Most people are aware the first stage in a business improvement process is to get the business structure right. The right structure means the right customers, the right products, the right prices, the right processes and the right people.
Most managers don’t realise that once the structure is mostly in place, they should move to stage two which is to get the ‘waste’ out and improve efficiency. They continue to keep working on structural issues!
There are seven key areas of waste or inefficiency: overproduction, waiting, transport, inappropriate processing, inventory, motion and defects.
We have developed processes to help you identify these wastes and inefficiencies easily and quickly.
Experience indicates that waste usually accounts for 15% to 30% of your total costs. There are huge savings to be made here and this is where process mapping can really help.
Process mapping
A simple tool called SIPOC can really help in the delivery meaningful process maps.
SIPOC stands for Supplier, Input, Process, Output, and Client.
SIPOC is an important tool to use when embarking on an improvement project. Completing a SIPOC exercise creates an ability to manage expectations and quickly identify and communicate:
- who the process serves (clients)
- required inputs to make the process successful (inputs)
- who provides the required inputs (suppliers)
- steps involved to complete the task (process)
- the results that the process delivers (outputs)
Using the SIPOC tool helps to define the start and end points of a process that you want to improve. Once done you need to dive into the detail of that process in order to improve it. A process map can help.
Creating a process map
Once you have determined the beginning and ending activity steps, start mapping what is done between the two. Make sure to:
- Keep it simple.
- Start at a high level first.
- Involve the people closest to the process.
- Walk through the process yourself.
- Think end to end.
- Work with a small group of 3-7 people. A larger group can make the activity unwieldy.
1. Begin by stating your intention to create a process map for activities completed between start-step A and stop-step B.
2. Document the activities that people do between steps A and B on self-adhesive notes. Attach the notes to a wall, flip chart, or whiteboard in the order in which they are normally completed. Begin your documentation at a high level and then move into additional process maps that provide greater detail.
3. Document the process maps. Schedule your next meeting to review the information. Make sure that you verify and clarify the activities and their owners. Also, look for any immediate opportunities to create ‘quick wins.’
Here is a simple example of process mapping.
In order to identify areas for improvement, processes must be broken into subprocesses. A subprocess operates at a more detailed level than a core process and gets into who does what and why on a daily basis.
Core processes must be broken down into enough detail to understand, monitor, manage, and analyze performance.
As a general rule, processes must be described at a third level, as shown above, before improvement teams will be able to deal with them adequately.
By reviewing processes in this way opportunities to use technology to drive down costs and drive up efficiency become apparent.
Our process mapping specialists are available to assist you with your goals of greater efficiency and effectiveness. To contact us click here
Home | About Us | Services | Clients | Library | Links | Contact Us
