Processes should produce results
Pointless processes are a waste of everyone's time. It might not have been intentional. It might be a legacy process that was never revisited. But regardless of how they came to be, processes that doesn't produce results create unnecessary complexity in our work lives.
Consider how processes often multiply: One event triggers an over-reaction, which becomes standardized without considering the broader impact. Here are some examples of pointless processes:
Someone did something wrong one time, and now we need multiple approvals for routine decisions. What was meant to prevent a rare mistake has turned into a bottleneck that slows down the entire team.
An executive needs data for a report, so people have to fill out numerous fields manually when automated solutions might exist. We're now creating inefficiency to measure efficiency.
Someone creates a process without understanding a tool or system. The tool could have a way to do it better but it wasn't researched well enough. People are are then stuck with a process because they think it's the only way.
Processes without intention waste time as teams spend more time on admin work then delivering value. Here are some ways to identify and eliminate pointless processes:
For every process, ask "What measurable result does this produce?" "What is the targeted state and how does it help?" If you can't identify a clear benefit, it's time to reevaluate.
Consider the user experience. Is the process painful to follow? Does it delay decisions unnecessarily? Does it reduce autonomy and team morale?
Schedule periodic reviews of existing processes. Ask team members at all levels: "Does this process help or reduce your ability to deliver results?"
Sometimes the best process is the simplest one that gets the job done. Sometimes it's necessary to introduce friction. Either way, processes should be results oriented.