Re-engineering

If optimisation is all about ensuring that WHAT you do delivers your business’ requirements then re-engineering is all about ensuring that HOW you do those things is as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

The term re-engineering tends to bring to mind large scale manufacturing processes and in fact this is where many of the well known methodologies such as LEAN (Toyota) and Six Sigma (Motorola) are developed.  I have been involved in managing and delivering re-engineering projects since 1993 (back then it was called Total Quality Management if anyone remembers that one!) and my experience has been mainly within

• technology intensive service environments such as call centres,
• online processing such as web application forms and
• intra business processes such as HRM and ICT delivery and support.

Optimisation

Optimisation is the process of making a system or process deliver what a business needs as effectively as possible.  I’ll begin by investigating your business requirements and undertaking a gap analysis to see where the current system or process falls short.  I’ll review these gaps with you and provide you with full documentation of what’s missing, recommendations on how to fill the gaps and, most importantly, how to test that any changes you decide make will deliver what you need.

Website optimisation

For some time the topic of website optimisation has been one of my bugbears.  Seemingly far too often what should be a 2 minute search for information, a product or a service ends up taking half an hour or more.

The easy solution, put forward by most web design firms is search engine optimisation (SEO).  This is presented as a magic bullet for that vaguely disappointed feeling business leaders frequently have towards their websites. But, as we all really know, deep down, magic bullets are belong in fairy stories and not in business.  The reality is that a website is not just an electronic billboard but a fully functioning arm of a business.  Instead of approaching it as a technical black box of wizardry beyond our control we should define, develop, implement and especially manage it as such.

In this light I have put together a presentation for business groups – the slides for which are available for download by clicking on the image below.  The slides are designed to support the presentation rather than contain it in full and therefore contain highlights and summaries rather than the full picture. If you are interested in having me present this to your board, chamber of commerce or business network group give me a call.

Website Optimisation presentation