Are your systems slick or sick?

Many of us tolerate the processes which we have in place within our businesses without ever questioning whether they work effectively or efficiently because we become blinded to the chance for change.  I worked with a client last year, reviewing their systems for the management of design.  It became very clear, very quickly, that the systems they were using were laborious and there were no links between 5 separate databases which were being used to record enquiries received, quotations delivered, orders received, changes made to the design by the client and invoicing details.  The system worked 'as long as everyone remembered to do everything they needed to' and once a key member of staff went off on sick leave at short notice the system broke down, and quickly.  So why hadn't anyone realised that the process was cumbersome and unwieldy?  Well because they just did what they'd always done and that's often the case.  Sometimes there is a real benefit to be had from asking 'effective and efficient' and looking at things critically.  Often that's the real power that comes from a properly delivered process audit.