2. Agenda
• What is Process Optimization
• Process can’t be Optimized Alone
• What Breaks Processes and Strategies to
Optimize Processes
• Process KPIs and Measurement System
• Notes for Process Changes
• Recap
2
3. What is a Process
• Series of steps done one after another
• A mechanism to reduce complexity to allow
for more efficient implementation
• Mechanisms to allow autonomy (less control),
learning and adaptation
3
4. What is Process Optimization?
• Continuously changing processes to achieve
high effectiveness and efficiency within the
given constraints
– Effectiveness: achieve the business goals
– Efficiency: low “costs”
• Example: bike park
4
5. Our Reality - Good UX means both
Effectiveness and Efficiency
5
7. Process Optimization – Platform for
Improvement
• Continuously improving "user experience” and
business objectives within constraints
• Bottom line:
– Who are "users“, what does good UX mean to
them?
– What are business objectives?
– What are the constraints?
– What are key to improvement?
• Example: Bike park
7
8. Agenda
• What is Process Optimization
• Process can’t be Optimized Alone
• What Breaks Processes and Strategies to
Optimize Processes
• Process KPIs and Measurement System
• Notes for Process Changes
• Recap
8
9. Process is a Part of Operations
• Operations includes:
– Structure
– Process
– People
– Information
• Link between Strategy and Operations, then
Process:
– Define Critical Operational KPI(s) that help business to
compete
– Link process with the above KPIs
9
10. Relationship with other Operations
Components
• Structure should divide complexity along its key
dimensions to allow for:
– Efficiency
– Autonomy
– Learning, and
– Adaptation
• Process, people (skill/knowledge, authority and
motivation) and information are intertwined
• Bottom line: cannot optimize Process alone
10
11. Avoid Process Sub-Optimization
• Optimization of one
process may harm the
whole
• Improve end-to-end
mega processes, e.g.:
– Order to Cash
– Request to Resolve
– Etc.
• Link process with
mega process KPIs
11
12. Agenda
• What is Process Optimization
• Process can’t be Optimized Alone
• What Breaks Processes and Strategies to
Optimize Processes
• Process KPIs and Measurement System
• Notes for Process Changes
• Recap
12
13. What Breaks Processes
• Non-compliance
• Process doesn’t take into account exceptions, too
many exceptions
• Loops
• Poor-quality decision
• Too late to detect a problem to repair/remedy
• Miscommunication among roles and groups
• Bottlenecks
• Wrong manual inputs
13
14. How to Recognize
• Non-compliance
• Loops
• Bottlenecks
• Too late to detect a problem to repair/remedy
14
15. Process Map – Common Components
• Roles in Swim lanes
• Key objects (the nouns) to avoid going too
much into details or too high level
• Each action step:
– Role
– VERB (action) + NOUN (object)
– Location, volume, information needed, etc.
15
16. Important Parts of Process Map –
Decision Points
• Considerations
– What decision is made?
– Who makes the decision?
– Which authorization the decision maker needs?
– What needs to be considered to make the
decision?
– Does decision maker have enough information to
make the right decision?
– Does decision make have the motivation to make
the right decision?
16
17. Important Parts of Process Map –
Points of no Return
• Points of no Return: points after which, it’s
very costly or impossible to reverse
• Considerations
– What decision(s) to be made before the
“release”?
– Is there enough time for decision?
– Is there enough time to fix issues before
“release”?
17
18. Important Parts of Process Map –
Communication Points
• Considerations
– What is the content of the message?
– Is the message understandable to the receiver?
– Is the content come in time for the next steps?
– Is the frequency of communication suitable?
18
19. Identify Potential Bottlenecks
• Potential bottlenecks
happen where:
– Low capacity than other
parts of the process
– Special requirement for
tools, skills, authorization
• Look at high volume of
un-finished work before
the step/decision
19
20. Strategies to Deal with Bottleneck
• Maximize utilization of
bottlenecked resources
– Continuous utilization
– Check quality before the step
– Move tasks that are not
required to elsewhere
– Move the whole chain
according to bottleneck
• Increase capacity of
bottlenecked resources
– Increase capacity short-term by
outsourcing or temporary
resources
– Increase long-term capacity to
meet the throughput
20
21. Optimize Process Effectiveness
• Effectiveness improvement
often comes from external
(customers, suppliers/
partners, etc.)
• Optimize for customers:
– If the goals are clear:
Measure and Optimize
– If the goals are not clear:
Design Thinking
• Optimize for supply chain:
Supply Chain Management
21
23. Agenda
• What is Process Optimization
• Process can’t be Optimized Alone
• What Breaks Processes and Strategies to
Optimize Processes
• Process KPIs and Measurement System
• Notes for Process Changes
• Recap
23
24. KPI Tree
• Process KPIs include:
– Result KPIs (measured
impacts on or experience of
the customer/business):
effectiveness measurement
– Efficiency KPIs: how many
people, how much cost, etc.
– Diagnosis KPIs
• Result, Efficiency and Diagnosis KPIs form a KPI tree
• Process KPIs should be linked to related
– Mega process KPIs
– Critical operational KPIs 24
25. Criteria for Good KPIs
• KPIs should be simple to understand
• Timeframe should be frequent enough for
corrective actions
• KPIs should be measured from customer’s
point of view – easy to relate
• Examples:
– Uptime % -> downtime minutes per week
– Operating cost -> Zero pending orders &
cost/order
25
26. Measurement-driven Improvement
26
1. Define standards to measure or collect
old data to establish goals
2. Measure to create a causation model
for performance
3. Identify important factors to improve
4. Improve and measure
28. Informational vs. Motivational
Measurements
Informational Measurements Motivational Measurements
To improve work quality and
manageability
To reward or punish
Focus on:
• Self-management and self-
improvement
• Trust
• Common understanding of
work
Focus on:
• Comparing with target
• Direct attention
• Feedback to change
Measure more often and
consist of more measurements
Measure less and focus on only
a few important results
28
29. Agenda
• What is Process Optimization
• Process can’t be Optimized Alone
• What Breaks Processes and Strategies to
Optimize Processes
• Process KPIs and Measurement System
• Notes for Process Changes
• Recap
29
30. Before Process Change - People
Checklist
Does the new process create:
Autonomy
Learning
Motivation to do right thing
Motivation to change
30
31. Tips for Change
• Craft change message and story – touch the
emotion, not just logic
• Remove roadblocks, especially unsuitable
motivation system
• Say goodbye to the past
• Change in waves: start small, then big change,
then fine tunes
• Increase the target and/or initiate new
changes
31
32. Agenda
• What is Process Optimization
• Process can’t be Optimized Alone
• What Breaks Processes and Strategies to
Optimize Processes
• Process KPIs and Measurement System
• Notes for Process Changes
• Recap
32
33. • Continuously improving UX and business objectives
within constraints – Ask WHY
• Before process optimization: Choose WHAT
– Choose what to improve together with process: structure,
information, people
– Chose the process to optimize in the context of end-to-end
mega process
• Process map should highlight areas of focus in
optimization (decision points, points of no return,
communications, bottlenecks)
• Strategies for bottleneck: maximize utilization and
increase capacity of bottleneck
Recap (1/2)
33
34. Recap (2/2)
• Improvement of effectiveness often by focusing on
external factors:
– Measure and optimize
– Design Thinking
– Supply Chain Management
• KPI tree with cause-and-effect relationship is critical in
optimization
• Focus on informational measurements and link them to
motivational measurements
• Make sure process changes support people
development and happiness
• Care about emotion and always push for the higher
goals
34