Process improvement…where to begin…well, that’s kind of the question isn’t it?
To improve a process, one must already exist and so that is the logical place to begin: identifying the current workflow inside and out. This requires a thorough understanding of the resources used, tasks, roles and what is accomplished when the process is successful.
Current Process Identification:
- input – resources and systems needed, internal and external
- tasks – every task that must be completed from start to finish
- roles/users – clear delineation of responsibilities critical to the workflow
- output – the end product or expected goal
Analyze Current Process
A clear objective is ideal to optimize the analysis of the current process for improvements. Common internally-initiated objectives include reducing costs or labor needs, efficiencies to minimize turnaround times and increasing profits. Externally-initiated objectives for improving a process could be driven by demands to change the output such as increasing customer satisfaction by offering a better product, lowering prices or reducing time to market.
Improving the Process
Improvements to the process often include removing unnecessary tasks or roles, utilizing new systems to increase efficiencies and improving training of employees.
It is imperative for a process improvement to succeed that the project have management approval. It is also critical for new process adoption that an appropriate amount of time and effort be devoted to training employees. Empowering a cross-functional group of employees to help with departmental training and confirm employees are complicit can be critical in key process adoption.
Six Sigma is a formal set of techniques and tools for process improvement that is used today in many industrial sectors. Six Sigma DMAIC Roadmap methodology can be thought of as a road map for problem solving and process improvement:
- Define
- Measure
- Analyze
- Improve
- Control
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