The First Attempt
Disclaimer: This is not the swimlane for the current version of the book. It’s an old version. I just wanted to share how I got to where I am now with the system.
The swimlane below was my first attempt at explaining my marketing system to people. It’s quite a bit different than what I write about in the Buyer-Based book, but you can see that it follows a similar tactical flow. I present more information, and in a different order in the book, but this was the start.
What I learned
When I created this, I started trying to stick to the processes, and because it was written down, I began to realize all of the inefficiencies in the model. Some things were in the wrong place – some things didn’t need to be standardized, and some things needed to be more regulated. The breakdown of the swimlane was also a little bit of a disaster. The more I tried to make a swimlane fit the whole system, the more I realized how challenging it would be. Specifically, in the data collection portion, we require data collection at more than half the steps of the system. Creating a swimlane that shows how these components all work together is not entirely possible.
Instead, I will opt to show this information in a flow chart. I think a swimlane is a useful tool, but it just doesn’t explain the system well enough to continue using it. The flowchart is available in the resources section (or it will be when I post it).
Change is good
Like all things, this system must change. It has to adapt to the tools and resources available – and it has to be able to shift focus based on where people are getting their information. I think I’ve designed a system that accepts change quickly, and because the format is such that you can use it in a modular way now, I suspect that will aid in the ability to adapt well.
