Why Making Things Easy is the Key to Success

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Why Making Things Easy is the Key to Success

We have all been on project teams where tasks pile up, deadlines loom, and frustration mounts. Often, this isn’t due to laziness, but to the ever-present friction that hinders action.

In our day to day project and operations management, friction refers to any obstacle that slows down progress or makes it difficult for team members to complete their tasks.

Here’s how the principle of making things easy can be a powerful tool for project managers and operations leaders:

• Boosting Team Productivity: A 2023 Deloitte study found that employees who report feeling overwhelmed are 3 times more likely to experience burnout. Streamlining workflows, automating repetitive tasks, and providing clear instructions, you remove unnecessary friction and empower your team to focus on what matters most.
• Enhancing Customer Experience: Imagine an online store checkout process riddled with complexity. According to Baymard Institute research, shopping cart abandonment rates can reach as high as 70%. Simplifying user interfaces, offering clear shipping options, and providing multiple payment methods, you reduce friction and create a smoother customer experience.
  • Uniqlo’s checkout process blew my mind today! I just tossed my clothes in a bin, scanned my phone, and I was out. No more waiting in line – this is the future!
• Improving Process Efficiency: A study by the Aberdeen Group revealed that companies with well-defined processes experience a 20% reduction in rework and a 10% improvement in on-time delivery. By identifying and eliminating bottlenecks in your operations, you ensure tasks flow seamlessly and deadlines are met more consistently.

Making Things Easy in Project and Operations Management: Practical Applications

Here are some strategies to leverage the ease principle in your projects and operations:

• Standardization and Templates: Develop standardized templates for project plans, reports, and communication channels. This reduces confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.
• Automation and Self-Service: Automate repetitive tasks like data entry or report generation. Offer self-service options for customers, such as online knowledge bases or FAQs, to empower them to find answers independently.
• Visual Communication: Use clear visuals like flowcharts, Gantt charts, and Kanban boards to represent project timelines and workflows. This makes complex information easy to understand and follow.

Examples Across Industries

• Construction Project: Implement a digital platform for sharing project plans, documents, and communication. This eliminates the need for physical paperwork and ensures everyone has access to the latest information.
• Manufacturing Operation: Automate quality control checks using machine vision technology. This reduces human error and frees up employees for more complex tasks.
• Software Development: Integrate continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) tools. This streamlines the software development process and allows for quicker bug fixes and feature releases.

By embracing the ease principle, project managers and operations leaders can create a smoother, more efficient work environment.

Removing friction isn’t about laziness, it’s about empowering your team and maximizing success.

So ditch the roadblocks, make things easy, and watch your projects and operations run like a well-oiled machine.

Citations & References

• Deloitte. (2023, April 12). Wellbeing and the future of work: A new imperative for HR. https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2014/hc-trends-2014-overwhelmed-employee.html
• Baymard Institute. (2023, February 14). Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate Statistics. https://baymard.com/
• Aberdeen Group. (2018). Best-in-Class: Closing the Gap Between Business Process Management (BPM) Strategies and Results.

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