Process Re-engineering using Kanban

I have spent many years in process re-engineering and have found the efforts to be challenging because:

1. Documentation of existing processes does not exist
2. If documentation does exist, it's out of date or doesn't represent the real process
3. The time it takes to engineer the boxes and lines on your visio diagram often results in the final output already being outdated because of the speed at which business needs change

A successful approach I have taken is to leverage Kanban in process re-engineering. By setting up a board for the as-is process and using it right away, you can quickly discover the true process, and changing your visualization of the process is fairly simple.

From there you can suggest, make changes, test, and learn. It can help clarify the suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers (SIPOC) of the process and give context to the system to which the process belongs.

Kanban is a pragmatic tool that every process engineer should have in their toolbox. It does not solve everything, but is pragmatic, effective, and begins the change adoption process immediately. I have found a team around a Kanban board (virtual or physical) will arrive at a consensus, demonstrate ownership, and embrace change much more quickly.