Process Improvement

Analyze and improve existing business processes to optimize performance, meet best practice standards

All our improvement actions are documented in order to increase the effectiveness or efficiency of a process in meeting specified requirements. We focus on reducing the time a product is being worked on in design or production and the time an order is being processed. Typically, processing time is a small fraction of production lead time, the remainder of the time being waste.

A work process is defined as: “A repetitive and systematic series of actions or operations whereby an input is transformed into an output, adding value and achieving a defined goal”.

Value Stream Mapping

We create a simple diagram of every step involved in the material and information flows needed to bring a product from order to delivery. Value stream maps will be drawn for different points in time to raise consciousness of opportunities for improvement. A current state map follows a product’s path from order to delivery to determine the current conditions and identify opportunities for reducing non value added activities and other sources of waste. A future state map deploys the opportunities for improvement identified in the current state map to achieve a higher level of performance at some future point.

SIPOC

Our process improvement teams use the SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process Outputs, Customers) to identify all relevant elements a process improvement project before work begins.

Suppliers: The people. functions, or organizations, who supply the process with its inputs.

Inputs: The materials, equipment, information, people, money, or environmental conditions needed to conduct the process.

Process: A repetitive and systematic series of actions or operations whereby an input is transformed into an output, adding value and achieving a defined goal.

Outputs: The product/service created by the process, which is handed off to the customer.

Customers: The last step of the process. The direct recipients of the output.

SIPOC’s are critical to:

• Understanding project Scope (Start to End to Handoffs)
• Defines Process Boundaries
• From Supplier → Start
• End Point → To Customer
• In scope and out of scope

Process Map

Using a variety of digital tools, our process mapping techniques show how each step contributes to an end state.  It’s vital to visualize the details of your process closely and guide decision making from beginning to end. One can identify the major areas of strengths and weaknesses in the existing process, including the contribution of each individual step. Further, it helps to reduce the cycle times and defects in the process, enhancing its productivity.

We also can prepare a flowchart, process flowchart, process chart, functional process chart, functional flowchart, workflow diagram, business flow diagram or process flow diagram. These all contain proper detail with respect to multiple paths, decisions, and rework loops.

RACI

RACI is a format that helps us think about the different roles in a process or an action plan or workplan.

RACI                

R          Responsible      Who does the work: one or more people.

A          Accountable     Who has the authority/can delegate: only one person!

C          Consulted         Discuss with each other before deciding: one or more people.

I           Informed          Who is told after decision: one or more people.

Often, people forget to think through the different stakeholders in a process or work plan. RACI can helps trigger ideas when process mapping, work planning, establishing action plans or setting up project teams and large projects.

Process Management Control Systems (PMCS)

We encourage a cycle of continuous review, re-examination, and renewal of fundamental work processes that contribute to an organization’s performance and productivity. We will demonstrate how process management must at all times challenge a process’s fit with other processes and may result in a radical change to work methods and practices.

Our team leverages a proven methodology for managing processes, focusing improvements, and sustaining the gains realized from improvement efforts, all based on the continual measurement of process performance against critical customer requirements.

PMCS:

• Deals with routine, recurring work of an organization.
• Provides a systematic approach to identify, prioritize, and improve key work processes.
• Provides a methodology to document and track key processes.
• Maintains the gains once created and continually reduce variation in processes through continuous improvement.

Your PMCS will be a combination of Process Map, Control Plan, and Audit Plan all in one place.