Yes, but is there a form for "that"?

If you are like me, Office Space is no longer just a funny movie - it's your reality. Disclaimer: this is not a knock on my company or any previous ones, but the form deluge is MORE than just a FORM-ality these days. As a Project Management leader especially, I am entrenched in forms like a swarm of locusts. You?

Has anyone seen my TPS reports?

Here's the thing. You need processes and controls to run a business or any operation. There needs to be order and governance, but it shouldn't be prohibitive to the outcome. Sometimes completing a form to satisfy the need is counter-intuitive; It takes longer than the actual request itself. Have you experienced this?

And WHO do the forms benefit?

Here's what I learned over several years in FORM-ville [cue the Mike Bolton music]:

1) Most of the time they aren't legalese. In layman's terms, forms are not critical in the sense that there are proper controls in place. There's no proper audit trail. Legal departments don't really care about said forms. It [THEY] may not even trigger the necessary action, because they are getting delivered to an inbox that isn't being manned.

Truth is, you MAY need someone to work on Sunday. Umm yeah. They would have plenty of work to do sorting through all the MIA forms. 

2) Instructions on how to complete said forms are typically scarce. So what does one do when asked an obscure question (via the form)? I suppose you can seek out the author of the form. Maybe you can email it to the stated distribution list? But it may not merit a response. See #1.

Undoubtedly, the solution here is to create a fully functioning robot that will run algorithms and interpret the best responses. And this would probably take less time than trying to figure out the form itself. Mia, my robot, will be trained on how to complete the form, too. A Foreman of sorts. Oh, and she would need to have people skills. GREAT people skills a la Tom Smykowski. 

Am I on candid camera? Is this form REALLY needed? Come on, are you thinking the same thing as me? "Head scratchers" are not uncommon in these parts.

3) YES, I have FINALLY reached someone. They can answer my questions on the form. I will need to fill out a form to get answers to the other form. Okay, if that's what I need to do… Thanks so much for partnering! Sadly, especially highly matrixed organizations or 3rd party vendors and the like, entities operate in silos and have their own unique processes and nuances... It's the reality, so excuse the zing. As the saying often goes, "Don't kill the messenger".

4) Is this the RIGHT form? There is a form for everything. Most businesses are form happy, but intended effects are anti-climactic.

What do I mean?

Well it's just that forms are great and all if they have a purpose, but oftentimes they don't. And finding the right form can get confusing and aimless. I am not suggesting that all businesses and processes should shrink down operations to fit on one form, but too many is confusing and defeats the purpose. 

Are you really going to tell me this form is unacceptable because I used the wrong font?

Ahhhh yes, it should have been Calibri versus Arial sorry about that. Oh wait, free text entries need to be the same font size too? I love 11. It just fits. It's like baking or cooking everything in the oven at 350 degrees.

 Now we're really cooking, right?

Who needs TGI Fridays - or flair? Actually, I am a fan of TGI Fridays. Just trying to stay true to the theme. I wish there were just a minimum of 15 forms. Bare minimum works well here. Or maybe I mean a maximum. Ummm yeah. No more than 15 forms... whose with me?

5) Forms are better than email to capture key information or requirements, but oftentimes no one is privy to the details of the form so email jail is real. Maybe there could be one long form that can prevent ALL emails - is there a form for that?

6) The signature. No form is complete without a signature. So you have a form to carry out a critical process, which no one really understands or if it is indeed the right form… and giving authority to do so on a document that is not legal or necessary?  

Do you live in FORM-ville? Is there a FORM for that? Yes, it's called FORMidable.

Signed, Mia

PS I love Kung fu, too. I learned it in Formosa. (Theme people, theme)