In any organization, it is the CEO and managers who own the processes used to provide the goods and services. Processes must be identified, ownership established, and key indicators monitored to determine how much variation and waste exists. I often hear that processes are slow, problems occur daily and employees are frustrated because systems are not well defined, not documented, or are not followed. If the leaders want these processes to improve they must take the responsibility of owning them and leading the improvement effort.
Process improvement isn’t rocket science. Processes that are deficient must be identified and a key indicator(s) monitored. Data is collected on the key indicator and root causes are determined for excessive variation and waste. Simple tools and techniques can be used to come up with improvements that can make a tremendous difference and improve the performance and efficiency of a department or organization.
The improvement process should not take weeks and months to complete. It should usually occur within a few days. One of the first things to look at is to determine if a standard, work instruction, or method exists for the process. Is the standard or method adequate for the task? Is it being followed by all employees? What needs to be changed? What training needs to occur?
Your comments are always welcome.