To bring a business process to life, beyond simply drawing a map, you must establish internal controls, create tools that increase your efficiency, and develop metrics. These elements make the process real for others.
- Internal controls: use them to identify points in the business process where errors can occur and explain how to prevent them. Without internal controls, human errors occur. So spend some time identifying potential trouble spots and describe how you can avoid them.
- Tools: creating tools can help streamline the process and prevent errors. They also help you train new employees on how to do their jobs. You can build tools out of the everyday applications you have available on your desktop; You don’t need expensive software applications. Think about what you can create using standard spreadsheet software, for example. Create checklists and other job aids that will help employees get their jobs done.
- Metrics: setting metrics will show if the process is working as planned. If you want to lose weight, how do you track your progress to keep moving toward your goal? You’ll probably weigh yourself at regular intervals and perhaps use an online tracking tool to see your progress. Without frequent measurements, you may easily regain the weight. The same goes for a business process: without regular measurement, it becomes stale. So, look at what you identified as measures of success when you started your business process improvement effort, and decide how to measure whether you’re achieving your goals. You don’t need to keep track of everything you identified at once, but focus on the key points.
When you think about metrics, consider them from the point of view of effective efficiency, and adaptability.
- Effectiveness it’s about quality. Think of metrics that measure whether the process produces the desired results and meets customer or client needs.
- Efficiency it’s about productivity. Here you need to think about resource usage and improve cycle time.
- Adaptability it’s about flexibility. Consider the metrics that determine whether the process remains flexible to changing business needs.
The creation of internal controls, tools and metrics is the seventh step to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and adaptability of your business.
Copyright 2010 Susan Page
