Do not let any software impress you!

Only let it convince your intellect.
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Do not look for a business paradise!

It is a waste of time.
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Only yourself can push you uphill.

There is no easy road to prizes.
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Productivity is the name of the game.

And you have to conquer it.
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As long as you understand it,

you will start to build your know-how.
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We can help with that.

We have the tools and the method.
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From Business Targets to Business Actions



This article will demonstrate a way of thinking needed when we set a business target. The first part of this text is quite generic, so it applies in every case. In the second part, where we propose a solution, we will consider the realization of Mykosmo‘s organizational effect. After this short preface, let‘s consider a business target that we have set:

“The yearly increase of production volume, given that the workforce and equipment are already fully utilized and steady.“

We will try to solve this problem by giving it a mathematical representation. So we have the so-called variable “Yearly Production Volume.“ We cannot command the “Yearly Production Volume“ to increase because it is an intangible variable. We have to be more analytical on the target variable by rephrasing it and saying that: We have to increase the “Number of Production Processes“ per year and increase the “Production Volume of each Process.“ We can write this functional relation as:

“Yearly Production Volume“ = f ( “Number of Production Processes,“ “Production Volume of each Process“ ) ................(1)

Now we have only to increase the variables “Number of Production Processes“ and “Production Volume of each Process.“ But it‘s not feasible to command them to increase because our condition is that “we fully utilize workforce and equipment.“ We have to increase the values of these variables by other means. So we get analytical again to find the functional dependencies concerning them. To have an increased “Number of Production Processes“ per year, we have to make them run faster. We write this as:

“Number of Production Processes“ = f ( “Production Processes Speed“ ) .................(2)

On the other hand, can achieve an increased “Production Volume of each Process“ by preparing more detailed and accurate data for the production process. Sometimes this can help. Consider only production inefficiencies occurring by using a “bad set“ of data. We write accordingly:

“Production Volume of each Process“ = f ( “Efficient Production Data“ ) .................(3)

Now the initial problem is optimizing “Production Process Speed“ and “Efficient Production Data.“ Let‘s take first the “Production Process Speed“ and examine its dependencies. A production process is a series of Activities running in series or parallel with other activities. Some of these Activities affect office work (executed by white collars), and others affect machinery (executed by blue collars). A close examination of every Activity reveals that literally:

“In Activity, the Associate consumes data (read), and then he produces some data (written), to be consumed by other Associates in another Activity.“

So, data are constantly moving between Activities (communicated). This data communication sometimes creates delays in the starting of activities that follow. Also, delays might occur when the Associate is not stating as closed the current Activity so that the next one can start. After that, the “Production Process Speed“ depends on “Activity Execution Speed“ and “Minimizing Time between Activities.“ We represent this functional relation as:

“Production Processes Speed“ = f ( “Activity Execution Speed,“ “Minimizing Time between Activities“ ) ...............(4)

So far, by trying to summarize our analytical zeal, we have reached a situation where we have to optimize the following variables (or entities generally): “Efficient Production Data,“ “Activity Execution Speed,“ and “Minimizing Time between Activities.“ By defining the functional dependencies for the above variables, we have:

“Efficient Production Data“ = f ( “Activity Documentation“ ,
“Activity Validation“,
“Activity Continuous Redesign“,
“Expert Software“,
“Experts“ ) ...................(5)


“Activity Execution Speed“ = f ( “Activity Documentation“ ,
“Activity Validation“ ,
“Activity Continuous Redesign“ ,
“Expert Software“ ,
“Experts“ ) ...................(6)


“Minimizing Time Between Activities“ = f ( “Fast Activity Assignment“ ,
“Best Activity Scheduling“ ) ...................(7)

At this point, we have defined a set of functional relations, having a set of dependent entities on the right side that is possible to affect. Or, in other words, give them optimal values. The condition that permits us to say that this set is a tangible one is the Mykosmos software. So let‘s have a closer look at these entities:

“Activity Documentation.“

In Mykosmos the expert assigned an activity has access to the documentation supplied (simple text, HTML, or other available files). On the other hand, experienced experts can supplement this documentation with their real-life suggestions, thus enriching the company‘s “documented know-how.“ This documentation is also versioned. Eventually, by using Mykosmos every action taken by company associates is fully documented and alive (a real-time operation).

“Activity Validation.“

In Mykosmos, every Activity closes by pressing the “forward“ button. In this case, the Associate confirms that the data produced (written to the database) are the desired and correct ones. But are they? Here, the validation comes into action to check that the data produced is of the specified quantity and quality.

“Activities Continuous Redesign.“

When Mykosmos monitors and coordinates the company‘s processes, a large amount of data produces the Associates and the software. These data concern date, time, role, Activity, process, and whatever other related entity. These data supply all the information required to the “internal processes“ section of the company‘s Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The company managers can use this information to change and optimize the process and its activities continuously. The “process redesign“ can be as ordinary as the approval of a new company supplier.

“Expert Software.“

The use of “expert software highly aids the quick and efficient data production during an activity execution.“ We use this software for solving expertise problems concerning physical, mathematical, chemical, or other scientific fields. Mykosmos can call these programs if they have an “open“ architecture. A preferred condition for such programs is to permit “data feed“ automatically and then “produce data“ in a format permitting automatic “read-in.“ These features can reduce time and eliminate mistakes.

“Experts“

Here, as an expert, we mean any associate. The condition we discussed above states that the workforce remains as it is. Experience from companies that utilize Mykosmos has shown that experts give their best to the company team. That is because every expert contribution to the process is publicly known to the rest of the team. We also supply documentation for the activities. Validation, when closing an activity, ensures better performance for the expert.

“Fast Activity Assignment.“

In Mykosmos as soon as an activity closes, control and data are immediately transferred to the following activities. Additionally, other processes start time-scheduled, as defined in “planner agents.“ These processes also push activities immediately to the assigned associates.

“Best Activity Scheduling.“

In Mykosmos every Activity can be scheduled (i.e., define the time and the resources for its execution). We can do that manually. When we have to do massive scheduling, then we can perform an automatic optimization. This massive scheduling uses embedded optimization algorithms of Mykosmos to schedule the activities using a set of constraints.

Conclusion

The classic approach to the “business target“ problem would be that we take the following steps:

1) Express business target as a paragraph of text
2) Analyze the paragraph into smaller, more straightforward sentences
3) Rewrite every simple sentence by giving it a “quantitative expression.“
4) Set those “quantitative expressions“ as targeted metrics
5) Assign every targeted metric to “responsible managers.“
6) Repetitive meeting participations of “responsible associates“ reveal our actions to accomplish the targeted metrics.

In the last step (meetings), we decide what the necessary actions we must take are. Ok, but how would these actions be implemented? Has the company the required organizational infrastructure to control what we propose as actions? For example, in a company that hasn‘t detailed named Processes and Activities, it‘s impossible to focus on the exact Activities and change them. Likewise, it is difficult to change and improve a company with no documentation on what exactly happens in an Activity.

Eventually, whatever the business target is, it leads to specific “working changes.“ These “working changes“ are easier implemented when the company has a detailed and organized mapping of every aspect concerning “human work.“ Mykosmos can help a company fully cartography its Activities and then proceed to a full real-time choreography of these Activities. Later on, changes required by the “real-time working world“ w can quickly implement as “real-time changes to the existing choreography.“