Ensuring that the product we build meets the high standards expected by customers is an ever lasting goal for every product that has ever been designed and sold. Shipping a product on time with quality is a goal that becomes challenging one way or another. There is pressure from the customers, market place, stakeholders, etc. at all times that clouds decision making at key moments when the product comes close to delivery. For example, the cook who has to rush into the next house (customer awaits) can allocate only one hour for cooking at the current house (customer). Some dishes can take longer to cook. Regardless, short cuts are found – the gas is turned on high, the vegetables are cut in large pieces and eventually, the food is not cooked completely as time perceived by him/ her runs out. Quality of the food becomes a casualty in the face of pressure of timely delivery. The same principle applies to
BBMP Gamification
The current system in Bangalore – splitting the city into multiple wards with a BBMP office in each ward works very well in terms of distributing the span of control. I believe that competition helps improve performance. Usain Bolt would not be training hard and running at his peak if he were not challenged by his competitors. Even in the corporate world, competition breeds innovation and superior performance. Google out-thought Microsoft in the early 2000s much like Microsoft out thought its competition in the 1980s and 90s. The challenge in our case study is to inculcate a feeling of pride and competition between the BBMP wards. Taking off from the gamification example in my previous blog post, I think that BBMP wards should be players in a different sort of game. One in which they are graded on their key performance indicators and this system should be visible to all citizens. Each ward in-charge is accountable for the results that
Gamification of road building process – 1
After a long time, I return to Gamification – a topic that is close to my heart given the potential that this simple tool has, to improve business processes and work for social good and welfare. This post will be split into 3 parts. In this part, I will talk about the game system and some of the benefits that it will bring about to the contractors/ players. In the second part, I will delve into the other part of the game involving the government and the competition and rewards that the gamified system can bring. Finally, in the 3rd part, we will take a look at how the quality of the work can be reinforced and maintained at a high standard using game concepts. In Bangalore, as in many cities across India, a major problem exists in the quality of the roads. Every year, the monsoon rains brings with it cheer for us citizens along with despair for commuters
Trust in Professional relationships
Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to the a podcast on Management tools that stressed on building professional relationships. Those words have stuck with me – how well does it describe the relationship between colleagues at the office?! Professional relationships are what every Manager seeks to build between himself and his team and between other peers and colleagues at the work place. Indeed, every professional in any field of work would do well to build a relationship that is built on trust and honesty with other professionals. Trust is the cornerstone that any relation is built upon and it is trust that every team member looks for in his/ her Manager or leader. The belief that he/ she will look out for their best interests and for that of the team needs to be inculcated and this can only happen over time. Once the trust has been built, nurturing it and maintaining it becomes as important as building
Self Management
I had the opportunity to be part of an event recently that got me thinking in multiple dimensions. One of the most interesting of these dimensions was one about self management. There are volumes written about how leaders should be, could be and are. There are books on managing projects and leading teams. I’m not sure how many of these place enough importance on self management. In a public setting, when meeting with a whole bunch of strangers for the first time and working together as a team, who you are as a person stands out. The difference between the work environment and the new public setting could not be starker because the reputation or title that precedes you at the work place is missing in the public forum. In such situations, the way that one carries oneself becomes a true reflection of who you are as a person and in many ways, is representative of your position in society.
Mithun's Musings 