Competition for its own sake
is taking its toll on
corporations around the
world. At breathtaking
speeds, markets
are being swamped with
torrents of faster and
faster
new product introductions.
In the software world, Windows
95,98,2000, NT4,
client/server systems, and
Web-based
systems are all technologies
implemented in recent
years. Each of these
introductions has had a
major impact
on how systems are
written—requiring rewrites
and
obsolescence of current
technologies. Whenever a new
system is introduced, there
are issues of cost,
training,
compatibility with existing
systems, and acceptance.
Often before one technology
can be fully deployed, another
leapfrogs it. How does one
make changes on a
timetable that is conducive
to a strong operational
foundation?
In today's lean and mean
economy, with finicky
customers and rising cost
and quality pressures,
technological superiority is
not enough to justify the
enormous costs of numerous
implementations
This article will explore
the interplay between standardization
and innovation in products,
systems, and
processes. Standardization
initiatives such as ISO9000
and innovation requirements
such as speed-to-market
projects are often viewed as
mutually exclusive. This article
will focus on how to balance
the two, when to use
one to compliment the other,
how to standardize without
stifling creativity, and how
to continually improve
a process without upsetting
the corresponding system.
What is the proper balance
between innovation and
standardization? At
Chrysler, we created large
procedural
manuals—a procedure for
everything. These manuals
could
become a reason for not
doing anything, because if
something
was not in the manual then
only the owner of the
process really understood
what was in die manual and
what was not. A few years
ago, someone said, "Throw
out all the
manuals." This launched our
"cowboy" process where innovation
reigned supreme. We could
move very fast and
change silos—create platform
teams without much
thought for the implication
because the old way wasn't
working and something new
had to be tried.
Unfortunately, the twin
sister of innovation also
reigned—overlap and duplication.
We are now struggling with
the proper balance
between these two extremes.
Having a plan is key;
without
a plan, chaos will reign.
The following article will
help you
to create that plan and stay
on target, while preserving
the
advantages of both
innovation and
standardization while
avoiding the many
disadvantages.
Continued