Procedures are an integral part of businessThe management of an organization depends for a significant part on established procedures which govern the way in which the organization confronts its challenges. Developing and writing procedures often comes as a afterthought, with either the quality department of a junior collaborator being charged with writing these procedures. However, … Continue reading Developing SMARTER processes
The external cost of internal optimization
Traditional cost reductions don’t take customers in accountMost organisations do not realize they are imposing significant burdens on their users. Any interaction involves a transaction cost. Organizations competed on cost reduction platforms, trying to drive down the transaction cost as low as possible … for their own operations. Quite often, an important part of the … Continue reading The external cost of internal optimization
Get rid of irrelevant process steps
For those of you who speak either Dutch or French, a nice journalist named Brigitte Doucet wrote a comprehensive article based on the keynote I gave at the Software AG Process Forum in February 2011. While I am formally no longer actively working in burden reduction, one of the key elements in our internal audit … Continue reading Get rid of irrelevant process steps
Better capture, processing and next action organization
I’ve been using mind mapping in combination with with OmniFocus for better capture, processing and next action execution. Let me tell you a bit on how I got there.My brain is chaosSometimes, I have chaos for a brain. I’m not kidding. In the past, this has led to those well known and recognized moments of … Continue reading Better capture, processing and next action organization
Four aspects of powerful stories
Why stories are importantI often wonder what makes stories so powerful. Most of the successful business presentations I see are based on powerful underlying stories. The best presenters, be it in the boardroom or in front of a large audience, are able to entice their listeners into entering a story with them. They then lead … Continue reading Four aspects of powerful stories
Fairness is a factor in regulatory compliance
Difficulties in regulatory complianceSome regulations are notoriously difficult to ensure compliance with. Take speed limits for example. Few people will, when confronted with an empty or almost empty road, stick to the speed limits as indicated and “enforced”. Unless you are unlucky or not aware of where fixed and mobile camera’s may be positioned, the … Continue reading Fairness is a factor in regulatory compliance
On informal networks and established businesses
Informal networks are competing with established business structuresThe cost of informal networks getting together, creating something and then splitting apart again has gone down considerably because of the internet and the collaborative and co-creation tools it now offers to these organizations. The economies of scale which once heralded the birth of corporations no longer holds … Continue reading On informal networks and established businesses
Independence, objectivity and proximity
ContextThere is discussion ongoing at the Belgian federal government level about the (minimal) independence requirements for internal auditors active the Belgian federal administrations. I want to weigh in with some thoughts on that. This article is partly based on a recent position paper by the IIA on independence and objectivity, which I found very clarifying.A … Continue reading Independence, objectivity and proximity
An interesting article on risk management by Matthew Leitch
Matthew Leitch has posted an interesting article on what integrated risk management actually means on his site, here. This analysis is based on a survey he executed and I participated in. As usual, his methodology as well as the scope of his analysis is well defined and well executed.I believe his conclusions are well founded … Continue reading An interesting article on risk management by Matthew Leitch
Reengineering and customer satisfaction
The focus of reengineering and process optimizationMany organizations have invested significant time and means in internal process optimization. Often for all the right reasons, such as performance improvements which were essential and reduced organisational bloat. Occasionally for the wrong reasons, such as the reaction the stock market will have on the intent to reengineer: management … Continue reading Reengineering and customer satisfaction
Exploring The Black Box 