Improved your process, is that all there is?

You have uncovered a problem process.  You have accurately documented the process and you have put in place some metrics that can be objectively measured.

You have completed your initial process improvement, followed the new process through your organization and tracked the results using the metrics that you have declared.  Let’s say that you have successfully improved the process.

What’s next?

Process improvement is not a one time activity.  You may have improved the process for today, but what about tomorrow – next month or next year?

In today’s business environment the only thing constant is change.  Your processes can be disrupted for any number of reasons.

• People – Employees come, go and they can change responsibilities.
• Product – Your company may change their product or service.
• Technology – New tools [hardware, software, etc] may make changes to your process necessary.
• Improving customer experience – Over the years, Amazon has added new faster, easier ways to do business with them.

We refer to a ‘living’ document as a document that is constantly in a state of change.  Since processes are always changing for one reason or another, aren’t they really ‘living’ processes?  Shouldn’t process improvement be an ongoing activity?  I contend that there should be a process for process improvement.

What do you think?

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