10.4. Why It Is Hard to Follow a Process

It is hard to follow a process for the same reason that it is hard to do any demanding task: few people are willing to devote the time and energy to master a truly complex and demanding process. This is why there are so few skilled surgeons and musicians and why professional athletes command such enormous salaries. The first and probably most important reason that people don’t consistently follow their defined processes is because it isn’t easy.

The second reason it is hard to follow a demanding process is that it isn’t the team members’ natural way to work. Until they have followed the TSP for several months, it will not feel natural—they must constantly remind themselves to record data and to review and assess the quality of their work.