Why does process optimisation matter? Process optimisation is important to businesses because it helps them to meet their strategic objectives more efficiently. In turn, customers benefit as they get better products, delivered faster and usually at a lower price.
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Identify a clear start and finish for the process optimisation project
It’s important to identify what you want to accomplish with your processes before you start, or you won’t know when, or if, you’ve reached your goals. Make sure your goals are SMART ones.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Timely
Begin with a short-term, initial project
Process improvement initiatives must deliver measurable achievements or stakeholder commitment and project funding can dry up. By starting with a manageable project, and SMART goals you can develop your process improvement skills, and quickly deliver value to the business. This method will go a long way to ensuring ongoing commitment and the funding of subsequent projects.
Specify the business value you intend to achieve
Successful process improvement initiatives must support the organisation's strategic objectives. Set realistic, measurable, goals that will benefit the business and deliver a meaningful return on investment.
For example - The changes to this business process will…
- Reduce the overall cost of the process by __________
- Increase production time by __________
- Cut down on repetitive work by __________
Secure executive buy-in and support throughout the organisation
Before starting any business transformation initiative, make sure that you have executive buy-in and that the proposed changes fit into the organisation's larger strategic plan. Be aware that restructuring the way employees work can be a profound change and many people resist change for fear of the unknown. Without executive support the initiative is likely to struggle.
Extend process improvements across the business
Once you have successfully completed an initial project, you can expand to additional projects. Leveraging and sharing your expertise will aid in establishing a process improvement program within your business.
To achieve complete business transformation, process management must go beyond being an IT capability and become embedded in the way you do business. Creating a meaningful alignment between your process optimisation program and key business strategies will enable you to scale the project to meet company-wide demand, encouraging sustainable transformation.
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