Bob Lewis wrote today on how IT people can work toimprove inefficient business processes:
My best suggestion is to start, not by identifying the processes themselves, but by identifying likely champions and sponsors of process improvement.The crucial networking step involves asking advice from potential sponsors on how to proceed. An additional point here is also that you will be more likely to succeed not only because you are paying attention to the sales process -- but you are also eliciting information (and requirements) from these potential sponsors, which will put you in a better position to re-engineer the processes with a functional sponsor in a way that will truly work. Networking gives you a double-payoff.
...
So your first step is identifying middle managers or executives who stand to benefit personally from process improvement. Make them your best friends. Chat with them. Schmooze with them. Talk over how you think the use of IT can support their areas, ask whether they're interested, and ask their advice on how to get something started.
