Minimum pain, maximum gain
The benefits of business process improvements include: identification and reduction in waste, increased productivity, and company morale. However, there is still a misconception of process improvements as always requiring multiple departments, a ton of human resources, and taking a very long time to complete.
And yes, depending on the complexity and size of a business process improvement project, it can take time, it can require changes in responsibilities, and impact many different areas of the organization. However, there are great benefits from identifying and undertaking process improvements within your own department, quickly.
Think of those things that frustrate you and your team, constantly put you in fire-fighting mode, and generally always leaving you saying there has got to be a better way. Well, there is a way, it‘s the “Quick-Hitter” approach, and it’s specifically designed to provide immediate impact to improve your departmental processes.
The “Quick-Hitter” approach uses traditional business process improvement techniques, and is something your team can do in 2 days. It’s applied to a process on a tactical level that is broken, or is out of date, or inefficient. The aim is to identify the process, evaluate it – distill it down to the nuts and bolts, and re-design it without all the red-tape and bureaucracy, and non-value adding elements. The difference from other process improvement efforts – it can be done quickly.
So, how does it work? Prepare for the Quick-Hitter workshop, conduct the “Quick-Hitter” workshop with your team, and design sustainability steps:
Preparation – This is where the business opportunity, the charter, a high-level process map, team selection, and the workshop preparation take place. This step can take anywhere from hours to a few days.
“Quick-Hitter” Workshop – This step is a one to two day workshop that validates a high-level process map, identifies the issues and concerns, generates ideas, recommends solutions, and assigns follow-up responsibilities.
Sustainability Steps – The steps are implemented, progress tracked, and any course correction needed, is actioned. The sustainability steps can be revisited days, weeks, and months after to ensure process improvement and sustainability.
By implementing a “Quick-Hitter” business improvement effort, your department gets to reap the benefits of waste reduction, increased productivity and happier people, all in a really quick time frame.
