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White Paper 6:
Process Thinking: Making Improvements
Part of Work
Kaizen
The spirit of process thinking is simple. Improved processes yield
improved results. Take, for example, a sales situation. This quarter’s
results at the Pink Pen Company are 15 percent below target, a near
miss. Should the manager exhort the salespeople to sell more, pointing
in anger and frustration at the disheartening results? Unfortunately,
yelling at the scoreboard does not help the team score points. Should
the manager review how many sales calls were made each day, how
much time was spent with prospects versus doing administrative work,
how effective closing skills were? Should the manager reset the call
per week requirement and provide coaching on closing skills? Indeed,
fix the process, and the results will also be fixed.
This is the nature of Kaizen, a concept that embodies improvement
through process thinking. Work can be improved constantly and the
people who do and manage the work should do the improving. What we
are talking about here is making what is better, not necessarily
innovation. The difference is that innovation starts with a breakthrough
and a clean sheet of paper. Improvement works with the status quo. The
focus on improvement is long-term, involves a series of small steps, is
ongoing, involves everyone in monitoring the process and improving it,
and requires little investment to do, but constant attention to maintain.
Process thinking and process management require effort and
discipline, but the rewards are extremely gratifying. As Masaaki Imai, the
author of Kaizen writes:
Improvement brings many truly satisfying experiences in life-identifying
problems, thinking and learning together, tackling and solving difficult
tasks, and being elevated to new heights of achievement. (p.41)
Process thinking is a term used to describe an attitude about processes
and improvement. The attitude is something like this: “We are going to
satisfy our customers by delivering to them exactly what they need,
when they need it, without mistakes. We are going to do that by
constantly watching what we do, analyzing our work, and thinking about
ways to make it better.”
Process Improvement: A Process
There are many different approaches to process improvement. The
literature of the 1980s and 90s is filled with concepts of “Re-
engineering”, “Total Quality Management”, “Quality Circles” and hosts
of variations on that theme. Unfortunately, the re-engineering fad of the
last decade hurt more than helped the concept of process thinking.
Many different companies embarked on re-engineering projects with
the intention of smoothing operations for customer satisfaction. What
they wound up doing, from the perspective of many observers, was
engineer downsizing and the laying off of workers. You should know, as
you embark on your study of Process Thinking, that recent history is
filled with negative stories about TQM and re-engineering because the
concept was either applied without fully understanding it or seen as
primarily a short-term cost cutting strategy. Don’t let the re-engineering
experience derail your enthusiasm. Re-engineering is a different
process than we are undertaking. Re-engineering typically starts by
looking at a clean sheet of paper and building a process without regard
for what currently exists. It’s total innovation of new methods and
always requires the heavy used of new technology. Despite this
reputation, there are also hundreds of success stories where
processes have been improved to better serve customers. Gradual,
conscious improvement is what we are after, not ripping out and
starting with a clean sheet of paper. The concepts underlying Process
Thinking are sound, useful and extremely practical.
Here is a model for how process improvement will unfold in an
organization:
1. Clarify customer expectations. Interestingly, we start at the outcome,
the desired impact on the customer. What do our customer expect from
us? Why do they expect that? What is it about them that makes those
expectations important? Once we understand what customer expect,
we can define goals for our process.
2. Understand the process. Through process mapping and
measurements, we need to know how the current process works. As a
result of this step, we will have a common understanding of the process
and its obvious problems.
3. Focus on improvement tactics. With a clear view of the process, we
can begin to make it more customer-focused. By using tools and
techniques designed to stimulate ideas, we will develop approaches
and tactics to fix process problems. This involves three different
approaches:
a) Eliminate errors. We can identify where errors occur and how these
can be eliminated through error-prevention techniques such as job-
aids, color-coding, training, checkpoints, feedback, etc.
b) Eliminate slack time. We will examine how much time is wasted in the
process. That is, how much time was wasted when an application was
waiting in an inbox for someone’s attention?
c) Control Variation. We will look at how to build in consistency so the
process works the same every time for everyone.
4. Plan-Do-Check-Act. This is known as the P-D-C-A Cycle and is used to
plan the implementation of improvements. The process involves:
a) Planning for the monitoring of changes
b) Doing the monitoring of changes
c) Checking the results
d) Acting to make the changes permanent
Actually, this series of steps is best thought of as a circle. Just when
you thought all process are operating brilliantly, new customer
requirements surface, competitive companies offer more and different
ways of attracting customers and you have to react. It is challenging
enough to have the discipline to measure, monitor and constantly
improve a process. It is another thing altogether to take a process you
think is working well and change it.
Process Mapping: A Fundamental Tool
One of the important steps outlined above is understanding the
process. When a team understands how a process currently operates,
several things happen:
* The team arrives at a common understanding of how things work. This
is an important starting point. Doing any kind of process work before
this happens is a waste.
* The most obvious inconsistencies can be eliminated. The team can
agree on a central or core process that can be modified to meet local
office needs.
* Glaring problems will be revealed. We will be able to easily uncover
problems that are apparent. These may or may not be easily fixable,
however, at least you will know what you are dealing with.
The most important tool for understanding the process is process
mapping. This section will review some basic ideas behind process
mapping.
What is process mapping?
A process is any activity or set of activities that turns a set of inputs or
resources into a product or service. When you order a book from
Amazon.com or any other internet retailer, your input into that company’
s website starts a chain of events that eventually results in a book or
CD being delivered to your door. In between are hundreds of steps,
where information is handed off from one department to another until a
worker in a warehouse somewhere pulls your book off a shelf, puts it in
a box and mails it. That’s a process.
In an effective system, this set of activities occurs with little delay,
error, or waste. The customer receives the most value, the process
works at lowest possible cost, everyone is happy. However, if the order
form was lying on an order entry person’s desk for three days because
she was out with cold, or the wrong book was sent, or the book was
damaged in the mail, or the bill was incorrect, then no one is happy.
The goal of process mapping is to visually depict how a process works
so the steps and interactions are revealed. When the process presents
itself visually, all the activities and interactions that cause errors,
delays, etc., can be analyzed. So, in a way, Process Mapping is the most
basic tool in process thinking.
A process map provides a real-time picture of the activities involved in
transforming input into a result. It identifies all the actions that take
place in the process. Representing each action with a box. Arrows that
connect these boxes symbolize the directional flow and the passage of
time. Now how the symbols below describe different activities.
A circle represents the beginning
and end steps of a process.
A box or rectangle represents
a single activity.
A diamond indicates places in the process where decisions have to be
made. These are usually yes or no.
Arrows indicate the direction workflows from one activity to the next.
Search the web for other examples of process maps.
How Do You Create A Process Map?
Philosophically speaking, the whole world is a system and can be
mapped from a process point of view. In fact, it has been done.
(Forrester, Limits to Growth). If the entire world’s systems can be
mapped with a few variables, then tracing how a business process
works is really not that complicated. The only difficulty is keeping your
map at an appropriate level of detail. Too much detail derails what a
process map is for. How much detail is too much? When you go beyond
the actual step you are dealing with and get into steps that support that
step and the steps that support that, you are getting far from the
process. However, you will simply have to experience this for yourself
to see how quickly detail can become a problem.
Here are some steps to follow:
1. Identify the process you want to examine.
2. Identify the work units or functions involved in the process. In an
office, this may simply be the names of people who do different tasks
associated with the process. Write the functions or the names of the
people across the top of a piece of paper. Consider ordering the
functions or names so the functions or people involved first are on the
left and the people involved in the later stages of a project are on the
right side.
3. Identify the starting point for the entire process. What gets it rolling?
Enter this on the top left-hand side of the chart under the person
responsible.
4. Record each step under the people responsible in the sequence the
steps occur. Remember, a diamond represents decisions; activities are
a box or rectangle, beginning and end points by a circle. AVOID detail at
this point. It is very easy to include unnecessary detail, such as
“sharpen pencil before reviewing invoices.” Try to stick to the major
steps that move the process forward.
5. Connect the steps with arrows to indicate in which direction the flow
of work takes place. It is possible that the flow will go from right to left
in some instances.
6. Whenever possible, indicate a way to measure each step, for
example, time passed, percentage or error, etc., over each arrow.
We realize that there is a lot more to process mapping than deciding
who gets to reconcile the checking account at home. For more
examples of process maps, see the references listed at the end of this
document. Search for Process Mapping on the Internet for resources.
This is a well-documented area, and there are many examples.
Remember, for most purposes, simplicity is the key to success.
Another Way to Get Started: Task Analysis
There is another technique that might help you get started on
developing a process map. This technique, which we’ll call task
analysis, is simple and quick. We suggest you use it as a way to prepare
for your process map. Here is how it works:
1. Organize the major phases of the process in order. For example, if
you were having a party at your house, the major phases will be
something like “Invite People”, “Clean the House”, “Buy Food and
Drinks”, “Think of Music to Play”, and the like.
2. For each phase, identify the following:
a) What do you need to Prepare for the Phase (or What input is needed)?
b) What are the Steps involved in each Phase? (For Clean the House in
the above example, the steps might be: Put away the laundry, wash the
dishes, vacuum the floors, etc.)
c) Finally, how can you Judge your success? What are the indicators
you are doing a good job?
3. Once you have thought through all the phases and steps, you are
ready to develop a Process Map. It will probably be more focused and
concise.
We recommend you do a Task Analysis, as we have defined it here, as a
first step in developing a process map.
Annotated References
Kaizen, Masaaki Imai
This is a classic. Get it from your local library and read the first two
chapters and each of the Appendices. The case study of Canon is a
sophisticated application of the concept. Look for the “nine wastes”
The Basics of Process Mapping, Robert Damielo.
This is a highly visible and basic book on the concept. Available online
from Amazon.
Copyright © 2002 Singularity Group, Inc.
Process Thinking: Making Improvements
Part of Work
Kaizen
The spirit of process thinking is simple. Improved processes yield
improved results. Take, for example, a sales situation. This quarter’s
results at the Pink Pen Company are 15 percent below target, a near
miss. Should the manager exhort the salespeople to sell more, pointing
in anger and frustration at the disheartening results? Unfortunately,
yelling at the scoreboard does not help the team score points. Should
the manager review how many sales calls were made each day, how
much time was spent with prospects versus doing administrative work,
how effective closing skills were? Should the manager reset the call
per week requirement and provide coaching on closing skills? Indeed,
fix the process, and the results will also be fixed.
This is the nature of Kaizen, a concept that embodies improvement
through process thinking. Work can be improved constantly and the
people who do and manage the work should do the improving. What we
are talking about here is making what is better, not necessarily
innovation. The difference is that innovation starts with a breakthrough
and a clean sheet of paper. Improvement works with the status quo. The
focus on improvement is long-term, involves a series of small steps, is
ongoing, involves everyone in monitoring the process and improving it,
and requires little investment to do, but constant attention to maintain.
Process thinking and process management require effort and
discipline, but the rewards are extremely gratifying. As Masaaki Imai, the
author of Kaizen writes:
Improvement brings many truly satisfying experiences in life-identifying
problems, thinking and learning together, tackling and solving difficult
tasks, and being elevated to new heights of achievement. (p.41)
Process thinking is a term used to describe an attitude about processes
and improvement. The attitude is something like this: “We are going to
satisfy our customers by delivering to them exactly what they need,
when they need it, without mistakes. We are going to do that by
constantly watching what we do, analyzing our work, and thinking about
ways to make it better.”
Process Improvement: A Process
There are many different approaches to process improvement. The
literature of the 1980s and 90s is filled with concepts of “Re-
engineering”, “Total Quality Management”, “Quality Circles” and hosts
of variations on that theme. Unfortunately, the re-engineering fad of the
last decade hurt more than helped the concept of process thinking.
Many different companies embarked on re-engineering projects with
the intention of smoothing operations for customer satisfaction. What
they wound up doing, from the perspective of many observers, was
engineer downsizing and the laying off of workers. You should know, as
you embark on your study of Process Thinking, that recent history is
filled with negative stories about TQM and re-engineering because the
concept was either applied without fully understanding it or seen as
primarily a short-term cost cutting strategy. Don’t let the re-engineering
experience derail your enthusiasm. Re-engineering is a different
process than we are undertaking. Re-engineering typically starts by
looking at a clean sheet of paper and building a process without regard
for what currently exists. It’s total innovation of new methods and
always requires the heavy used of new technology. Despite this
reputation, there are also hundreds of success stories where
processes have been improved to better serve customers. Gradual,
conscious improvement is what we are after, not ripping out and
starting with a clean sheet of paper. The concepts underlying Process
Thinking are sound, useful and extremely practical.
Here is a model for how process improvement will unfold in an
organization:
1. Clarify customer expectations. Interestingly, we start at the outcome,
the desired impact on the customer. What do our customer expect from
us? Why do they expect that? What is it about them that makes those
expectations important? Once we understand what customer expect,
we can define goals for our process.
2. Understand the process. Through process mapping and
measurements, we need to know how the current process works. As a
result of this step, we will have a common understanding of the process
and its obvious problems.
3. Focus on improvement tactics. With a clear view of the process, we
can begin to make it more customer-focused. By using tools and
techniques designed to stimulate ideas, we will develop approaches
and tactics to fix process problems. This involves three different
approaches:
a) Eliminate errors. We can identify where errors occur and how these
can be eliminated through error-prevention techniques such as job-
aids, color-coding, training, checkpoints, feedback, etc.
b) Eliminate slack time. We will examine how much time is wasted in the
process. That is, how much time was wasted when an application was
waiting in an inbox for someone’s attention?
c) Control Variation. We will look at how to build in consistency so the
process works the same every time for everyone.
4. Plan-Do-Check-Act. This is known as the P-D-C-A Cycle and is used to
plan the implementation of improvements. The process involves:
a) Planning for the monitoring of changes
b) Doing the monitoring of changes
c) Checking the results
d) Acting to make the changes permanent
Actually, this series of steps is best thought of as a circle. Just when
you thought all process are operating brilliantly, new customer
requirements surface, competitive companies offer more and different
ways of attracting customers and you have to react. It is challenging
enough to have the discipline to measure, monitor and constantly
improve a process. It is another thing altogether to take a process you
think is working well and change it.
Process Mapping: A Fundamental Tool
One of the important steps outlined above is understanding the
process. When a team understands how a process currently operates,
several things happen:
* The team arrives at a common understanding of how things work. This
is an important starting point. Doing any kind of process work before
this happens is a waste.
* The most obvious inconsistencies can be eliminated. The team can
agree on a central or core process that can be modified to meet local
office needs.
* Glaring problems will be revealed. We will be able to easily uncover
problems that are apparent. These may or may not be easily fixable,
however, at least you will know what you are dealing with.
The most important tool for understanding the process is process
mapping. This section will review some basic ideas behind process
mapping.
What is process mapping?
A process is any activity or set of activities that turns a set of inputs or
resources into a product or service. When you order a book from
Amazon.com or any other internet retailer, your input into that company’
s website starts a chain of events that eventually results in a book or
CD being delivered to your door. In between are hundreds of steps,
where information is handed off from one department to another until a
worker in a warehouse somewhere pulls your book off a shelf, puts it in
a box and mails it. That’s a process.
In an effective system, this set of activities occurs with little delay,
error, or waste. The customer receives the most value, the process
works at lowest possible cost, everyone is happy. However, if the order
form was lying on an order entry person’s desk for three days because
she was out with cold, or the wrong book was sent, or the book was
damaged in the mail, or the bill was incorrect, then no one is happy.
The goal of process mapping is to visually depict how a process works
so the steps and interactions are revealed. When the process presents
itself visually, all the activities and interactions that cause errors,
delays, etc., can be analyzed. So, in a way, Process Mapping is the most
basic tool in process thinking.
A process map provides a real-time picture of the activities involved in
transforming input into a result. It identifies all the actions that take
place in the process. Representing each action with a box. Arrows that
connect these boxes symbolize the directional flow and the passage of
time. Now how the symbols below describe different activities.
A circle represents the beginning
and end steps of a process.
A box or rectangle represents
a single activity.
A diamond indicates places in the process where decisions have to be
made. These are usually yes or no.
Arrows indicate the direction workflows from one activity to the next.
Search the web for other examples of process maps.
How Do You Create A Process Map?
Philosophically speaking, the whole world is a system and can be
mapped from a process point of view. In fact, it has been done.
(Forrester, Limits to Growth). If the entire world’s systems can be
mapped with a few variables, then tracing how a business process
works is really not that complicated. The only difficulty is keeping your
map at an appropriate level of detail. Too much detail derails what a
process map is for. How much detail is too much? When you go beyond
the actual step you are dealing with and get into steps that support that
step and the steps that support that, you are getting far from the
process. However, you will simply have to experience this for yourself
to see how quickly detail can become a problem.
Here are some steps to follow:
1. Identify the process you want to examine.
2. Identify the work units or functions involved in the process. In an
office, this may simply be the names of people who do different tasks
associated with the process. Write the functions or the names of the
people across the top of a piece of paper. Consider ordering the
functions or names so the functions or people involved first are on the
left and the people involved in the later stages of a project are on the
right side.
3. Identify the starting point for the entire process. What gets it rolling?
Enter this on the top left-hand side of the chart under the person
responsible.
4. Record each step under the people responsible in the sequence the
steps occur. Remember, a diamond represents decisions; activities are
a box or rectangle, beginning and end points by a circle. AVOID detail at
this point. It is very easy to include unnecessary detail, such as
“sharpen pencil before reviewing invoices.” Try to stick to the major
steps that move the process forward.
5. Connect the steps with arrows to indicate in which direction the flow
of work takes place. It is possible that the flow will go from right to left
in some instances.
6. Whenever possible, indicate a way to measure each step, for
example, time passed, percentage or error, etc., over each arrow.
We realize that there is a lot more to process mapping than deciding
who gets to reconcile the checking account at home. For more
examples of process maps, see the references listed at the end of this
document. Search for Process Mapping on the Internet for resources.
This is a well-documented area, and there are many examples.
Remember, for most purposes, simplicity is the key to success.
Another Way to Get Started: Task Analysis
There is another technique that might help you get started on
developing a process map. This technique, which we’ll call task
analysis, is simple and quick. We suggest you use it as a way to prepare
for your process map. Here is how it works:
1. Organize the major phases of the process in order. For example, if
you were having a party at your house, the major phases will be
something like “Invite People”, “Clean the House”, “Buy Food and
Drinks”, “Think of Music to Play”, and the like.
2. For each phase, identify the following:
a) What do you need to Prepare for the Phase (or What input is needed)?
b) What are the Steps involved in each Phase? (For Clean the House in
the above example, the steps might be: Put away the laundry, wash the
dishes, vacuum the floors, etc.)
c) Finally, how can you Judge your success? What are the indicators
you are doing a good job?
3. Once you have thought through all the phases and steps, you are
ready to develop a Process Map. It will probably be more focused and
concise.
We recommend you do a Task Analysis, as we have defined it here, as a
first step in developing a process map.
Annotated References
Kaizen, Masaaki Imai
This is a classic. Get it from your local library and read the first two
chapters and each of the Appendices. The case study of Canon is a
sophisticated application of the concept. Look for the “nine wastes”
The Basics of Process Mapping, Robert Damielo.
This is a highly visible and basic book on the concept. Available online
from Amazon.
Copyright © 2002 Singularity Group, Inc.
Visit Singularitygroup.com
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