Intro to Handbooks

Written By Courtney Schramm

Overview

The challenge with any data driven initiative is how to present the information to others and provide the information they need in way that it can be quickly understood and acted upon. As an example, handbooks are one way to educate the rest of the organization on the operating model and instruct the pieces of the business how they fit together. Scaling a business means relying on each function to commit and deliver parts of the value chain, handbooks help provide the instruction on how that happens.

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What are they?

  • Describe the operational processes

  • Define roles and accountability

  • Identify key performance indicators

  • Are improved and updated regularly

What are in them?

  • Introduction and overview

  • Process visualizations

  • RACI templates and standard roles

  • KPI descriptions

What are they used for?

  • Cover a specific project phase or value stream

  • Training

  • Teamwork

  • Continuous improvement

Example: Buyout at Katerra

Below is a few pages from an operations handbook covering the “Buyout” phase of a construction project. This high level handbook is intended to provide insight into the roles and responsibilities, major processes, and KPIs.

Process visual for the Phase has a whole. Buyout is one stop on the value stream and is thus a L2 level process.

Process visual for the Phase has a whole. Buyout is one stop on the value stream and is thus a L2 level process.

SIPOC visual helps summarize the “Buyout” process by defining the inputs/outputs.

SIPOC visual helps summarize the “Buyout” process by defining the inputs/outputs.

Further detail is provided now at the L4 Level which are the activities associated with the corresponding sub-process. This is the final level of granularity provided in these handbooks, as further details would start to be more project/product specific and are reserved for the “Project Handbooks”.

Further detail is provided now at the L4 Level which are the activities associated with the corresponding sub-process. This is the final level of granularity provided in these handbooks, as further details would start to be more project/product specific and are reserved for the “Project Handbooks”.

The description page is complimentary to the visual page on the left, and describes each sub-process step in more detail. Not shown here are the KPIs and major roles.

The description page is complimentary to the visual page on the left, and describes each sub-process step in more detail. Not shown here are the KPIs and major roles.

RACI Visual provides a tools for ensuring clarity of how each team participates.

RACI Visual provides a tools for ensuring clarity of how each team participates.

The description page that provides more detail to the visual on the left. At this level each input and output is identified, along with the function responsible for providing the specific input.

The description page that provides more detail to the visual on the left. At this level each input and output is identified, along with the function responsible for providing the specific input.

Courtney Schramm
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