Improving a broken process

Business processes are an important tool for creating structure, improving consistency and increasing efficiency. A process tells people how to accomplish a given activity or set of tasks. When they are clear and actionable, they work really well. When they are broken, disorganization and inefficiency are not far behind.

How do you know if a process is broken?

When was the last time you used the process document to walk through the process steps?

Did you notice areas in the documentation that did not line up with how the activity is performed?

Do you or your team members actually follow the process?

Does the documentation needlessly extend the time it takes to complete the activity?

If you notice areas where the documentation doesn’t line up with actual steps taken the perform the task, it' is time to update the process.

If you and your team members do not bother to follow the process or utilize the process documentation, it is time for training or perhaps a reminder for everyone that the processes exist, where the documents are maintained and how to apply them to daily responsibilities. At minimum, they should serve as a loose template for how to get certain things done.

Finally, if a team member follows the process and it takes them more time or adds needless steps, it is time to update the process.

How do you update a process?

Perform a given task or activity using the process document.

What steps are missing? What steps can be removed?

Update the documentation accordingly.

If you are in a highly regulated industry or your company is audited, be certain to document the change in process document version and the date the changes were made. Make sure you have communicated with your team that a new document exists and take the time to communicate what changed from the last version.

It is also a good idea to remind them to replace their old version with the new one to ensure everyone is performing the updated process.

Here’s to more business birthdays!