Working Procedure Engineering
Convert every recurring process into a documented, optimized, step-by-step machine
Working Procedure Engineering is the hands-on methodology for converting undocumented, inconsistent 'organic' processes into documented, optimized, repeatable systems. An organic process -- one that exists only in people's heads -- will vary with the time of day, the weather, or the mood of the person executing it. A documented Working Procedure makes the process touchable, visible, shareable, and executable the same way every single time.
The method follows a specific sequence: first document the process exactly as it currently operates, then analyze it for inefficiencies, devise fixes for the root causes of those inefficiencies, create a prototype written procedure incorporating the fixes, test it in the real world, tweak it into final form, release it, and require exact adherence. The key insight is going to the deeper causal level -- not just repairing bad outcomes but modifying the system that produces them so the problems never recur.
Carpenter's Centratel grew to approximately 800 Working Procedures covering everything from how to process a daily bank deposit to how to handle a customer complaint. Procedures range from three short sentences to detailed multi-page documents, but all follow the same consistent format established by a master 'Procedure for Procedures' template.
- If instructions are not written down, they are feathers in the wind
- Document the process as-is first, then analyze and optimize
- Fix the causal system, not just the bad outcome it produces
- Front-line staff should draft and refine procedures from the bottom up
- Every procedure must be followed exactly as written -- if there is a problem, change the procedure, not work around it
- Document the Current Process As-IsBefore changing anything, write down every step of the current process exactly as it happens. This makes the invisible visible and provides a baseline for analysis. Do not skip this step by jumping straight to how you think it should work.
- Analyze for Root Cause InefficienciesMentally step outside and above the documented process. Examine each step for waste, errors, bottlenecks, and confusion. Identify the root causes of recurring problems -- the systemic issues that produce bad outcomes repeatedly.
- Design and Implement FixesCreate solutions that address the root causes you identified. Change sequences, add steps, delete unnecessary steps, add new subsystems, or discard broken ones. Lean hard toward stark simplicity in every change you make.
- Write the Final Working ProcedureDocument the optimized process in clear, linear step-by-step format using your established template. Write it with 'off the street' simplicity so anyone with normal intelligence can execute it unassisted. Include your name, the date, and a summary of changes.
- Test, Release, and Continuously ImproveTest the procedure in real-world conditions. Gather feedback from those who execute it. Tweak to perfection through trial and error over time. Once released, require exact adherence. If a problem surfaces, change the procedure rather than working around it.
Centratel's daily bank deposit process was originally a simple procedure, but when they added a check reader to eliminate physical trips to the bank, the procedure expanded from twenty-three steps to forty-two. Despite having more documented steps, the new system saved the accounts receivable manager at least three hours per week and eliminated the liability of street time.
After creating his Strategic Objective and Operating Principles, Carpenter turned to the massive task of documenting Centratel's processes. He realized that the same inefficiencies kept cropping up over and over, devouring profits and destroying his health. These recurring problems were the natural result of undocumented organic work systems. He developed the Working Procedure methodology to convert each chaotic process into a reliable mechanism, starting with the most dysfunctional systems first and working his way through hundreds of processes over the first year.