Our methodology consists of ten integrated tools and/or steps:
- Bureaucracy elimination - remove unnecessary administrative tasks, approvals, and paperwork.
- Duplication elimination - remove identical activities that are performed at different parts of the business process.
- Value-added assessment - evaluate every activity in the business process to determine its contribution to meeting stakeholder/customer requirements.
- Task elimination/simplification - reduce the overall complexity of the process.
- Process cycle time reduction - determine ways to compress cycle time to meet or exceed stakeholder/customer expectations, with fewer resources.
- Error proofing - make it difficult to do the activity incorrectly, while standardizing the activity at the same time.
- Problem definition/solving - utilize a problem solving methodology (roadmap) that focuses on identifying and eliminating root causes.
- Technology/automation considerations - apply technology platforms and enterprise/legacy applications in innovative ways.
- Business process reengineering - use a radical approach to change the process, when the previous streamlining methods have not provided the desired results.
- Performance measurement - identify appropriate performance measures that will paint a composite picture of the business process performance.
Process Management Absolutes
There are a dozen process management absolutes that must be considered when you embark on a process management journey. You might also view these as "best practices." Either way, these are critical to success:
- Ensure management commitment upfront
- Create an environment where departments are partners, not competitors
- Reward cross-functional collaboration
- Take a disciplined, integrated approach to process improvement
- Allocate resources based on process needs
- Link process improvement initiatives to your strategic plan
- Identify critical business issues to drive improvement
- Ensure that product and service processes are customer-driven
- Put comprehensive and reliable process metrics in place
- Define and implement strategies to keep each process measure in control
- Measure levels of internal/external customer satisfaction for each process
- Reward individuals for their contributions to process improvement
Ensure that product and service processes are customer-driven Put comprehensive and reliable process metrics in place Define and implement strategies to keep each process measure in control Measure levels of internal/external customer satisfaction for each process Reward individuals for their contributions to process improvementFor more information on Process Management, visit the Business Process Management Institute website, a peer to peer exchange for business process management professionals, at www.bpminstitute.org .
About the Author:
Stanley Cherkasky is the Managing Partner of Change Management Consulting, Inc. (CMC), a firm providing worldwide management consulting, training and research for companies of all sizes. The company has a proven track record in helping public and private sector clients implement quality management systems, improve performance, achieve goals and manage human resources more effectively. Headquartered in Wayne New Jersey - with offices in San Diego, Dallas and Detroit - CMC has extensive experience is obtaining grants and funding assistance for its clients. Learn more at www.cmc-changemanagement.com ; contact CMC at (877) 268-2440 or e-mail the company at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
