A Summary of the 4 Rules of Process

I was reviewing my notes looking for these 4 rules of process. I remembered writing them down and then formulating my playbook and tools after them. Recently I wanted to go back to the original source. I found my notes but could not find the source or citation. This work is not my own but I cannot locate the source.

This series of blog posts will go through the 4 rules of process and explain their importance to real-world value stream improvement and efficiency gains.

4 Rules of Process

1. It must be defined by those planning the work
2. It must be understood by those doing the work
3. It must be easy to execute on the job
4. It must be measured to understand its results

Examples of ineffectiveness – Breaking the Rules of Process

1. If a process is not clearly defined, it will be up to the individual worker to know how to get the job done; this means that the process will be done differently by different people
2. If a process isn’t fully understood, it will result in individuals developing their own understanding of the process based on “educated guesses” and “trial and error.”
3. If a process isn’t easy to follow because of various obstacles (problems with equipment, materials, schedules, instructions, etc.) workers will be forced to work “around the system” to get the job done; this will produce differing results.
4. If a process is not measured with reliable data, no one will really know how well results are being achieved and whether or not changes to the process should be made.