Lessons from a YMC failure

Processes — the word provokes anxiety in abstract thinkers while inciting joyous glee in their analytical counterparts. But one thing is for certain, love them or hate them, processes are a necessary part of every business model (unless you’re operating under a rule of chaos, in which case, enjoy your last few months in business).

We at #TeamYMC are constantly reevaluating our processes, but around the first of this year, everything came to a head. Enticed by a pretty picture and promised convenience, we decided to switch project management systems. Ultimately we landed on a more complex (and far more expensive) piece of software.

That’s when all hell broke loose.

The qualms we had with our old system seemed immediately smaller next to the disastrous dumpster fire that ensued under the new program. I wish I was being sarcastic. We stay busy here at YMC, but this was a whole new level of crazy – something we had ironically aimed to cut out of our culture with this switch. Through a sick twist of fate, in trying to simplify our daily task lists, we ended up further-complicating them.

 

continue reading »