I encourage the participants in our workshops to call if they have questions about the "how to" map a certain process or the flow of a process they are mappng. I enjoy helping and would be happy to give you some help with your process mapping questions.
We all learn from experience and I have mapped a few thousand of all types of business processes. I would also love to discuss some of the "problems" you are encountering and learn some new ways to approach BPM.
Steve
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thursday, October 18, 2007
UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF PROCESS AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Why implement a Quality Culture?
Why didn’t I call this a quality program? A ‘program’ gives the impression that Quality Management is implementing an addition to what the company is already doing. This impression leads people to think that there will be a newer or bigger quality organization, more procedures, additional staff and added bureaucracy to justify the new quality organization. The quality organization will carry out the program for the different departments and become indispensable, added cost to the organization. They become the quality cops.
By implementing a ‘culture’ throughout the entire organization, you have the ability to keep the Quality staff to a minimum because everyone considers quality a part of their job. Every employee monitors their own quality efforts and who knows where the actual process problems are better than those doing the actual work.
Benefits of a Quality Culture
By implementing a systematic, simple approach to solving repetitive problems and eliminating the knee jerk reactions, you will reduce rework (cost), improve efficiency (cycle time), improve designs and above all, improve customer satisfaction. Continuous improvement becomes the backbone of a quality culture and is supported by everyone. Everything is fair game when it comes to improving processes and addressing business opportunities and everyone is a player. Continuous improvement becomes second nature to all process users. An added benefit of establishing a quality culture and documenting your processes are opening lines communication and improved teamwork.
Rules for a Quality Environment
A clear concise understanding of what each business process is…duties, roles and responsibilities, authority, as well as where do the inputs come from and where do the outputs go.
Job responsibilities, policies, procedures and work instructions are used to communicate to each employee what it is we want them to do and how we want them to do it. Any necessary written documents must be accurate, up-to-date and available to those who use them but, you will find the amount of documentation decreases when you have good process maps.
It is the responsibility of each employee to understand and follow their process. Process users must be willing to follow the process or cause it to change. NO EXCEPTIONS! Employees are expected to report any problems or deviations from the process or instructions or if they have an idea for improvement. Employees must have an environment where they feel they can report or question without repercussions. The very first time an employee points out a problem resulting in reprisals, the entire process shuts down immediately.
Opportunities/Ideas for improvement cannot fall through the cracks. If we fail to act on an idea for improvement or opportunity, the opportunity reporting process will cease to exist. Every reported opportunity or improvement must be addressed – not necessarily implemented – and it needs to be visible to employees.
Basic Quality Processes
Documentation & Document control
This should include:
i. Appropriate Records for above policies
ii. Work Instructions
iii. Procedures
Nonconformance and Correction Action
A system that tracks reported problems/suggested improvements
Ensure the problems/improvements get to the correct person for investigation
Provide feedback to employees
Internal Auditing
Helps keep us honest
Provides additional opportunities for cross department awareness and training
Summary
Continuous improvement is dependent on finding and fixing problems. It can also be a better way of doing things. You must create an environment that encourages your employees to report problems and ideas for improvement.
Make sure that everyone understands their individual roles and responsibilities as well as how those roles and responsibilities relate to others. This is where you begin to sense that everything is not as you thought.
Why didn’t I call this a quality program? A ‘program’ gives the impression that Quality Management is implementing an addition to what the company is already doing. This impression leads people to think that there will be a newer or bigger quality organization, more procedures, additional staff and added bureaucracy to justify the new quality organization. The quality organization will carry out the program for the different departments and become indispensable, added cost to the organization. They become the quality cops.
By implementing a ‘culture’ throughout the entire organization, you have the ability to keep the Quality staff to a minimum because everyone considers quality a part of their job. Every employee monitors their own quality efforts and who knows where the actual process problems are better than those doing the actual work.
Benefits of a Quality Culture
By implementing a systematic, simple approach to solving repetitive problems and eliminating the knee jerk reactions, you will reduce rework (cost), improve efficiency (cycle time), improve designs and above all, improve customer satisfaction. Continuous improvement becomes the backbone of a quality culture and is supported by everyone. Everything is fair game when it comes to improving processes and addressing business opportunities and everyone is a player. Continuous improvement becomes second nature to all process users. An added benefit of establishing a quality culture and documenting your processes are opening lines communication and improved teamwork.
Rules for a Quality Environment
A clear concise understanding of what each business process is…duties, roles and responsibilities, authority, as well as where do the inputs come from and where do the outputs go.
Job responsibilities, policies, procedures and work instructions are used to communicate to each employee what it is we want them to do and how we want them to do it. Any necessary written documents must be accurate, up-to-date and available to those who use them but, you will find the amount of documentation decreases when you have good process maps.
It is the responsibility of each employee to understand and follow their process. Process users must be willing to follow the process or cause it to change. NO EXCEPTIONS! Employees are expected to report any problems or deviations from the process or instructions or if they have an idea for improvement. Employees must have an environment where they feel they can report or question without repercussions. The very first time an employee points out a problem resulting in reprisals, the entire process shuts down immediately.
Opportunities/Ideas for improvement cannot fall through the cracks. If we fail to act on an idea for improvement or opportunity, the opportunity reporting process will cease to exist. Every reported opportunity or improvement must be addressed – not necessarily implemented – and it needs to be visible to employees.
Basic Quality Processes
Documentation & Document control
This should include:
i. Appropriate Records for above policies
ii. Work Instructions
iii. Procedures
Nonconformance and Correction Action
A system that tracks reported problems/suggested improvements
Ensure the problems/improvements get to the correct person for investigation
Provide feedback to employees
Internal Auditing
Helps keep us honest
Provides additional opportunities for cross department awareness and training
Summary
Continuous improvement is dependent on finding and fixing problems. It can also be a better way of doing things. You must create an environment that encourages your employees to report problems and ideas for improvement.
Make sure that everyone understands their individual roles and responsibilities as well as how those roles and responsibilities relate to others. This is where you begin to sense that everything is not as you thought.
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