Processes, Processes…………….
| Photo by my late, talented friend Mr. Paul Ridley.
What is the difference between a
DESIGN PROCESS AND A BUSINESS PROCESS?
The DESIGN PROCESS is how you begin and complete a project. It is also your client’s experience of your business and likely appears on your website in some form or other. Consultation, Survey, Concept Plan, Masterplan……..
However, it only forms a fraction of your business.
BUSINESS PROCESSES on the other hand form the structure of the whole business. Every aspect has a process which impacts all the other aspects of the business.
Business processes are the DNA of our individual businesses. We all have our own way of doing things which reflects who we are as decision makers and designers, so we really do need to give them attention.
| Nic Howard - We Love Plants
WHAT ? NO PROCESS?
If you launch yourself into the running of your design business without any serious consideration to its organization, you will eventually come unstuck.
As the successful owner of We Love Plants and RHS Chelsea medal winner NIC HOWARD explains:
‘As a small business owner, I thought I knew my processes. But as soon as I started employing people it became glaringly obvious that a lot of these were in my head and a bit haphazard.
So, I would say that the processes we have identified have become essential because they create a STRUCTURED, REPEATABLE WAY TO ACHIEVE BUSINESS GOALS EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, and that anyone coming into the business can understand what we do.’
No designer wants to be a haphazard.
| Top of the range mountaineering kit.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO HAVING PROCESSES?
If you take time to work through your business processes, you will understand your business INSIDE OUT and the positive effects will become evident:
What are the positives of having business processes?
1. You will have a much better understanding of who you are, your ethics, your design ethos. This in turn will affect your branding and marketing
2. You will have such an in-depth understanding of what you do that you will be able to talk about it with confidence, clearly and succinctly.
3. You can pre-empt problems and mitigate against them
4. You can tweak your processes as you evolve and constructively learn from your mistakes
5. They allow you to effectively adapt and grow
6. Clear processes mean it will be easy for new members of your team to know what they need to do and how
7. Your clients and everyone you work with will be happier.
With good business processes you will be running a well oiled machine.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BUSINESS PROCESSES PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.