The silver bullets for our executives are those new management trends that
promise to transform the way business is done.  Examples over the decades
have included Management by Objectives and Total Quality Management, while
Six Sigma, Lean Enterprise, the Capability Maturity Model Integration
(CMMI®), and agile software development techniques are more recent methods
earning silver-bullet reputations. Process improvement initiatives like
these can and do work, but how they are implemented is critical to their
success.

Phases

1. Fresh Start: Envision a little pig in a suit, wiping a bunch of architectural drawings and books off a table

2. Executive Dedication and Openness: Envision a little pig constructing a house made of bricks

3. Success

4. Publicity: Envision a little pig proudly holding a book showing a house of bricks on the cover. The book’s title e Balle-Argentee Method.”

5. Momentum

6. First Replication: Envision two or three other little pigs constructing house of wood.

7. Confirmation: Envision a collection of books with houses of wood on the cover

8. Proceduralization: Envision an entire village of houses made of straw

9. Diminished Returns: Envision the village of straw houses starting to crumble, propped up by sticks and invaded by mice

10. Blaming the Method: Envision the big bad wolf blowing down the village of straw houses.

11. Starting Fresh: Envision a different little pig wiping a bunch of books and drawings off his desk. One of the books has a picture of a house of bricks on the cover

Morals of the Story

A sequence of steps, each consisting of decisions made for good reasons, does not necessarily lead to a good result.

For best results, start at Phase 1 and stop at Phase 3.

Only by really looking at your company’s problems can you solve them.

Other people’s strategies worked for them because the strategies were made for them.

Do not assume that people who claim to be using a method really are using it.

There is nothing like the original. Do not read everyone else’s interpretation of a method, read the original.

The ROIs of multiple improvement initiatives do not add; they interfere.

Focus on what problems you want to solve, and work out as executives how the initiatives contribute to solutions.

Do not assume other companies’ ROI numbers will apply to you. They started from a different place and made different investments.

How to Use Silver Bullets

You must focus on the business goal of improvement, not just on the method
used to get there (e.g., CMMI) or on intermediate indicators (e.g., Level
3)

Everyone Realize that all methods are a means to the end

Executives You have the responsibility to develop your own understanding of what is impeding your company’s path

Managers You have to understand the method(s) you are pushing

Process Groups Push back on managers demanding the same results as other companies but in less time, with fewer resources, and with less thought

One Last Word A truly successful effort will result when a company develops specific solutions to its specific concerns.

Second-generation applications of these methods can work if they are
studied to determine where the true benefits came from, and applied
intelligently with appropriate investment.