Basis of the optimization

Process management comprises the design, control and monitoring of processes in an organization so that it can achieve its goals. Process management is therefore an important management tool.

"Good" process management

Process management only deserves this title when the following requirements are met:

Repeatability

Only processes that run regularly and must deliver standardized results are regulated or described. In the case of the process "Produce drug X", the reason for the descriptiveness is easy to understand, but the requirement also applies, for example, to the process "Develop innovations". At the control level, it must be defined how ideas are generated, who is responsible for innovation orders, and how the decision-making processes are organized.

Results orientation

For all described processes, it is clear which result or which output is to be achieved. For example, a defined rate of new customers should be acquired thanks to the lived process "Acquire new customers".

Customer orientation

The results of all processes are consistently aligned with the respective external/internal customer and his specific needs. For example, the "Troubleshooting" process must be designed in such a way that the malfunction is resolved in the time guaranteed by a customer-oriented service level and the customer can continue with his core business.

End-to-end design

Each core service process is always part of a value chain and must be defined with a view to the whole. For example, the end-to-end process of "door system production" at a door system manufacturer includes sub-processes such as component production, third-party procurement, quality inspection, shipping and assembly. Only when the sub-processes of the entire supply chain are perfectly coordinated can the door system ordered be delivered to the customer at the agreed time and quality.

Controllability/measurability

The flow of a well-defined process is controllable and its performance is measurable. A frequency of "at least monthly" is defined for the process "Execute invoicing and reminders". The debtor payment period makes a statement about the performance of this process.

Responsibility

A responsible body or person is defined for each process and its results. The process "Carrying out personnel transports" consists of a wide variety of sub-processes and these in turn consist of a large number of process steps. Although responsible persons are defined for each sub-process and each process step, the overall responsibility remains with the head of personnel transport.

(Aus-)Führung

All processes are consistently implemented as described. Although the aforementioned requirements are important building blocks, we can only speak of true process management if the processes are consistently implemented. In addition to operational processing experience in the implementation of processes, what is needed here above all is a management experienced and determined line.

Optimization on a stable basis

Practically every company today is subject to permanent pressure to change. Therefore, process optimizations are carried out on a regular basis to achieve improvements in terms of time and cost,

costs and/or quality. However, these improvements can only be realized efficiently if they can be made starting from a stable basis. If a process has not yet been defined, optimization can hardly be carried out in a targeted manner and often ends in failure.

In practice, process maturity in an organization can usually be assigned to one of three maturity levels (cf. chart 1). The achievement of the first development phase "stable basis" can be recognized by the following characteristics

• Well thought-out process architecture including process map is in place.
• Described sub-processes are consistently derived from the process map.
• Described processes are simply designed and clearly standardized.
• Described processes are lived throughout.
• Measurands for all described processes are defined. Thus, the focus in this phase is on effectiveness ("doing the right things").

How to achieve a stable base

From a large number of process projects in organizations of various sizes and orientations, we summarize important suggestions for ensuring a stable basis as follows:

Clear criteria for description Often too many processes are described. Processes have to be trained, adhered to, monitored and further developed. If one wants to do this effectively, a considerable use of resources is required. Too broad a selection of processes dissipates resources and often restricts the scope of action unnecessarily. Only after the criteria for descriptiveness have been established and selectively applied should the description of processes be started (cf. chart 2).

Define process map as value chain and link sub-processes

Process management serves to control value creation in a company. There are core processes (primary activities) that run in a logical sequence of service provision to the customer. In addition, secondary activities are required that support the core processes; these include all management and support processes. The presentation of a clear value creation or process map gives all employees a view of what it is all about: end-to-end value creation.

Determine uniform notation and 'flight level' for documenting the processes

Especially in larger companies with different organizational units and locations, the processes are described according to different notations (example: Business Process Model and Notation, event-driven process chain, HPO diagrams) and/or at different "altitudes" (example: only at the "process model" level or only at the "detailed process" level). This can make it unnecessarily difficult to implement and enforce the processes. Therefore, the notation and "flight level" should be defined uniformly throughout the company by top management.

Visualization/documentation of the processes accompanied by experts

Visualizing processes uniformly and in a simple and understandable way requires considerable experience. Process owners from the line are often overburdened in terms of time or content, as this activity is not part of their core tasks and is also not carried out regularly. Internal or external experts must be available here to provide support.

Define process standards and design target processes

Good process management should ensure a stable organizational basis and thus create the prerequisite for a sure-footed approach to optimization. It is therefore advisable to describe a target state of the processes as a standard right from the start. This can be based on an internal "good practice" that all employees should adhere to. On this basis, it is easier to initiate the necessary changes in the direction of optimization.

Issue and demand process orders

Process performance dProcess performance dFor key processes, it is advisable to formulate a written assignment in the form of a process profile and to sign it together with the respective process owner. The most important topics (including results/benefits, metrics/assessment criteria, cost/complexity drivers, success-critical interfaces, future key topics) should be formulated simply and clearly. This creates commitment and at the same time provides a good basis for agreeing annual targets.

Define and measure process performance

When introducing new processes or changing existing ones, their effectiveness and efficiency are often only measured at the beginning. Particularly in the case of well established processes, however, there is a great danger that performance will decline as standards are softened or requirements have changed in the meantime. Without clearly defined process goals and derived metrics, it cannot be expected that documented processes will be lived and continuously optimized. Therefore, the frequency with which and by whom the performance of each process is to be measured must be defined. If threshold values are not met or exceeded, management must be informed and the necessary corrective measures must be defined (see Figure 3).

Provide attractive process tool

Processes are lived when those involved in the process can easily access the process documentation relevant to their daily work at any time. The more user-friendly follow-up documents such as checklists, work templates, forms, work instructions, etc. are linked, the more likely they are to be accessed regularly. Likewise, process documentation should be able to be updated intuitively by process owners, even if they do not perform this work on a daily basis.

Regularly train those involved in the process

New employees in particular should not be expected to acquire the necessary process knowledge on their own. This should also not be taken for granted in the case of permanent staff. It is an essential task of those responsible for the process to actively train those involved in the process on a regular basis. The focus here is on responsibilities, the tools to be used, and the targeted process results.

Outlook

If a company has ensured the stable basis of its organization with professional process management, important prerequisites for optimization by the employees are fulfilled. Then you can switch from the focus "effectiveness" to the focus "efficiency" ("doing things right") and collect important points for your competitiveness.