The ultimate goal of any organization is to successfully transition from a current state to an ideal state. As its name suggests, an ideal state value stream map is the most ideal version of any process. To understand how you can bridge the current and ideal state, check out the following case of a BPO company. It shows how the company aims to reach their ideal state via multiple future states:
Figure: Transition from future state to ideal state
Most importantly, remember the following pointers while implementing the transition:
- Firstly, have a plan!
- Secondly, get the necessary approvals.
- Thirdly, make sure you organize resources.
- Fourthly, don’t forget to assign responsibilities before finally carrying out the plan!
- Lastly, you should periodically review the plan versus its progress.
Let’s go back to our BPO case’s ideal state transition. Therefore, the result is the transformation of a process with 9 steps into a process with just 4 steps. According to the plan, there are 3 interim future states:
- Achieve future state 1 between January and February.
- Reach future state 2 between March and April.
- Achieve future state 3 between March and June.
- Lastly, reach future state 4 around August.
Above all, while laying out the blueprint for ideal state attainment, remember to assign timelines based on what you can handle! Be practical, not wishful.
Importance of Future States in Attaining an Ideal state
Future states help you focus on achieving an ideal state. With every future state you carry out, you renew the journey to the ideal state. Every transition takes you a step closer to your dream state. Therefore, it’ll generate a feeling of excitement and a sense of accomplishment.
The transition from a current state to a future state, and then finally to the ideal state will be painful at times. Additionally, you’ll also face resistance to change. The bottom line is that you’ll have to deal with it. There are no shortcuts!
How much time will it take to transition from a current state to an ideal state?
The best answer to knowing how long it’ll take to transition from a current to an ideal state is that it depends. It depends on you, the company, its leaders, managers, and its employees. Everyone’s sense of urgency and vision can determine how long the transition will take. For practical purposes, keep the timelines easy to succeed!