Personal Process & Tool Self-Assessment – Triggering Structured Self-Improvement

Abstract

In this paper we discuss an idea for a framework that enables a knowledge worker (KWer) on the one hand to evaluate her own personal processes and tools and on the other hand to identify improvement options for herself in a structured endeavor. We show this using the example of meetings. A KWer working, e.g., in international research projects spends 10% of the overall work time on meeting management, i.e., not dealing with the content but administrating meetings like, e.g., writing, formatting and sending out meeting minutes. However, a situation analysis of several KWers in the research domain shows us that a number of inefficiencies do exist which lead to an overall sub-optimal personal process. Our framework enables the KWer to assess her personal productivity situation by using a checklist with common process inefficiencies, e.g., major inefficiencies in meeting management are process loops and media breaks. The KWer then leverages a set of guided procedures to identify potential options for getting help to improve the personal situation. These guided procedures consist on the one hand of accessing the personal social network and on the other hand a structured problem resolving approach helps the KWer to apply best practice process knowledge and suitable tools to identified inefficiencies. Thus, the KWer can quickly identify suitable contacts or articles to improve the personal process on her own.