How do you collaborate on business process improvement?

Defining scope and goals is paramount in BPI. Yet, a nuanced challenge arises: ensuring continuous alignment amidst evolving business landscapes. While initial alignment with strategic objectives is vital, maintaining that alignment as market dynamics, technology, and organizational goals shift is equally crucial. This demands a flexible approach to BPI, where periodic reassessments are integral. Furthermore, fostering a culture of open feedback is essential. Stakeholders at all levels, especially those on the front lines, offer invaluable insights. Their real-time feedback can spotlight emerging challenges or opportunities, ensuring that BPI efforts remain relevant and impactful in a fluid business environment.

Indeed ! We need to look at what business outcomes are targeted from any business process improvement. Most times, we think BPI will improve speed and bring down cost. But, not always ! For example, if I'm worried about product quality and rejections, I may want to change and slow down the process which will add to cost of inspection. But will eventually, improve product quality and impact business positively. It is also important to take a wholesome approach to BPI, to eliminate conflict of objectives and priorities of business. A payment BPI may want to pay vendors faster while a cashflow BPI may want to conserve cash. So it's important to see what are the immediate priorities.

I believe in assembling diverse teams that bring different perspectives to the table. These teams include members from various departments, ensuring a comprehensive view of the business processes. There has to be a thorough understanding of existing processes; meticulously mapping out how things work, and identifying each step and interaction. It is also important to listen to the experiences and insights of team members; collectively identifying pain points and bottlenecks that hinder productivity while analyzing relevant data to pinpoint inefficiencies and areas where improvements can have the most significant impact.

Collaboration is an essential part of any organization that want to achieve its overarching objectives and goals. However, in order to collaborate effectively particularly regarding the business process improvement. Firstly, it's important to document the process- the input, process, output mapping must be clearly articulated. Process documentation is one of the great ways to achieving process improvements and consistency across the board. After documentation, the process must be communicated to the key actors within the process matrix. One of the effective tools to use is the swimlane diagram. This defines the interfaces between various actors clearly outlining the functions of the key actors and their overall accountabilit in the flow.

Introduce metrics Oftentimes, we hear what's measured will only improve. It's important to measure the outcomes of Business Processes, as it's a means to continuous improvement. It will also lead to fine-tuning the process itself. I started measuring cycle times in minutes, for all workflows in P2P (procure to pay) process. The time taken by each individual for Purchase requisition, Purchase order, Goods received inspection, Invoice submission and Payment processing. And then rank individuals and document flows continuously. I could see the slack / delays by department and individuals who had to improve. RESULT: we became more consistent in paying vendors on time and importantly, get scarce goods supplied to us, during the pandemic.