What are Activities?
Every organisation undertakes many Activities. It must, in order to fulfil its Vision and Mission. However, there are many Activities that are performed begrudgingly and without a full understanding of what’s required or even how to do it properly. Many other activities are unknown, misunderstood or actively avoided!
You could say that your Keystones are the raw materials you work within your business. So then, Functions are the toolboxes you need to hold the tools of your trade. Finally, the Activities are some of these tools you should have ready to use. Now, as with any tool, you need to be familiar with its purpose and, ideally, become highly skilled to use it effectively. But first, you need to understand what tools are available.
Why is understanding Activities important?
Imagine you employ a carpenter to build you a display cabinet. You go you to their workshop and see it festooned with tools on the walls and in tool boxes. Watching the carpenter work with these tools is amazing. A small chisel some delicate work. Then a router is used for finishing the edges. A coping saw cuts intricate shapes. Finally, a range of sandpapers and waxes to get the fine polished finish.
Now imagine turning up and seeing that the carpenter has built your cabinet with a saw, hammer and blunt chisel. Would it be as good? Will it stand the test of time and usage? And does it look as good as you hoped? Probably not. However, it was probably quicker and cheaper.
As it is with running an organisation. You have a vast array of available activities; tried and tested tools available for you to use. To get the best-finished product (business) you need to use the right tools for the right job and take the time. So, understanding these activities, when and how to use them is the best way of producing a great organisation.
Common tools for your Functional toolbox
The Activities that you need to do in your organisation will vary, depending on the Keystones that you prioritise, your size and, to a certain extent, your maturity. For ease of reference, here are some of the more common available Activities arranged by the functions that control them:
Governance
- Risk Management
- Business Management
- Data, Information and Records Management
- Asset Lifecycle Management
- Change Management
- Continual Improvement Management
- Business Continuity Management
- Enterprise Architecture Management
Strategy
- Business Planning
- Value Stream Management
- Resource Management
- Policy Management
- Business Process Improvement
Human Resources
- Recruitment Management
- Workforce Management
- Employee Management
- Performance Management
- Agency Worker, Consultant & Contractor Management
- Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management
Legal
- Contract Management
- Legal Drafting Lifecycle
Initiatives
- Portfolio Management
- Programme Management
- Project Management
- Project Office Management
- Task Management
Products
- Product Lifecycle Management
- Sprint Management
- Release Management
Marketing
- Inbound Marketing Management
- Content Management
- Public Relations Management
- Marketing Event Management
Sales
- Outbound Sales Management
- Sales Channel Management
- Prospect Management
- Lead Management
- Deal Management
Services
- Service Lifecycle Management
- Service Catalogue Management
Support
- Support Lifecycle Management
- Customer Management
- Service Level Management
- Knowledge Management
- Problem Management
- Event Management
Equipment
- Equipment Lifecycle Management
- Equipment Security Management
- Equipment Health & Safety Management
- Plant Management
Facilities
- Property Lifecycle Management
- Accommodation Management
- Facilities Health and Safety Management
- Physical Security Management
- Mechanical and Engineering Management
Systems
- Systems Lifecycle Management
- Capacity Management
- Technical Security Management
- Configuration Management
- Software Management
- Integration Management
Procurement
- Procurement Lifecycle Management
- Supplier Management
Finance
- Accounts Payable Management
- Accounts Receivable Management
- Financial Records Management
- Forecast Management
- Cashflow Management
- Financial Reporting Management
- Bank Account Management
- Taxation Management
- Payroll Management
- Audit Management
Funding
- Shareholder Management
- Investor Management
- Loan Lifecycle Management
- Grant Lifecycle Management
Compliance
- Compliance Lifecycle Management
- Non-Compliance Event Management
Using your tools effectively
That is quite a list and it is only illustrative of the large selection of activities that could be used in an organisation. However, which ones are the best for you to use is the problem that every business person faces. It’s worth taking the time to work out which activities are best for you to become proficient in. Take advice, talk to other business owners, use business networks and ask how others manage their functions effectively. Look for examples in your area and industry and learn from them.
Many of these Activities, above, are the subject of a framework, standard or open discussion on the internet. Over time, we will point you to some of the best places to get more information, so bookmark this article for updates
In the meantime, drop us a line and perhaps we can point you in the right direction.
