Organizations that embark on a process management journey are generally looking to improve performance in one way or another. Having a strong process management foundation makes the improvements more successful; however, organizations don’t always know how to get started. I’m excited to share that we just wrapped up our latest survey on process improvement which investigated how organizations identify, prioritize, select, and sustain process improvement efforts, and this blog includes some tips and tricks organizations should consider.
Consider the structure of the team
Based on our survey, 25% of organizations follow an ad hoc process improvement approach, 29% of organizations are federated, and 27% are centralized. Another 18% are decentralized. When it comes to deciding which structure is best for your organization, it’s good to look at the pros and cons of each.
- Centralized teams are harder to scale; however, they are great at providing ONE clear point of contact for all things process and process improvement.
- Federated teams provide a holistic perspective and allow organizations to scale more easily than centralized teams.
- Decentralized teams lack the end-to-end view of processes that centralized and federated teams can provide; however, buy-in and engagement is often easier.
Organizations should weigh the pros and cons to determine what matters most to them regarding the structure of their process improvement team.
Don’t forget that team members are human
I’ve heard the phrase multiple times, and I agree 1,000% - organizations must remember that “processes are human” and “there are humans in the process”. Having a strong change management approach embedded in process management efforts is critical to the success of process improvement initiatives.
APQC’s research revealed six key drivers of effective change – communications, training, rewards and recognition, the role of leadership, engagement, and structure and resources – and it’s great to see engagement and communications techniques noted in our process programs research as top ways organizations keep employees engaged in process work:
- Involve employees in developing the solution – 60%
- Train employees on the change – 53%
- Involve employees in establishing the change – 51%
- Broad communications – 46%
- Provide opportunities to provide feedback and voice concerns – 45%
Including employees in the solution and giving the opportunity for feedback ensures that employees feel they play a part in the change and ultimately increases buy-in.
How to identify and prioritize improvement efforts
Organizations identify opportunities at different times throughout the year, with most organizations identifying them once a month or once per quarter.
An organization’s overall perception of process improvement will contribute to the frequency that process improvement efforts will be identified. Those that value process improvement more may recognize opportunities more often than those that prioritize process improvement less overall. Research revealed that process owners, managers, and process improvement team members are those most likely to identify the process improvement opportunities.
Once improvement opportunities are identified, organizations need to strategically prioritize which opportunities are worth the time and effort to complete. 33% of organizations strategically prioritize process improvement efforts a great deal of the time or more. When looking at what criteria to use to prioritize improvement opportunities, organizations most often look at their connection to strategic objectives and the impact the improvement will have on the customer, followed by the potential ROI.
How to ensure your improvement efforts are sustainable
Process improvement efforts are not a once and done project. Teams must ensure they have proper handoffs and methodologies in place to continuously engage with the process team involved in the improvement efforts.
Based on the survey, organizations rely on various tactics to ensure process improvement efforts are sustainable; however, they most frequently rely on process documentation standards and rules, stakeholder engagement, and dashboards. Few organizations rely on gamification to sustain the process improvement efforts.
To Learn More
Dive into the full results of the survey in APQC’s Best Practices in Process Improvement 2024: Survey Report, and register for the January webinar, How Organizations Identify, Prioritize, and Sustain Process Improvement Efforts.