⚡️ Execution Insight

Projects vs. Processes

On Processes

What is a process?

A process is a prescriptive behavioral guide that, when followed, outputs some predefined result.

In simpler terms, a process instructs people on what to do to achieve a desired outcome.

When you hear business jargon like best practice, standard operating procedure, playbook, or workflow, think “process.”

Why does process matter?

Process for its own sake is fairly useless — creating extra hoops to jump through doesn’t serve anyone except bureaucrats.

However, processes used correctly deliver meaningful benefits:

1. Decrease the time cost of learning

   If I figure out how to achieve a goal reliably, you don't need to figure out how to do it from a blank slate. You can just copy me.

2. Constrain the defect rate
   If we all follow the same vetted process, the chance of something going wrong is decreased (read The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt).

3. Change management
   When we want to influence lots of people's behavior in one fell swoop, process enables that (read The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande).

When do we create process?

There are two conditions that tell you it's time to implement a process:

1. You've come up with a reliable way to achieve your desired outcome 

2. Headcount growth is outstripping your ability to share the technique informally

When you know how to achieve your goal reliably and you can no longer teach people in person, you need to formally instantiate a process.

Who does process?

• Sales development reps (SDRs) typically follow a process involving calls, emails, and scripted touchpoints with prospective customers

• Accounts Payable clerks typically follow a process around verifying invoices, due dates, and triggering the payment to be sent

• Even highly trained professionals such as lawyers and consultants often follow process, especially at more junior levels

• And so on…

Process is bad… (for your career growth)

I’ve spent all this time telling you about the merits of implementing process, but I can’t advocate that you be a processor as a job.

Processors are largely unable to dictate how they spend their days, beyond following the processes that other people.

Furthermore, processors do well-defined, repeatable activities day-in and day-out. These are the most likely to be outsourced or automated away. Promotions typically do not accrue to people who do process.

So what can you do?

On Projects

What is a project?

In the simplest terms, a project is a vehicle to create something new or drive change in an organization.

If you are doing something repeatable, using a standard checklist and standard tools and approaches, you are not working on a project — you are following a process.

Because people are creatures of habit, shepherding change is difficult. It is the project manager's responsibility to ensure alignment and successfully drive change.

The critical thinking skills required to accomplish new and unique things make project people much harder to replace than process people.

What does a project consist of?

Most projects consist of the following stages:

1. Problem Identification 

2. Kickoff 

3. Discovery 

4. Execution 

5. Training / Testing 

6. Closeout 

We’ll touch on each of these in future posts.

But for now, it’s an interesting tidbit that the steps of a project are basically a process (defined and repeatable), but the actual execution and thinking that goes into the project is not a process — paradoxical, huh?

What are examples of projects?

• Developing a new feature for a software product

• Devising the script for your SDRs

• Identifying your ideal customer persona

• Creating or improving a process (we’ll talk about this in the future)

So, everything really bifurcates into projects and processes?

Well, yes.

• Fundraising is a project, but prepping the investor update / board deck is a process.

• Creating the customer support script and flowchart is a project, but handling support tickets is a project (check against flowchart and deliver script - except the highest tiers of support)

• Determining which KPIs to track is a project, but setting up dashboards and writing SQL is a process.

What you’ll notice is that projects correlate to being more senior and more strategic. Ultimately, most people’s career success is driven by doing (and successfully delivering) projects.

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