| Once you have gone through the 10 steps to | | | | executive summary include: |
| improve a business process, what should you do | | | | |
| next? Should you immediately move on to the next | | | | 1. Project focus |
| challenge in your process inventory? Not if you want | | | | 2. Goals |
| recognition for a job well done! | | | | 3. Summary |
| Taking time to summarize what you accomplished will | | | | 4. Key findings |
| help you to gain visibility in your organization. Gaining | | | | 5. Deliverables |
| recognition though on improving a business process | | | | 6. Appendix |
| does not come as easy as getting a compliment on a | | | | Write your summary with the reader in mind and |
| new haircut or a new piece of clothing because the | | | | remember that not everyone will have the same |
| new process may not immediately stand out. You | | | | level of understanding of the business process. In the |
| have to take some initiative to let management | | | | project focus, lay out the business reason why you |
| know what you have accomplished, and that | | | | did the work (the business problem); in the goals, |
| becomes the challenge. | | | | cover the key outcomes you hoped to achieve; in |
| An executive summary is a tool you can use to | | | | the summary, provide a high-level overview of the |
| present your work to senior management in the | | | | work and any analysis you completed; in the key |
| natural course of business without it looking as if you | | | | findings, outline the discoveries you made along the |
| want a pat on the back. While executive summaries | | | | way; in the deliverables, cover what information is |
| differ quite a bit, they should address whatever you | | | | available where; and include more detailed information |
| identified as the main concerns when you began the | | | | in the appendix. |
| improvement effort. Remember what caused you to | | | | Including statistical information in the summary section |
| start the improvement effort on a particular business | | | | will help position you as a business person and |
| process and start with a compelling statement that | | | | provide some thought-provoking data for |
| grabs the reader's attention. The six sections of the | | | | management to consider. |