A presentation for Ignite Portland 12 on process, mistakes, and blaming the PROCESS for them, not your people. The Ignite process is 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds and are accompanied by a live presentation. Visit igniteportland.org for video of the event. The video of this Ignite being delivered is available at this URL: http://youtu.be/HwnFAI420W4

1. Blame the
Process,
Not the
People.
Painting “Pointing Fingers” by Mario Zucca (MarioZucca.com), used with permission.

2. Charlie Levenson
Media Strategist & Writer
Experienced in process development
and production:
10 years: TV commercials, videos & Disney
10 years: Interactive Multimedia
8 years: Multnomah Athletic Club
9 months: First Tech Federal Credit Union

3. It's not rocket science or brain surgery. Really!
Photo courtesy of NASA
Photo courtesy of Zoe Cormier for Guerrilla Science (guerillascience.co.uk).

6. It all started with a lawyer.
Fun Cushion by Miranda Godman (cushions.org.uk), used with permission.

7. 1st Stage
2nd Stage
3rd Stage
Insurance
Company
Internal
Client
My
Department
Lawyer &
Project
Manager
Project
Manager
My Boss
and I
(twice each)
Image courtesy of Master Isolated Images, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

8. 4th Stage
5th Stage
6th Stage
Internal
Client
Insurance
Company
Internal
Client
Project
Manager
Lawyer &
Project
Manager
Project
Manager
& Associate
Image courtesy of Master Isolated Images, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

9. 7th Stage
8th Stage
9th Stage
Internal
Counsel
My
Department
Print/Mail
Vendor
Another
My Boss
&I
(one last time)
Production
Manager
Lawyer
Images courtesy of Master Isolated Images, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

10. What the process produced...
Images courtesy of Master Isolated Images, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

11. What was missing in the process?
Image courtesy of wallpapersfor.me

12. The Work of a Proofreader
Image courtesy of Dean Evans from his book “Don't Trust Your Spell Check” (goodcontentcompany.com)

13. People who ended up responsible
for proofreading the final copy:
2 Lawyers
3 Project
Managers
VP
Marketing
1 Production
Associate
Communications
Manager

14. Because EVERYBODY was involved,
it ended up being NOBODY's
Image courtesy of Feverpitched / yaymicro.com

15. Image courtesy of Stuart Miles, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

16. The Process can address three
distinct kinds of information.
Known
Knowns
Known
Unknowns
Unknown
Unknowns
Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

17. Known Knowns:
The stuff we know about.
The Process takes care of these.
Known Unknowns:
The stuff we know that we don't know.
Managed by the production team.
Unknown Unknowns:
The stuff we can't see coming.
Are used to modify The Process.

18. Use the Project Post-Mortem
to Build & Evolve the Process
How did The Process
not
fail and let this
error get through?
Image courtesy of papaija2008, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Who failed
and made the
mistake?

19. In Summary
Clarify The Process after each
production and distribute
responsibility within it.
If an activity requires perfection and
people are involved, The Process
must include checks, double-checks
and triple cross-checks*.
*And even then, the unknown unknowns will GET you.

20. Charlie
Levenson
Media
Strategist
& Writer
CLL2001@gmail.com
Image © Mike Baldwin, Jantoo.com, used with permission.