Dick Lee, Founder & Principal, High-Yield Methods posed this question in a LinkedIn Group called Business Process Improvement – Is Process One Part or Two?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of splitting process into two components: 1) The flow level (workflow, data flow, communication flow including data management technology) and 2) Individual process (including how workers use technology)? And if you agree process should be so split, which level should we address first?

My Thoughts…

When I map out processes, I look at 4 components: The steps; The activities performed at each step; The information needed to perform the activities; and the information generated as a result of each activity.

Looking for Process Improvement?

Remove non value-add steps and activities.  If a step or activity doesn’t add to the value of the product or service, then why are you doing it?

If an activity can be performed by a computer rather than a human, I would do a cost/benefit analysis to see if it makes sense to automate it.

I am a big believer in getting the right information to the right person at the right time.  This means that I want to have the information [from some data repository] a person needs to perform their tasks in their hands before they need to work.  If they are generating information as a result of their task, I want that information stored in the right place [data repository] so that the next person that needs it can find it.

Your Thoughts…

Been through this? What did you learn?

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