Benefits of processes for development

 

When speaking with people working around processes, several arguments come into mind when thinking formalizing your work in regards with a dedicated process. Some may think that processes affect creativity or cause too much overhead. Creativity is the result of the accomplished work, like the painter who washes his paintbrushes and mixes his colours: all this is part of the process, and in no way it intervenes with the creativity. As for overhead, keep in mind that processes simply help you make sure that everything is there and delivered to the customer.

 

Credibility in front of customers

When delivering to your customers, keeping an image of professionalism is the most important. By establishing a process, you make sure that you deliver always the same way: this reassures customers. Your customers know you for your creativity, yes, but when there is money at stake, this professionalism in delivery will speak for itself.

 

Predictibility and Reusing

Generating predictitibility when developing products will bring confidence to both teams and customers. Surprises are less likely to happen, risks are controlled and minimized, reusing what has been done before suddlenly becomes an automation. Your not working at reinventing the wheel anymore. 

 

Coherent work

Repeating the same steps for developing and delivering a product is quite common. Without clear and defined process though, how to make sure that all the steps are accomplished? Uniformizing the way to do work ensures coherency in work, reduces the time required for thinking such things and frees you some time. Somehow, you become productive without knowing you are!