| Most organizational operations are made up of a | | | | solution? |
| series of processes. Important processes include | | | | 9. Does the new approach fill a gap in the overall |
| marketing, sales, order fulfillment, new product design | | | | business/organizational strategy? |
| and introduction, financial, information technology, | | | | 10. Does the new approach fit well with other areas |
| customer support, human services, operations | | | | or departments? |
| planning and production. The overall organizational | | | | 11. Does this new approach have accountability built |
| business processes provide an excellent opportunity | | | | into it? |
| for creating greater efficiencies. In fact, the | | | | An overriding thought, which can be useful when |
| integration of agile work-flow systems throughout | | | | analyzing your business processes, is to keep in mind |
| the organization is important so that the | | | | the statement "are we easy to do business with?" |
| organization's business processes are clearly | | | | These words go a long way in supporting an |
| documented understood and optimize. | | | | organizational value of "customer-value focus" or |
| A good process requires more than simply | | | | "customer satisfaction." Often, procedures and |
| documenting how something is accomplished. A good | | | | processes are installed for good reasons and with |
| process takes into account how it impacts the overall | | | | good intentions; however, sometimes although |
| operation of an end-to-end system and the | | | | convenient for your business, department or area of |
| organization at large and its customers (both internal | | | | responsibility, they cause problems for others. Always |
| and external). When improving or implementing new | | | | ensure the fix is well integrated, agile, and in concert |
| processes, consider the following questions. | | | | with your organizations value statements and overall |
| 1. How will this new approach add value and benefit | | | | business strategy. |
| the customer (internal/external) and the people using | | | | As you remove inefficiencies and improve and add |
| the process? | | | | new processes, you must also make a concerted |
| 2. Does this new approach work "backward from the | | | | effort to place the right people with the right skills in |
| customer" so it does the best job of meeting the | | | | a position where they can exert the greatest impact. |
| customer's need? | | | | If a skill gap exists, training, retraining or hiring the skill |
| 3. Does this new approach simply automate or | | | | to achieve continuous improvement must be |
| document a process that is ineffective in the first | | | | accomplished. This approach will provide the |
| place or "does this approach truly do the right things | | | | organization the best opportunity to attain excellence |
| better?" | | | | everywhere. An organization is only as good as its |
| 4. What implementation issues will we want to avoid | | | | talent. |
| as we make the change? | | | | Note: - Innovation through continual process |
| 5. Does the new approach "clearly align" with the | | | | improvement is not simply a science or an art. It is |
| business strategy and goals of the organization? | | | | the passionate and continual entrepreneurial practice |
| 6. Does this new approach have the work or decision | | | | of seeking new answers to both old and new |
| performed where and by whom it makes the most | | | | problems. It is also the creating of an organizational |
| sense? | | | | culture that seeks opportunities to maximize the use |
| 7. How will we measure the success of the new | | | | of human imagination, knowledge and potential. It is |
| approach? | | | | truly using the organizations collective knowledge to |
| 8. Is the new approach a "seamless" and "foolproof" | | | | shape its future. |