Process management

Software development is a frenzied decathlon of activity, constantly pressed on all sides by resource constraints, budgets and deadlines. Many items originally...

Recently, I asked some business executives for their top three IT wishes. Across the board, their responses echoed a common plea: “I wish IT projects would come in on time and on budget.” Funny thing is – this very reasonable sounding request is actually quite unreasonable. You see, we are no longer simply automating existing […]

Lessons from a 10-year review of Sony Ericsson’s product development process.

After working at his family's coat manufacturing company for a few years, the author realized that high-end coats made in Canada could become a luxury...

Many companies are now good at managing costs and wringing out manufacturing efficiencies. The TQM movement and the disciplines of Six Sigma have seen...

Chief Technology Officer Barry Golding is meeting with Mathews & Co.'s department heads to ask for another round of investment so he can begin implementing...

In recent years, the leaders of American companies have been barraged with attacks on their investment policies. Critics accuse American executives of shortsightedness and point out that managers in Japan and Europe often fix their vision on more distant horizons. Here, it is claimed, managers pay too much attention to quarterly earnings reports and not […]

It does a better job of using data and forecasts to make decisions.

The paradigm shift is instructive to other industries, too.

What do IBM, Texas Instruments, Owens Corning, and Duke Power have in common? They’re all redesigning their organizations around their core processes—and reaping enormous benefits as a result.

The U.S. may be the world’s leading innovator, but it won’t be for long if investors, regulators, and the legal establishment continue to penalize companies for risk taking, says Deborah Wince-Smith, president of the Council on Competitiveness. Recently, the council’s National Innovation Initiative, a leadership network of CEOs and university presidents, released a report in […]

Designers panicked when they first tried agile development, then proved their value in new ways.

Globe Metallurgical Inc., a $115 million supplier for specialty metals, is best known as the first small company to win the Baldrige Award in 1988. But...

Advice from three senior managers at Ascension.

Involve all stakeholders in project definitions and expectations.

Financial incentives don’t reduce errors. Employees must be passionate about eliminating mistakes.

Many companies use the approach as an excuse to avoid careful planning and preparation. Amazon takes a different tack.

Combat complexity with modularity.

Three rules from a company that's been fully remote since 2014.

Navigate even the most complex projects with confidence and resilience.