End-to-end processes are cross-functional processes that comprise all the steps to accomplish a specific outcome or goal. Defining and mapping end-to-end processes (E2E) have been the number one process management challenge for at least the past three years. End-to-end processes, value chains, and cross-functional processes are all common names that organizations use for the same concept—connecting process steps across functional boundaries that are focused on the same end goal.
Organizations have an increasing need to holistically view how work gets accomplished to enable the adoption of emerging technologies such as automation and AI.
Why Should Organizations Use End-to-End Processes?
An end-to-end process mindset is often necessary to achieve organizational goals because they are rarely functional in nature. They are large-scale issues around agility, customer-centricity, or entering a new market. Such goals rely on understanding how the organization creates value and aligns the purpose of its processes.
Though we conceptually understand their value, there are tangible benefits organizations can derive from adopting end-to-end processes.
- A common understanding: Allows visibility into what is happening before and after each step in the process. A common understanding of the process also provides visibility into process performance.
- Balanced improvements + performance visibility: I included these together because once you have a common understanding AND performance visibility,
you’re able to achieve balance improvement. By this, I mean that you won’t make the mistake of changing x and inadvertently affecting y because you’ll have a better idea of the effects your change will have. - Visibility into process interdependencies: Knowing the ways that processes relate and connect to each other is critical for effective process performance, and working with an end-to-end mindset can help with that.
- Clarity about hand-offs: E2E processes reduce the risk of process inefficiencies because they help to clarify what each party needs before and after a handoff to successfully complete specific process steps.
- Clarity about roles: Role clarity is about the employee understanding the boundaries of their role. They need to know what their job entails, and what it doesn’t entail so they are able to “stay in their lane”. Mapping processes end-to-end allows you to see both where the hand-offs occur but also might shed light into steps of the process that are better suited for one role or the other to improve efficiency in the process.
- Knowledge capture and flow: The business gains a better understanding of the flow, impact, and issues within the end-to-end processes as well as where knowledge is flowing (or should be flowing) throughout the organization. E2E process mapping also helps to drive effective process documentation. While process documentation is important for any organization, it is especially critical for industries and organizations that tend to have high turnover.
What Challenges Come with Using End-to-End Processes?
A well-defined E2E process drives clarity, consistency, and continuous improvement for all the reasons above. But E2E processes can be challenging for many organizations as well, especially when it comes to issues like governance and process measurement.
Inconsistent Measurement
While end-to-end processes will vary from organization to organization, APQC suggests that at least AN owner is established for each process that sits within the end-to-end process. This could sometimes lead to disagreements as multiple owners will be responsible for pieces of the overall end-to-end process puzzle.
APQC suggests the following steps to mitigate inconsistent governance issues:
- Settle on a SINGLE owner
- If you can’t settle on one owner, be sure to define how they’ll collaborate, establish escalation paths, maintain a strict change log
Misaligned Measures
Sometimes redundant process steps within an end-to-end process could result in measures being undercounted. APQC recommends that organizations be sure to align measures to the framework AND maintain mapping of your framework to external frameworks to enable benchmarking.
Consistent and correct internal measurement is crucial to be able to determine the following:
- How the process performs across the organization
- Which processes are in most need of improvement
- If changes are resulting in intended results
- If changes are creating any unintentional consequences
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
APQC has developed End-to-End Process Maps and Measures based on the Process Classification Framework (PCF) ®. These maps provide a view of the common processes in key end-to-end processes (e.g., order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, hire-to-retire, and idea-to-market), identify common KPIs, and include definitions. To ensure its easy to adapt these end-to-end processes, there are Excel and Visio versions.
Additionally, APQC has a collection of content enabling organizations to apply end-to-end processes.