reason why. This is an opportunity to rethink and redesign how work gets done, not just replicate the status quo.
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3. Is your team ready for change?
Adopting new software often requires significant changes in how employees work. Is your team prepared? What change management strategies are included in your project plan to build readiness, engagement, and adoption?
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4. How are you managing risk?
Is this a major investment with high stakes? What commitments were made to secure funding—and what happens if expectations aren’t met? The greater the risk, the more critical it becomes to include process redesign as part of your implementation strategy to improve outcomes and mitigate potential issues.
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5. Does your plan balance technology and process?
Successful implementations don’t rely on technology alone. They require alignment between systems, processes, and people. Does your plan adequately address all three?
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By asking and answering these questions early, your team can significantly increase the likelihood of a successful implementation—and ensure lasting value from your investment.
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About Lee Kuntz and Innovation Process Design
As founder and president of Innovation Process Design, Lee Kuntz brings over two decades of experience helping leaders of complex service organizations solve challenges through process improvement.
Through expert training and coaching, she helps teams see their work with fresh eyes, transform processes, and deliver meaningful results.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to Lee to discuss your unique situation and goals.
Is your organization looking to use artificial intelligence (AI), but wondering where to start? Using AI tools to support operations is an easy and productive win.
Creating Vital Operations Procedures, the Quick and Easy Way
Organizations know they need procedures documents, but dedicating time to type up work steps and take screenshots becomes a roadblock for many leaders.
Those procedure documents are important. Then staff are out of the office, it is essential that their backups have reference documents to guide them in completing various processes. Without such resources to do work correctly, client deliverables can be late or incorrect.
Undocumented processes are also costly when implementing a new system. New system installations start with understanding how work is done now. If undocumented, the software vendor will bill for documenting the process for the team, which adds to the cost and slows the project down.
These two undesired results can sting.
Using an AI tool to document work steps is an excellent way to create simple, usable procedures documents quickly. For example, using Zoom’s meeting summary function and its recording capability (both visual and sound) can document a process in about 15 minutes.
Here is an example of summarized work steps using Zoom AI Summarize function.
Most summations need to be edited because AI makes assumptions and records those assumption. Recently an AI summation listed Lee as a he rather than a she. Those types of assumptions need to be corrected in finalizing procedures documents.
Using AI in this manner can save your team hours of labor on each set of procedures. Taking the 15 minutes to more frequently summarize procedures is an excellent resource for back-ups or new employees, reduces your risk of disappointing your customers, and decreases cost and risk when transitioning to new systems.
Here are links to train your team on recording and summarizing procedures with Zoom meetings.
• Getting started with computer and cloud recording
• Using Meeting Summary with AI Companion
Many other tools, such as Windows 11 or Firefly in conjunction with Microsoft Teams, can also be used to summarize or record procedures.
What Leaders Say About Using AI to Document Processes
Right now, forward-looking leaders are using AI to document processes ranging from gift contributions to accounts payable. Recently one organization leader said each departing employee is expected to record all their procedures using AI before walking out the door. This expectation increases the likelihood of providing consistent, high-quality service to the organization’s customers.
When Lee’s firm begins a process and outcome improvement project, she asks clients to record their process steps using the Zoom meeting summary and record features. This initial step takes the organization only about 15 minutes, saving them both time and expense and speeding the completion of the project.
Contact Lee Kuntz at lee@improveprocess.net to ask about recording procedures. Also, contact Lee to share any operations pain points you see or to talk through process and outcomes you seek to improve.
About Lee Kuntz and Innovation Process Design
As founder and president of Innovation Process Design, Lee Kuntz has spent over two decades using process improvement to solve the unique challenges faced by leaders of complex service organizations. Through expert training and coaching, she helps teams look at their work with new eyes, transform how work gets done, and create real results. Contact Lee with questions or to talk about your situation and what you want to achieve.
Many organizations are installing new software systems. These organizations frequently ask: When is the right time to redesign processes when installing new software—before or after software installation? The answer is both before and after.
Software Vendors Want to Help
When installing new software, most software vendors hold requirements meetings with subject matter experts. This valuable opportunity allows you to share your specific needs with the vendor. The more prepared your team is for these discussions, the better job both you and the vendor will do during the meeting. In addition, the software installation will proceed more smoothly, resulting in better outcomes.
When a team informs the software vendor about the processes they already have in place, the vendor will use that data to configure the new system. For example, if you currently use paper confirmations, the vendor will configure the system to create paper confirmations in the new software. If you conduct four reviews of grants during the grantmaking process, the vendor will structure the new system so that it accommodates four reviews.
One of the key reasons to get new software is that the outcomes from the existing system and processes are not meeting an organization’s need. When processes are slow and they create errors or fail to deliver the needed donor or grantee experience, everybody loses. As one leader recently wondered, “Why would I automate the processes that are not working for me now?”
Get Ready for More Success
If an organization seeks better outcomes from their process and systems, the best option is to improve processes before meeting with the software vendor. The purpose of such process redesign is to identify and resolve pain points so the current shortcomings are not baked into the new system. For example, an organization may seek to redesign its processes so they are electronically driven instead of being tied to paper documents. Another organization that typically reviews each grant four times might examine the errors that typically emerge and then improve their process by implementing self-checks to reduce or eliminate many of the errors, thereby reducing the need for reviews.
When teams redesign their processes and convey those improved processes to the software vendor, they achieve significant benefits, including:
Is your team buried and stressed out? Are they were working overtime to deliver to your organization’s partners, members, and clients? Have some employees left, leaving hard to fill roles open? Even with this situation, does your organization’s leadership want to take on new programs?
If any of this sounds like your organization, know that other teams have solved these challenges. Here is how one organization engaged staff while recapturing capacity. Dig Your Team Out to Make a Real Difference
See how this solution looks in this brief video: IPD Process Deep Dive Experience.
And contact Lee to talk about the results you need.
Software has become a significant expense for organizations. Yet, many fail to make similar investments in a one-time deep dive that will improve day-to-day operations that would enable them to maximize the benefits of new software.
Learn more in my recent article:
Bust these myths and save 2800 hours in day-to-day operations
Rapid growth can create challenges for community foundations, leading to missed deadlines and errors. Learn how one organization enlisted Lee Kuntz to help them understand their pain points and redesign processes with an eye to improve efficiencies, change systems, and build skills and will to support a more unified team.
Redesigning the Grant Process with Effectiveness in Mind case study link
Many philanthropic organizations have only the next four months to position themselves for success this year. Given November marks the beginning the big donation season, that means there is only a limited window for completing this year’s agenda. Some organizations are focused on just surviving 2023. Others are engaging employees to solve pain points, create capacity, and get ready for the year-end donation season.
Because of the far-reaching effects of the pandemic, this year promises to bring added challenges to the philanthropic sector. To be most productive and successful, you need to ask yourself several key questions: Are employees engaged? Do they have the skill and time to solve these challenges?
Return to Office: Just when remote work procedures are running well, many foundation staff are returning to the office. Once there, what process will they perform? Is the team ready to redesign processes for in-person success?
Regular Plus Special Programs: The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported that charitable giving is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels. That is good news for our communities, but it means philanthropic organizations need to be poised and ready to process those forthcoming gifts and grants. In addition to managing that workload, will your foundation continue to offer emergency assistance programs? Are social justice programs also on the agenda? How will your employees find time to do their regular work, plus take on any special programs?
System Replacement Goals: How are your systems holding up? With so much new technology available, did your organization include a systems change in its 2023 plan? Will it be in the 2024 plan? If new technology is on the horizon, where will you find the skill and time to redesign processes to ensure successful implementation?
Hiring in the Post-Pandemic Economy: More jobs are available as the economy regains its footing. Employees are taking advantage of new opportunities by changing jobs. As always, it’s challenging to find great candidates. How will you attract and retain good employees? How will you get new employees up to speed quickly so they can be productive when the end-of-year rush gets underway?
The consistent thread tying these challenges together is the need to engage employees in deciding how work gets done, create more capacity, and redesign processes for maximal effectiveness. Philanthropic organizations have successfully addressed these needs and achieved their goals through our process transformation coaching and training.
Learn more about our certified process skills in this blog post: Process Certification Helps Organizations Achieve the Results They Need. Whether it is through our hybrid approach or all in-person, we help employees learn how to work more efficiently and effectively. By actively engaging employees in identifying opportunities for improvement and creating solutions, we foster an organizational culture characterized by nimble skill and empowerment.
Recently a California foundation sponsored our training and coaching package. First, through our four-hour hybrid Think Differently Concepts Workshop™, we taught attendees how to spot work steps that were value-added and those that were a waste of resources. They learned to solve these pain points. Employee feedback on the training included the following comments.
• “I liked the exercises and examples pertaining to our organization specifically.”
• “I liked working in small groups with people from other departments, and having time for questions.”
After the training, Lee meet with leadership to design steps that will keep transformation skills in use.
Next, Lee coached this team in a deep dive into their gifts process. They took the process from 86 steps to 58 better steps while retaining strong internal controls. In the past, each pile of paper checks gifts was passed between staff 13 times. The team designed a new electronic, document-based process that cut handoffs in half. Error proofing is now a well-known and practiced skill.
The team will implement their new process before October so they can face the year-end donation season in a stronger position. Foundation leaders said that through this work, they expect to recapture capacity and deliver acknowledgements more quickly. They appreciated that the project was done on time and on budget. Said one leader about the combined training and coaching approach, “Lee used empathy, understanding and extensive knowledge of Community Foundations to help us streamline our process.” Added another leader, “We accomplished A LOT in a short time!”
In this blog post, learn more about how our training and coaching program works and why it is a worthwhile investment: This Year, Plan to Succeed!
What Will Your Organization Accomplish in the Next Four Months?
The very busy year-end donation season is coming soon. Rather than struggle through that hectic season, contact Lee Kuntz to learn what you can do reach your performance goals and thrive this year.
Many organizations are focused on building their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) capabilities. Yet daily operations continue as a priority. The community continues to need help. Funders need transparency and services. And operations processes need to be improved to deliver more services and better outcomes. With operations and DEI being parallel focuses, now is the time to incorporate DEI into process improvement to create an expanded impact.
Proven process improvement tools have been streamlining workflow and delivering better outcomes for years. Learn more about these time-tested tools and the importance of professional certification in this blog post: Process Certification Helps Organizations Achieve the Results They Need.
Historically, when a certified process improvement consultant uses these tools to transform both processes and outcomes, the track record has been impressive. The graph below illustrates how Innovation Process Design (IPD) capitalizes on our skills and experience to make processes faster and better, resulting in an enhanced customer experience and recaptured internal capacity.
In our upcoming webinar, learn more about how we have used these recognized approaches to help bring positive, measurable results to many organizations: Live Webinar: The Secret to Recapturing Foundation Time And Capacity.
Increasingly, many organizations are seeking to understand and incorporate DEI into their daily operations in a significant way. We understand diversity to mean that multiple identities and characteristics are represented in an organization. Equity means all these diverse identities have power. Inclusion means that all perspectives matter.
When a full-bodied commitment to DEI is in place, individuals within an organization feel a sense of belonging. Diversity advocate Verna Myers said it well. “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
The figure below defines diversity, equity, and inclusion and illustrates the potency of their overlap.
When tried-and-true process improvement tools are supplemented with DEI focused techniques, great results can happen. Teams develop a clearer understanding of what their partners and patrons need. These teams generate more innovative ideas. They also improve decision making by incorporating the views and expertise of diverse team members. Positive synergy results when everyone feels heard and included.
IPD’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion guides our internal operations. In addition, we have designed, tested, and added DEI steps into our process improvement training and coaching services. Our underlying beliefs and actions have shaped our DEI statement:
Innovation Process Design works to unlock and optimize organizations and their employees to maximize their operations impact. Our services engage organizations in bringing diverse views into each process design. We focus on using data and practicing transparency to identify and remove bias. Through the use of proven tools and approaches during projects, we help assess and balance power to create equity and inclusion. We live our diversity, equity, and inclusion values by holding ourselves accountable as we ask for and act on feedback.
Feedback from clients who have leveraged our certified process improvement + DEI services show they have been impressed by our commitment to incorporating DEI in process redesign. Even though these organizations are formulating or have already worked through their next iteration of DEI, they are surprised by our approach and questions. I suspect this is the first time they have thought about DEI and processes this way. Also, few consultants have integrated this important attribute into their services, making IPD’s services unique.
Through our coaching and training, organizations are successfully executing process improvement . They are receiving input from a wider range of staff and community representatives and are experiencing more eye-opening moments. For example, one foundation representative recently commented that “people who normally don’t speak up, now are.” Foundations appreciate that improving the way they do their work can be compatible with their commitment to DEI.
Organizations are liking the results they achieve through process improvement plus DEI. Staff members hear, engage, and understand more. These organizations live their DEI values while achieving improved outcomes. Your organization can too! Contact Lee Kuntz to learn more. And follow our blogs to hear more about the results organizations are achieving from proven process improvement tools +DEI.
Did the pandemic impact your grant payments? Are employees moving paper from location to location to get checks out? Are they working extra-long hours? Does it take more time to get checks out? What feedback is your organization getting from grantees and vendors about paper checks?
One organization looked into their busy season and decided to proactively take action to help employees and the community thrive. Here is their story:
Streamline Through Effective, Paperless, Electronic Payments Case Study.
Contact Lee today to discuss your challenge.
