Continuous Process Improvement Process

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Your Process Innovation Index

Continuous Process Improvement Process is the core concept to help innovate within your company and achieve continuous positive results.

‘Documenting a process’ is the basic requirement as per the ISO requirements, which is widely being complied with when it comes to initiate for ISO certification.

Things start to differ & vary when we address the concept of ‘continuous process improvement process’.

Can we know from any company that how many process improvements they have done in any given month… Do they maintain a record of that… Is there any metric/indicator being maintained… Is there a formal process of improving a process on a continuous basis ?

These are some of the potent questions & issues for which there may not be many concrete answers in many companies.

If we look at the broader quality perspective, it is very much important to know the real character & personality of the company through ‘process improvements methods’.

It also shows that how much company listens to its customers as well as to its staff.

It also demonstrates the culture of the organization to what extent the staff is dynamic and progressive and challenge the status quo.

This in itself doesn’t necessarily mean that company only has to follow the ISO or TQM clauses to maintain its certification.

It should mean that company itself should be more interested in such measures irrespective of the ISO or quality awards.

It should be looking ‘inside out’ instead of looking ‘outside in’. 

I believe that if we should put the right things in right perspective. The objective of straightening out the companies’ processes & culture should be prime, the certifications & awards are just the by products of such initiatives.

The sad part of our world is that measure of success is how much good score or grades our children can get… but if he or she has passed by merely learning few simple selected answers to few questions, then it is not showing the real quality & depth of learning and knowledge.

We, perhaps, also need to rationalize our approach in selecting the right indicators /metrics of success in the real & practical manner.

Given the will to improve the existing status quo, how do we actually go about improving a process ?

Although we know that various approaches have been expressed by various Quality Gurus for the process improvement.

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Essential 9 Steps for Continuous process improvement Process 

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In complement & addition to such approaches, I have further tried to extend another angle i.e. ‘9 Step Method’ for the Continuous Process Improvement Process (CPIP) which I am expressing in a brief summarized manner based on practical corporate realities:-

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Step 1: Set Frequency for identifying Continuous process improvement Process opportunities

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At least once in three months (it may be more or less), there should be a process of ‘process review’ initiated by Quality Dept/Business Process Management (BPM) dept or the specific business/functional dept itself, with its own milestone or KPI.

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Step 2 – Select & Analyze the most critical key processes

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Identify & select at least 2 or 3 processes (may be more or less) – which may be important & critical in terms of customer deliveries, resource utilization, requiring automation etc.

Study the process maps & record the rough notes & observations regarding some critical improvement related areas like:

• The total cycle time
• The total processing time
• Total people involved
• The level of authorities to approve or verify
• The level of technology/system support.
• What activities are really needed & essential and what activities seem unnecessary. (no value addition).
• Process risk factors – operational & technological
• Business rules
• Moment of truths

Prepare these independent notes on the process map itself or on separate paper.

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Step 3 – Involvement of Process Owners

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Schedule a meeting amongst the key process owners.

Meet for 2 to 3 hours in a separate round table (preferably) conference room.

Share & discuss the written & analyzed observations about the processes.

Evaluate where some consensus or agreement can be reached either in terms of changing some steps, bringing more automation, reducing hands off etc.

Bear in mind that the risk elements should be well addressed.

Sometimes few essential things in the process may appear not to be customer centric but may be required to protect the company’s interests;

e.g. if some legal document is to be signed off by two responsible officials of the company, although by suggesting to be signed off singly may seem to reduce cycle time & increase efficiency, but it may expose the company to a greater risk in contingent situations.

That’s what is also called process risk analysis.

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Step 4 – Concluding the points for Continuous process improvement Process (if any)

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Note down the final concluded points which were discussed & agreed upon.

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Step 5 – Obtain Management Approval

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Send the proposed agreed points/changes to the managers or heads of the departments for their feedback within maximum one week time.

Follow-up with them, otherwise it will be another week and then another week.

Try to ask the feedback in a ‘closed ended’ fashion.

Higher management is used to take decisions with ready made things.

Open ended feedback does not hold true right here.

Ask them ‘if its Ok if that specific process step is eliminated/changed etc’,

Do they agree or approve it.

With such approach they will be able to respond back more swiftly.

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Step 6 – Redraw the Process Maps

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Once you have their feedback, then is the time to redraw the process map either by the Quality/BPM department or that specific business department itself.

Get that process approved by the respective process owners, business heads as well as the management (as per the company’s own process approval system).

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Step7 – Implement the changed Improved process

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Plan for its execution/roll out by sending out the official communication and holding a special training session/workshop for the users involved in case it has some major changes.

If in case it requires some new system support then it should be coordinated with the IT department to get that application ready with mutually agreed timeline.

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Step 8 – Post Implemented Follow-up

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After the successful implementation of the change – make a follow-up call/visit or review with that department /users.

In case of any deviation or feedback, try to incorporate or rectify the original process accordingly till its stable & strong.

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Step 9 – Recording the Process Change in a journal for future reference

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Don’t forget to record the occurrence of ‘continuous process improvement process implementation’, which will become an indicator about what & how something was changed and how often.

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Conclusion

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The method or ‘continuous process improvement process’ itself may vary from company to company.

I agree that there may be many varied approaches and methods to consciously address the process of process improvement on a continuous basis.

However, mostly, it is observed in various industries that process improvement triggers when there is some critical situation, customer need or directive from the management.

In normal circumstances, same processes remain in effect for years & years.

Having spent many years in the field of Business Process & Quality Management, I personally believe that there should be a regular, structured & systematic approach to embark upon the ‘continuous process improvement process’ journey and it should be on ongoing basis.

Even at times, if the process is fully optimized and there is no need for change, but having proper system in place will certainly help to keep the organization very robust & dynamic.

You may also read this article presentation here.