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Processes are customized to a business or enterprise program. The purpose of a process is to

• Provide a framework of standard operating procedures
• Provide a description of applicable business and program management practices
• Provide a step-by-step implementation plan
• Provide an assessment plan to capture lessons learned for continuous improvement

There are processes for every functional area of a business. Every role and responsibility within the organization can have best practices identified in the form of processes customized for efficient operation. D. L. Jones and Associates will work within your organization to provide direction for appropriate application of processes for your business.

For example, a cogent product strategy is a key element of business development as well as product development. It seems obvious that there should be a well defined strategy for individual products and for the product line. What is a process for ensuring that this happens?

Framework:

• Customer Understanding – needs and requirements
• Market Understanding – product description
• Development Understanding – timeframe and costs
• Business Understanding – revenue and margin
• Objective Understanding – grow the market, sustain the market, add barrier to competition?
• Funding Understanding – does the return justify the investment?

Practices:

• Market research – key influencers, focus groups, concept presentations at trade shows, customer special interest groups
• Specification – documentation of functionality, required technology, major components, and feasibility estimate of technical risk
• Forecast – manpower and schedule estimate, cost estimate
• Business plan – estimate the impact on profit from operations
• Management decision – will the program objective be met?

Step-by-step:

• Choose the specific tools and methodology to use in the implementation of each practice
• Identify the activities that will take place during the planning cycle
• Schedule the time of product planners
• Some practices may be done in parallel
• All practices must complete prior to the management decision
• Follow the schedule

Assessment:

• Identify successes and failures
• Compile the lessons learned
• Take corrective action in the next planning cycle

D. L. Jones & Associates has found that many businesses and enterprise programs already have the knowledge, the people, and the tools to manage effectively when they are organized correctly, structured for performance, and follow the processes that lead to recovery.

• We will work with you and your people to ensure that appropriate processes are applied in the key areas of your business or enterprise program.
• During the early formation stage of a new business, D. L. Jones will work in the role of an interim executive until intellectual property, funding, and operational support issues are resolved.

After the formation stage, typical new business support or program recovery can take the following amounts of consulting time. Every support process is customized to specific circumstances and may take less or more time than is shown.

Consultant advisory time is also available for a specified number of hours per month starting at a minimum of 16 hours per month. In this manner, ongoing services can be provided to plan and implement processes incrementally over time.

For the benefit of its clients, D. L. Jones and Associates is affiliated with an international network of senior business people that can be enlisted to assist with specific issues. This may occur when a business wants to expand regionally, nationally or internationally and the local knowledge of the network is beneficial with government requirements, health and safety certifications, standards organizations, commercial marks, and registrations.

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