Variance based behavior: how to avoid business process jams
Raoul Mourik
Published at
The Dutch motorways belong to the busiest highways in the world. And most motorists in The Netherlands experience every day that more highway capacity does not result in less traffic jams. While since 1990 the number of cars has grown with approximately 55%, the highway capacity has grown by a mere 15%. In 2006 it was already identified that over 4,000 km of additional lane capacity is needed to solve the traffic congestion problem in the Netherlands ‘instantly’.
This new capacity seems only viable with draconian measures such as cross traversing nature reserves. It is also estimated that in 2020 the off-peak hours will be as busy as the peak hours today. With this in mind a solution to the traffic jam problems for one of the most dense road networks in the world seems further away than ever. Or is it?
Driving behavior
Most of us experience that variance in behavior of road users has a fair share in how highway capacity is used. We especially know how our fellow drivers use lanes wrongly, often characterized as ‘left drivers’, ‘slow drivers’, ‘ignorant drivers’, ‘speeders’, ‘tailgaters’, ‘signal-less drivers’, ‘distracted’ drivers, and so forth. The biggest culprits are variation in speed and unpredictability of our (fellow road user) behavior. This makes us react back on the other, causing even more variation and unpredictability. As a result, we need a lot more tarmac to pass the same number of vehicles. So if we got rid of that unpredictable driving behavior we would win road capacity. Too simple? Indeed there are capacity restrictions, but there is more to investing in road capacity only to resolve traffic jams.
Variance based behavior
At R&G, we experience similar dilemmas in business processes that are short of capacity. Too often the primary needs of leaders are focused on more staff, more equipment, more space to be able to deliver more. But what if you would bring this back to our own department or factory? Do you recognize this one-dimensional solution? If this is not the case, you found yourself a way without making major investments. If you do recognize the internal struggle for more capacity without having to invest, why not reduce variance based behavior first? Get rid of your own slow drivers, speeders, ignorant drivers and tailgaters. Define the right rules, standards, norms and conditions for your processes, obey these and do not tolerate deviation. It will definitely increase the available capacity.
Over the years I learned that I first need to stop speeding, return to the right lane and basically slow myself to reduce the variation I create. In other words, I should only be asking for more capacity when my own performance is consistent. You can do the same.
Raoul Mourik is Senior Business Process Consultant of R&G Global Consultants in The Netherlands.
