I was doing some research for a talk I am preparing on merger best practices and decided to update my understanding of two critical frameworks that all merger specialists should have in their tool kits. Actually, these should also be part of any transformation or business as usual approach. However, the concept of process and then reducing process variation to drive excellence has been a tough sell in many service industries. The work we did in this area while at a major bank really pushed the enveloped on everything from lowering cost per transactions to significant increases in profit per customer per salesperson and customer lifetime value.
The first framework is APQC‘s Process Classification Framework (PCF). You can now download a cross-industry version or industry specific versions for banking, consumer products, and education. The power of the PCF is that it really helps you establish a common lexicon for discussing work and tasks. Second, it allows mapping of technology, people, costs and more. Finally, it helps troubleshooters determine if an issue is an “in the box” (process step issue), or what I call “baton pass issues” (something upstream or downstream of the step). APQC offers this download free of charge with no registration hassle.
The second framework is a little more complex. It’s called the Zachman Framework™. It has a complex definition which I simplify as the best framework for working through the knowledge management needs of an organization (IT, systems, data, work flows). You have to sign up to download a large copy of the framework. The sign up is low hassle and allows you to interact with the framework in more detail. There are other frameworks on the site, but to get those you’ll have to pay a subscription fee.
Alternately you can type “Zachman Framework” into Google and find a treasure of presentations and papers. I’d start here to get an understanding of the basics.
Oh, one point – consider the right framework for the right task. These are complex frameworks for larger enterprise transformation.
Cheers!
