Process Management

I ran across a post, titled Re-Invent YourBusiness, in the Project,Process & Business Improvement blog that really summarizes what we’vebeen trying to do in our firm as we move from a task-centered model to awhole-business centered model.  Here it is in its entirety:

An organization, be it a business, a school, a non-profit agency, is acollection of processes. These processes are the natural activities you performthat produce value, serve customers and generate income. Managing theseprocesses is the key to the success of your organization.

Unfortunately,most organizations are not set up to manage processes. Instead they managetasks. Think about it. Isn't your company organized around functions. . .theaccounting department, the engineering department, the sales department, thecustomer service department?

As a result, people tend to focus ondepartmental concerns instead of the company-wide needs of customers.Sub-processes evolve within departments without consideration of otherfunctional areas. Layers of communication and management are created to ensuredesired outcomes, thereby adding to costs and lengthening cycle and customerresponse times.

Inefficiency and waste become part of the system. Theyrob your organization of profits, productivity and its competitive advantage.But, there is a way out.

Process mapping is a simple yet powerful methodof looking beyond functional activities and rediscovering your core processes.Process maps enable you to peel away the complexity of your organizationalstructure (and internal politics) and focus on the processes that are truly theheart of your business. Armed with a thorough understanding of the inputs,outputs and interrelationships of each process, you and your organizationcan:

* Understand how processes interact in a system
* Locate processflaws that are creating systemic problems
* Evaluate which activities addvalue for the customer
* Mobilize teams to streamline and improveprocesses
* Identify processes that need to be re-engineered

Properlyused, process maps can change your entire approach to process improvement andbusiness management. . .and greatly reduce the cost of your operations byeliminating as much as 50% of the steps in most processes as well as the rootcauses of systemic quality problems.

As you put your plans and goals for2005 together, re-invent your business.