Service Integration
Bringing people, processes and tools together
The overall focus of methodology engineering is interconnecting people, processes and tools. Slaughter Development calls this Service Integration, because ultimately, each of these components is meant to serve the larger organization and in turn the clients or constituents for whom the group exists.
Independently, people can complete work, processes can describe work patterns and tools can increase reliability and effectiveness, but rarely are all three elements working in concert to achieve goals and build satisifaction. Conscious understanding and coordinated integration of the three services maximizes our ability to perform work as a team.
Passion for People
The first point of the Agile Manifesto stresses the value of “individuals and interactions over processes and tools.” People are the most fundamental part of any organization, from employees to managers to customers. The essential human nature of people is the energy which drives the machine of a business forward. Service Integration must begin with these stakeholders; knowing them, understanding their needs and goals, reestablishing them as the center of the organization and the line of service. Only with people at the forefront can Service Integration succeed.
Mastery of Process
If people are the operational energy of a corporation, then processes trace out the movements within the business mechanism. Procedures are not physical artifacts, but well-trod pathways; dimensions of time and space that are filled for brief moments of activity. The service of process is what people do at work.
We are not accustomed to activity at the office resembling the cool, impressive regularity of the innards of a grandfather clock. Usually, work is completed despite tremendous challenges in the work environment, such as broken, missing or maladaptive systems. Achieving success under these conditions is evidence of countercompetence: getting work done even though the available resources and mitigating factors seem designed to prevent forward progress.
Organizations must bring processes under their control so that in turn, people can harness these motions to do the tasks required in their job. Managing these systems enables stakeholders to identify and eliminate barriers to their own productivity and satisfaction. Mastery ensures that we understand not only what to do, but how to do it and why it is done this way. People who understand and believe in the method of work are masters of that work and top contributors to their organization.
Expertise with Tools
An old adage warns that “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Companies might have great ideas for processes or impressively passionate and brilliant employees, but an insufficient toolkit will greatly limit their ability to succeed. Tools are parts in the machine. Each has a specialized purpose, but like the hammer, can be misappropriated. When used in their intended role by an expert operator, tools transmit human energy and information throughout the system. In the information age, the leveraging power of software systems is almost unimaginable. Tools amplify individual capacity, and harmonize with organizational procedures enabling individuals to rapidly and thoroughly complete complex tasks.
Anyone who has conducted long bouts of data entry on a computer system, diligently recorded customer information onto a pre-printed form, or conducted some other mind-numbing task has recognized that there must be a better tool for the job at hand. Slaughter Development’s Service Integration reviews the tools you have and the tools you need, and helps find the best fit for the dynamics of your organization.
Costs and Timeframe
The business engine consists of machine parts (tools), movements (processes) and energy (people). It’s ultimate output is customer, owner and employee satisfaction. The fuel, however, is capital. Consider investing some of your resources in comprehensive service integration: focusing either on improving the efficacy of your people, processes, tools, or in our comprehensive plan. Review the following grid for pricing estimates or take a look at our Packages page for more information.
| Challenge | Response | Costs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| People | “We need to hire some help, but who?” |
Service Integration: Recruitment Support |
$999-$1,999 |
| “How can we define job functions and conduct gap analysis?” |
Service Integration: Role Analysis |
$1,499-$2,499 | |
| Processes | “We have no manual of our business procedures!” |
Service Integration: Process Documentation |
$1,499-$3,999 |
| “We need to explain our processes to new and current employees.” |
Service Integration: Process Collection & Training |
$1,499-$2,999 | |
| Tools | “We don’t have the right tools for the job.” |
Service Integration: Utility Analysis & Recommendation |
$999-$1,999 |
| “We need to maximize our use of existing tools.” |
Service Integration: Customized Software Training |
$1,999-$9,999 |
Surprised to see numbers quoted online? Learn more about our pricing philosophy.
