Successful business process optimisation is much like parenting, in that you often find yourself asking, “Why is this here?” Just as parents constantly stumble upon a mysterious toy underfoot or a random drawing on the wall, business leaders frequently encounter elements in a task or process that seem just as out of place.
Asking “Why is this here?” isn't merely about tidying up—it’s about understanding what’s truly necessary. This article explores how adopting a parental perspective on your business processes can help you distinguish what each process actually does versus what it should do, encourage improvements, and clear the path for real growth.
Every corporation, whether it provides toys for children, or travel insurance for the adventurous, relies on repetitive tasks to achieve its strategic objectives. To truly enhance your organisation’s output, you must be willing to discard unnecessary steps and outdated activities.
Before you start cutting out steps and changing the way your processes work, it would be wise to ask, “Why is this here?”
- Why is this process here? How does it support the organisation’s strategic goals?
- Why is this step in the process? Does it support the efficient accurate completion of the process?
- Why is this data being captured? Is it necessary to complete the process? Is it valuable enough to store?
- Why is this person included in the process? Are they required or just being flooded with unnecessary notifications?
When you start asking why certain steps exist within a process, the answer is often one that parents are familiar with – “It’s not mine!” In business process analysis that normally translates to “I didn’t create the process; I just follow it.”
Streamlining Your Operations
To streamline your business operations, departments, and daily tasks, consider these questions:
- Alignment with Objectives: How does what I’m doing support the organisation’s objectives?
- Efficiency of Tasks: Can I enhance efficiency by eliminating unnecessary steps?
- Effectiveness of Additions: Could the task’s effectiveness improve by incorporating additional checks or steps?
- Resource Requirements: What tools and information are necessary to execute this task swiftly and accurately?
Avoiding "Process Jenga"
Unless you’re keen on playing "process Jenga," where removing the wrong piece can topple everything, gain a deep understanding of the underlying processes that support your business before making cuts or adjustments.
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Begin your journey towards streamlined operations by downloading our complimentary guide, "Learning BPMN 2.0 Basics". Map out your current processes, and start asking the pivotal question: “Why is this here?”