Business Health-check

Is it possible to write a plan that can cover the quality management system of any business? To build the ultimate, perfect world, company?

Probably not. However, consideration of the following points with a Yes / No ‘have we consider this and who might be responsible’ answer will provide leadership teams with an indication as to whether their management processes are maturing or in chaos.

This checklist is not to be considered as a how to guide, each item could warrant it’s own manual, rather this is an overview of possible factors and techniques.

Considering the Inputs

Before starting to analyse your business have you understood and considered the following?

• External Environment — Physical and market competition
• Statutory and Regulatory requirements
• Business As Usual Environment — what is normal day to day
• Business change — Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, Environmental (PESTLE)

Business Planning (Strategic)

• Board membership make up (CEO, COO, CIO, CFO, CMO) - Those responsible for the ‘What’ and the ‘Why’
• Organisations appetite for Risk
• Corporate Strategy (SWOT Analysis)
• Vision — Vision Statement (Future State, what will be different)
• Mission Statement
• Logo / Tag Line
• Benefits Management (align to strategy, categorisation, profiles, realisation plan)- economics, effectiveness or efficiency,
• Problem Statements, Benefits Mapping, Benefits Profiling,
• Business Plan / Case for Change — Costs (RoI, NPV), Options, Benefits, Risks, Assumptions and Strategic Objectives
• Goals and Objectives (SMART)
• Management Commitment and Review Plan
• Company Principles and Values
• Approach to focus on the Customer (CRM)
• Policy Setting
• Debt / funding strategy for growth
• Target Setting
• System Planning
• Testing Strategy
• Service Strategy
• Blueprint for future operation — Processes, organisation, Technology and Information
• Gap analysis (future state from current state)
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Organisational Structure / People Managers
• Succession Planning / Leadership Schemes
• Documentation Framework
• Resource Planning and Resource Management Strategy
• Technology Strategy
• Recruitment Plans
• Buildings and Facilities planning
• Work Environment design
• Internal communications (Comms Plan, sharing success)
• Collaboration plan and techniques
• Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement (Stakeholder Analysis and Mapping, Comms Planning)
• Governance Roles / Standards
• Monitoring and Control Strategy — Change Control (CMDB), review planning (gates? Definition of Done?) MI requirements
• Visionary ideas
• Design authority approach
• Delivery Methodology Decision (Agile?, Outsource?)

Doing (Operations)

• Operational Planning — Those responsible for the ‘How’ and the ‘When’
• Marketing
• Sales
• Front Office
• Service Design
• Programmes and Projects — Outcomes
• Delivery — outputs & tasks
  - Sales
  - Design
  - Build
  - Test
  - Service Transition
  - Issue Management / Defect Management / Problem Management
  - Support & Service Operation
• Management of Value
• Management of Risk (Risk Register)
• Management of Programmes and Projects
• Quality Systems
• Information Management
• Benefits Management & Realisation
• Business Change Management

Delivery Infrastructure:

• Programme Office / Knowledge Management
• IT / IT Operations / System Admin / DBA
• Finance AP/AR/GL/TAX/Expenses
• Procurement / Supply Chain Management with Asset Register
• Deliveries / Post
• Office Management / Housekeeping
• Facilities Management and Health & Safety
• IT and Physical Security
• Contract Management
• Legislative Compliance
• Resource / Career Management

Checking (Monitoring and Review)

• What and how to monitor / KPI Planning
• Process monitoring
• User Perception and feedback
• System health check
• Process and policy non-conformance process
• Service Support
• CMMI / TMMI Maturity Assessment
• Audits
• Supplier Management, Service Review and SLA attainment

Act (Improve)

• Compare Plan vs Actual
• Management Review
• Fix problems
• Raising the Bar / Continuous improvement / Continual Service Improvement

How did you get on? If you only said Yes to the Logo / Tag Line item then you have plenty to be getting on with…..