Health organizations continuously seek to improve clinical processes, tools, and practices. However, operational processes improvement within IT and Informatics is often neglected, making meaningful change an uphill battle.
Effective transformational action demands acknowledgment of existing operational process problems and a commitment to prioritizing actionable improvements.
Change takes time, but with open discussions and a systematic approach, healthcare Informatics and IT teams can identify root causes of dysfunction and pave the way for lasting operational excellence.
The Importance of Addressing Operational Dysfunction
Organizational processes are the backbone of a functional Informatics and IT department, influencing everything from strategic planning to day-to-day operations, such as resource planning and communication. They shape how departments are structured and operate. However, without effective processes, even high-performing teams experience inefficiencies that hinder progress. Recognizing and addressing dysfunction is critical to driving behavioral changes that shape organizational culture and improve outcomes.
Common Challenges that are Symptoms of Operational Dysfunction:
- Misaligned Priorities: Conflicts between IT projects and operational goals lead to delays or indefinite project holds.
- Resource Constraints: Limited resources slow project execution, creating bottlenecks in support functions.
- Failed Outcomes: Projects fail to meet their intended goals, resulting in wasted time and effort.
- Post-Implementation Challenges: Lack of clear ownership or inadequate training leaves teams struggling to adapt to new systems.
- Backlog of demands: A growing "wish list" of unfinished or stalled projects.
Recognizing the symptoms of operational process problems is the first step in diagnosing the root causes of the dysfunction.
The ARAA Framework: A Systematic Approach to Process Improvement
A systematic approach can help uncover, explore, and resolve operational challenges. The following framework—Actively Observe, Review, Analyze, and Act (ARAA)—provides actionable steps for achieving process change.
1. Actively Observe: Gathering Insights
Identification of process challenges begins with active observation. Instead of jumping to conclusions, focus on the people and their processes. Engaging in open-ended discussions can uncover operational problems and identify opportunities for improvement.
Strategies for Effective Active Observation:
- Recognize an opening to engage in conversations: Ask open-ended questions like, “How do you organize your processes?” or “What works well in your current setup?”.
- Delicately dig: Aim to uncover insights by asking about their challenges and successes. Peel back the layers with curiosity, not judgement or blame.
- Listen and observe: Use active listening to prompt others to provide more information and create openings for continued discussion.
Pro Tip: Frame exploratory questions to encourage dialogue. Asking about the “How”, rather than “What” and “Why” can open the conversation and decrease defensive reactions. For instance, replace “I think you should…” with “Can you tell me more about …” – e.g. “Can you explain how resources are allocated across projects?” instead of “Why aren’t resources available?”.
Put it into practice
A department demonstrates a consistent pattern of key resources missing meetings. This regularly results in rescheduled meetings, overdue decisions, and repeated discussions, threatening your project timelines and creating team tension.
What do you do to actively observe and seek insight and information?
Suggestion: Focusing only on your individual situation will likely not lead to long-term success. Meet with other leaders to learn about competing organizational commitments. Ask open-ended questions to understand what might be causing resource conflicts. Delicately dig to explore whether this issue is isolated to your projects or indicative of broader capacity challenges.
This active observation approach supports recognizing if the concern is a symptom of a larger operational management problem. Digging deeper and seeking more insights from others can determine and expose root causes and help the organization identify the real operational challenge, such as better resource planning or priority alignment.
2. Review: Connecting the Dots
Once people are opening up and sharing information about operational challenges through active observation, work collaboratively to identify patterns and connections between problems and processes. Mapping recurring issues back to processes creates a foundation for collaborative problem-solving.
Key Actions:
- Listen and ask probing questions about the situation and the processes – this provides an avenue for others to identify and acknowledge the dysfunction on their own without being told.
- Look for patterns and note recurring issues that indicate deeper problems – this enables identification of the connection between the problems and the practices or processes.
3. Analyze: Pinpointing Root Causes
Building on your observations and review, analyze the data to determine the core issues. Explore connections and clarify patterns, interconnections, and interdependencies to diagnose and help prioritize where to focus.
Analytical Techniques:
- Use tools like fishbone diagrams or force field analysis to map out factors contributing to dysfunction.
- Share your own insights and vulnerabilities to affirm their experiences, and foster trust and collaboration.
- Validate findings by consulting other leaders and comparing experiences.
Put it into practice
You actively observe an extremely large backlog of open IT and Informatics help desk tickets. By reviewing and asking more questions several managers confide that often the tickets are resolved through end-user education rather than making system changes. However, the time delay caused by having to reach the person who logged the ticket, validate the issue, and provide the education really limits the ability to quickly close tickets.
What do you do to Analyze the situation further?
Suggestion: Work with leaders to explore how the tickets are classified – keep the conversation going. Recommend a small sample review of the types of tickets being received. Collect the data to confirm trends and validate assumptions, confirming you’ve correctly connected the dots between the problem and the practices and processes creating it. For example, in this scenario, perhaps the issue isn’t slow ticket resolution but how end user education is delivered at the time projects and changes are implemented.
Pro Tip: Approach discussions with empathy and flexibility. Focus on processes, not people, and revisit conversations if initial resistance arises.
- Be patient and adaptable. If stakeholders resist, revisit discussions later with a fresh perspective.
- Create distance from the dysfunction and the person – it’s not personal, it’s not them, it’s the environment.
4. Act: Driving Change
Empower stakeholders to take ownership of solutions. Instead of prescribing fixes, guide them toward actionable strategies.
Steps to Move Forward:
- Share success stories to inspire confidence.
- Focus on high-impact changes that address root causes.
- Collaboratively design solutions.
- Recommend organizational discovery and assessment tools to further analyze and prioritize problems and determine realistic and feasible tactics for treatment.
- Clarify resources that can work on developing and implementing change.
- Develop an approach and measurable action plan.
Creating Lasting Change
Operational process improvement is not a one-time effort. Organizations must continuously evaluate their strategies, measure progress, and celebrate successes. By fostering open conversations about operational practices, organizations can:
- Proactively identify and acknowledge challenges.
- Address root causes to clear the path for meaningful change.
- Implement tools and practices that establish new, productive habits.
- Transform the organizational environment, boosting morale and determination.
Key Takeaways for Sustained Excellence:
How MAKE Solutions Can Help
MAKE Solutions specializes in operational process articles and insights and discovery and assessment tools, as well as services to promote operational excellence.
Explore our free resources online to discover your operational improvement opportunities.
Visit our website at makesolutionsinc.com to learn more about MAKE’s consulting services, or contact Tamara Pomerantz, VP Client Operations, Tamara.Pomerantz@makesolutionsinc.com.
Let us help you clear the path for meaningful change.
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