Theory Meets Reality: Why Processes Rarely Go as Planned

By Nora Eilers, Pauline Boos, Anja Lüttmann – January 27, 2025

In innovation projects, it often becomes evident that idealized process models rarely align with reality. Processes within teams or administrations frequently deviate significantly from initial assumptions. Especially in environments where deviations are viewed critically, these discrepancies often remain unaddressed.

How can we transition from idealized concepts to realistic implementation?
Smart City Designer Anja Lüttmann and Project Manager for Administrative Innovation Pauline Boos share their experiences in this interview, illustrating how they analyze processes, identify problem areas, and develop suitable solutions—step by step.

Portraits von Pauline Boos & Anja Lüttmann
Pauline Boos and Anja Lüttmann

Pauline, what discrepancies between idealized process models and reality have you encountered in your work, and how have you addressed them?

Pauline Boos: Often, project partners approach us with the aim of modernizing or digitizing processes or introducing new tools. Our task is to analyze the problem and derive the resulting requirements, providing partners with a clear foundation for subsequent steps like procurement or development.

In one project, for example, the focus was on modernizing an application process for Glasfaserausbau. The current process is lengthy and relies on an outdated traffic information system. We analyzed the current process and explored where a digital solution could be implemented. It quickly became apparent that the modeled business process didn’t always align with the reality in Berlin’s 12 districts. The actual procedures varied significantly—from the roles of participants to organizational workflows. These differences can pose significant challenges during digitization, such as in assigning access rights.

Did you arrive at a solution?

Pauline Boos: Our primary goal was to raise awareness of these challenges. We emphasized the necessity of analyzing the individual processes of the districts and considering deviations before implementing a digital solution. This wasn’t an easy message, as many desire a quick fix. However, we also highlighted that sustainable implementation requires clear responsibilities and organization—something that often needs to be managed by the project participants themselves, rather than by us.

Anja, how was the situation in your project?

Anja Lüttmann: Similar yet different. In my case, it involved a digital prototype for a Taskforce within the city administration. This Taskforce was intended to coordinate construction projects in Berlin and make dependencies between projects visible. The existing process was extremely error-prone, with numerous media disruptions and poor communication among participants. When we were brought in, a design agency had already been commissioned, and initial screens were created. Our project partners thought we could implement it quickly and that the tool would be ready shortly. However, we quickly realized that neither the problem was clearly defined nor did the requirements align with the intended functions.

What did you do then?

Anja Lüttmann: We first organized two workshops. In the first workshop, we analyzed the current process together with the users. It quickly became clear that the participants had never collectively looked at the entire process—the left hand didn’t know what the right was doing. We then identified specific problem areas and found that two of the issues could be resolved immediately through simple process changes. The third problem, however, required a digital tool to dynamically map dependencies between construction projects. Unfortunately, none of the tested tools fit perfectly. But through testing, we were able to refine and prioritize the requirements. In the end, the responsible parties had a clear requirement profile that they could use for a tender.

That sounds like you tackled similar challenges in both projects: ideal expectations versus reality. From your perspective, is there an overarching insight?

Pauline Boos: Absolutely! One key takeaway is to acknowledge the complexity and diversity of processes early on and to openly communicate that there aren’t always quick fixes—though this can depend on the project. Sometimes we find simple solutions, and other times it’s necessary to deliberately embrace complexity to achieve sustainable results.

Anja Lüttmann: Yes, and also the importance of involving users early in the process. Often, processes can be improved with simple adjustments without immediately having to develop new tools.

Pauline Boos: frequently notice that projects move forward very quickly without dedicating enough time to problem definition or the analysis phase. This often leads to unforeseen problems later. Especially in complex, cross-organizational projects, we see that coordination between stakeholders is often insufficient. Sometimes you just have to say, “Stop, let’s go back and take another look at the basics.”

Anja Lüttmann: Exactly! The biggest hurdle is often the fear of complexity. We’ve observed that many project partners are hesitant to dive deep into a topic because they believe it will only make things more complicated. Our value lies in addressing this complexity together and prioritizing step by step. The process can be exhausting, but in the end, it leads to a clear direction to follow.

How do you bring project partners along in such processes?

Pauline Boos: An important point is showing the stakeholders that their perspective matters and that their involvement genuinely influences the solution. This fosters acceptance of changes and promotes a sense of agency. When people see that their work leads to improvements, they’re more motivated to engage in the process. I believe it’s essential to see this process of understanding not as an additional burden but as an opportunity. It’s fun to go into “detective mode” and figure out what’s really happening. You can learn so much—not just about the processes and workflows, but also about the people behind them.

Anja Lüttmann: Exactly, and when you take the time to truly understand a problem at its core, you can often gain insights that extend far beyond the current project. In the end, it’s usually not the technologies causing problems but the way we collaborate. Understanding this is the key to sustainable solutions.