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And like anything else, these processes can deteriorate over time.

They become outdated or flabby. Key elements that are second nature to someone who has done a job for years and years can get lost when a new employee takes over. The processes you’re using may even institutionalize inefficiencies that cost you time, money and customer satisfaction.

With a business process analysis you can uncover and correct all of these conditions.

It’s more that just a good idea. It’s essential. A process review can take your company from “as is” to “to be” — from the way things are to the way they should be.

What Is A Business Process Analysis

A business process analysis takes a systematic look at the way you do things. It will uncover — and eliminate — bottlenecks, redundancies and inefficiencies. In the analysis, digital tools and automation will help to unravel and map your processes, which are often complex procedures.

Business Process Analysis Is Different From Business Analysis

Don’t confuse business process analysis with business analysis. They both fall under the umbrella of business process management, but they are not the same.

Business process analysis focuses on your organization’s processes — the way you do things. A business analysis is a broader look at your company or some major part of it. Having said that, you can find the process analysis and modeling tools you need in many of the popular business process management suites.

When Should You Begin A Business Process Analysis — And Where

Organizations often begin a process analysis when they notice something is wrong — which is certainly a good time to start. Having a problem not only dictates when to start your analysis, it tells you where to start.

If there’s a backlog in accounts payable, then how you handle bills will be the first process you analyze.

Problems aside, a process review can be valuable when you’re introducing a new system or if you think your organization is not making the most of new or existing technology. The processes that are most critical to the success of your organization are good places to begin.

Benefits Of Running A Business Process Analysis

The benefits of doing a business process analysis go beyond efficiency and effectiveness. Other lasting benefits include:

• Improved workflow and a better understanding of the process
• Clear documentation
• Well-defined procedures and policies
• Hard data on how the process is performing
• Complete instructions for training employees
• Improved systems for adopting new technology

Business Process Analysis Techniques

Business Process Analysis employs several standard and common techniques, including:

• Gap Analysis: What information is missing about the process?
• Value-added Analysis: Do all the steps in the process contribute to the goals of the process and the organization?Root Cause Analysis: What’s really causing the problem.
• Observation: Watch the process in action. Follow it from end to end.
• Employee insight: Talk to the people who do the work and others in your organization for ideas of what works and how to make things better.

Six Steps Of A Business Process Analysis

1. Identify the process. What area do you want to look at — hiring new employees, handling invoices, complying with regulations, etc.? Decide what process you’ll analyze and determine a clear starting point and ending point for the process.
2. Collect data. Gather as much information about the process as you can. Observe it in action. Talk to the people involved. Collect any documents that guide their actions or that they use directly. See what tools they use.
3. Map the process. Create a diagram or workflow document that lets you visualize the process. Business process mapping and other automated processes will help here and in other steps along the way.
4. Analyze the process. With a clear view of how the process is working now, you’re set up to analyze it. What tasks take the most time? Can they be streamlined? Do people have the right tools and resources? Can any steps be eliminated? What problems do your employees see?
5. Develop a “to be” plan. You’ve dissected the process as it is. You’re ready to make the system what you want it to be.
6. Implement and evaluate. Install the modifications and new process, making sure your employees know what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and have the training they need to make it work. You’re not quite done. Now you need to see if the new process achieves your goals. Using the benchmarks developed as you defined the process, check to see if you’ve improved it. Do bottlenecks still exist? Is the process faster or smoother? Do the people doing work see a change for the better?

Continuing Review

Even now, don’t just walk away from the project.

Reviewing your business processes should be an ongoing effort. And once you’ve begun, it should be easier each time. You’ll have a system for analyzing your processes and you’ll know the software and automation programs that work best for your business.

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We all want to get better. We all want to be more efficient. We all like to think that our business processes are solid.

But we also know how easy it is to “do things the way we’ve always done it.”

Evaluating your business processes – systemically reviewing them to ensure they’re efficient and effective — is the only way to know if they are working to your best advantage.

It’s a review well worth doing, even if it shows that the ‘’way you’ve always done it’’ is, in fact, not bad at all.

INCREMENTAL AND BREAKTHROUGH IMPROVEMENTS

Continuous process improvement may involve a big “breakthrough” change, but it doesn’t have to. The changes can be — and most often are — incremental, tweaks to your workflow that can be incorporated relatively easily.

In fact, incremental changes that provide long-term benefits are a primary focus of continuous business process improvement.

THE GOAL IS A CULTURE OF IMPROVEMENT

Like the metaphorical first step that begins a long journey, a discrete event often triggers the review that leads to continuous improvement. People start the process when they notice something is amiss: delays in delivery, or an increase in waste.

Almost invariably what they’re seeing is a symptom. Continuous improvement models help to analyze the issue, get to the root cause, and correct the problem.

But the ultimate goal is to go beyond that problem and create a workplace culture that welcomes continuous process improvement. Process improvement should be ongoing, not a one-off.

The benefits range from reduced costs and increased quality to more satisfied customers and even happier employees because employee involvement is key to improving business processes.

FOUR STEPS IN PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

There are a variety of business process improvement models. They have their own terminology, diagrams and steps to follow, but they essentially revolve around the four steps of the well-known PDCA cycle: Plan, Do, Check, Act.

• Plan: Analyze the problem.
• Do: Develop a strategy to fix it and implement it on a small scale.
• Check: Incorporate measurements to see if the change is working.
• Act: Implement successful changes throughout system.

Some of the well-known improvement systems are Lean Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, and Kaizen quality circles. They enlist employees and teamwork in the effort to measure and improve your business.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TOOLS?

Data automation software and programs that analyze your workflow, map and help to manage your business processes are important tools in this effort. Here are features to consider when looking for software:

• Business process mapping: Mapping your workflow helps you to fully picture how things work in your organization. Problem areas may become obvious simply by charting your business processes.
• Process management: Programs that route tasks and track progress can help to ensure that things keep working the way you want.
• Performance analytics: You’ll want to know how your revamped processes are performing. The right software can give you the answers you need.
• Easy to use: Finding a program that is intuitive and easy to use means you’ll spend less time and money training people to use it — time and money that counts against your bottom line.

IS OUTSIDE HELP A GOOD IDEA?

The idea of an outside consultant can be off-putting. Don’t let it be.

There are advantages to bringing help in from outside your organization, especially when you’re getting starting with process analysis and implementing a continuous improvement model.

For one thing, you’ll be hiring an expert in businesses processes and someone who can find the software best suited to your company and situation; software you can use to define your processes, streamline your workflow and incorporate an ongoing review.

They also bring “fresh eyes” to your organization and can objectively explore issues, free from internal politics, personal loyalties, and the cliques common to every workplace.

And they can go to where the work is being done.

That’s the concept of Gemba. Japanese for ”the actual place.”

Your consultant can dig deep into your organization, talk to the people at all levels who do the work, gather their ideas of what works and what doesn’t, and collect their suggestions for improvements.

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IS KEY

Employee involvement is critical to improving your business processes. Simply put, you don’t make changes. They do.

Your job is to keep the review process going and identify the changes that will make your business better. Your employees hold the key to the success of those changes, whether the changes are tweaks to the system or breakthrough improvements.

You not only want to involve employees from the start, you need to give them the tools and the training to implement a change.

As mentioned above, if you’re bringing new software to the workplace, look for programs that are easy to use and still get the job done. Adding complicated software on top of workflow changes will only frustrate your employees, increase their anxiety, and work against the changes you need to make.

EMBRACING CHANGE MAKES FOR AN AGILE ORGANIZATION

Change is hard. Undoubtedly.

But is also good — and necessary.

Nearly 7o percent of companies focus their improvements on increasing efficiency and cutting costs.

But becoming a business that’s always looking to do things better means more than just improved efficiency and profits. It means becoming a business that’s agile and able to adapt quickly to the demands of the marketplace.

It’s becoming a business that’s not afraid of change.

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