1
The Plan….
2


Brief Discussion about Methods
What is a Process?
 Break


Identifying and Framing Process
Understanding the As-Is
 Break



(10 mins)
(10 mins)
Assessing the Process
Designing the “To-be”
Wrap up
The Goals …
3

At the end of today you should understand how to:
 Map
processes
 Make a case for change
 Find areas for improvement
 Gather ideas for improvement
 Identify prioritization of improvement ideas
 Find resources to help with your projects
Practical knowledge to use on any project!
4
Methods and Key Points
Improvement is a Cycle…Not an End
5
Map
Processes
Review and
Learn
Execute
Projects
Identify Pain
Points
Prioritize
Improvements
Which Method Should I Use?
6




There are many approaches to Process
Improvement
Lean: Value and Waste
Six Sigma: Reducing Variation
Functional Focus: Internal Efficiencies
Use the method that fits the project
Key Point: Make it Visible
7


A lot of the time spent in “process improvement” is
spent process mapping on paper with Post-its….
Why?
 Without
good mapping, improvements may cause more
problems
 Work is often “hidden”
 Makes identifying opportunities easier
Always try to show your work
Key Point: It’s All About the Outcome
8



Stay focused on the outcome(s) of your processes
Try to take the viewpoint of the outcome consumer
Avoid, at first, talking about
 Who
– don’t personalize the process; speak of roles
(when it is time), not individuals
 How – this can come later
The goal is to change outcomes not
processes
What Do You Need to Get Started?
9

What you need is:
 Some
organizational commitment
 Post-its : make sure they’re sticky
 Pens: Sharpie-style
 Flip charts: to put pen to paper
 People with energy…lots of it!
You don’t need fancy software to start!
10
Finding Processes
Business Process
Functional
area
Functional
area
Functional
area
Functional
area
Functional
area
Goal : A True End-to-End Picture
11
But What is a Process?
12

A sequence of activities that include a trigger, and
a quantifiable outcome – must be End to End
Trigger
time,
event,
etc.
Business Process
Finding the business process(es) can be trickier than you
think
Outcome
can be
counted
Concert Night Case Study
13

Case Study
Why Does it Matter? Concert Night
14

Concert night was a struggle….major issues:
Traffic heavy on
roads around
the venue
Invalid tickets
entering venue
VIP guests are
upset
Restaurants
losing money
due to early
entry to concerts
Long lines to get
in
How would you solve these if you were in charge of your
functional area?
How It Was Solved Functionally
15

The solutions often worked against each other
Routed traffic in
most direct
route – across a
cross walk.
Allowed VIP
guests to enter
first – but not
all.
Extensive
checking of
tickets – and
double-checking
Tried different
areas, routes,
nothing worked
to lessen lines
Lines actually got longer, complaints increased, costs
increased and attendance dipped – why?
Concert venue
remained closed
as long as
possible
Business Process
Functional
area
Functional
area
Functional
area
Functional
area
Functional
area
They Did Not See How Things Connected!
16
17
The How-to for Process Finding
Processes Often Hide…
18




Processes often hide themselves in vagueness or are
disguised as to-do lists
“I know what the processes are and what we need
help on!”
“Here’s my daily task list – that’s my process”
“Not sure what happens after I do that…that’s
another process…”
Keep an eye out for these types of statement…
Pick the Group – Be Thoughtful
19





This is perhaps the most important step in finding
processes
Pick contributors who do the work as well as
oversee the work
Try to get people who “consume” the end result of
your process (client, end user, student, customer, etc.)
Involve all personalities in the work
Set ground rules – participation is key
Time-Saving Tip…
20

Being able to interview the core group ahead of
time
 What
activities do you do?
 What issues do you have?
 What solutions have you considered?


Also good to review any documentation (forms,
reports, etc.) relevant to the work at hand
The more prepared you can be, the better
(and quicker) the work will go!
A sample interview guide is included in your packet
Start by Mapping Some Milestones
21

Lay out the milestones (or major events) for the area
you are looking at…
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Keep it to 5 +/- 2 Boxes
Milestone
Milestone
Exercise: 5 (+/- 2) Boxes for Concert Night
22

Think about your experiences with concerts – what
are the major moments?
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
MilestoneMilestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
Milestone
MilestoneMilestone
Milestone
It works really well to ask what the end user goes through you might find people have different points of view!
Milestone
MilestoneMilestone
Milestone
“Things”: Getting on the Same Page
23


It’s important to make sure you are all on the same
page – sometimes the same word can mean
different things to different people
Thing (concept): Singular noun
 Singular
noun
 Multiple occurrences
 Need to keep track of
 Ex: person, thing, event, organization, concept
 Refer to the “what”, not the “how”
List them out and make sure everyone agrees on definitions!
Exercise: Grouping Things and Define
24

Use the milestones as your guide to gather all
things, group them, and define them
Thing = Definition
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing = Definition
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing = Definition
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing = Definition
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing = Definition
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing
Thing = Definition
“Activities”: Building the Action
25

Now that you have agreement on the definition of
things – let’s build some activities
 Acts
on a thing (you may find you missed some things
while gathering activities)
 Has a verb-noun structure (sometimes with a qualifier)
 Contains specific verbs, rather than “mushy ones”
 Manage,
 Test:
review, oversee are examples of mushy verbs
Flip the verb and noun. Does it still make sense?
Why do we care about mushy verbs??
Exercise: Brainstorming Activities
26



Get all the activities you can out on the “table” –
use your milestones as a starter.
Challenge mushy verbs (manage, review, process,
etc.)
Focus on the “happy path”
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Quick Tip: Brainstorming is Hard
27

Brainstorming is not easy for anyone. Here are some
tips that might help:
 Encourage
the group to “go big to go small”
 Make sure everyone speaks
 Make sure ‘talkers’ have a chance to talk but don’t take
all the time
 Try different groupings, including individuals, small
groups, and large groups – mix the groups up as well.
 Stay positive…if something isn’t working, try
something else!
 Setting ground rules never hurts…
Exercise: Line ’em Up…
28


Have your group line up the activities they listed out
in order
Some paths are linear and “easy”; others will
happen in parallel or as outcomes of choices
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
How to Locate a Process
29

Now that the activities are laid out, it can be a bit
tricky to find the “processes” – here are some tips
on how to do that….
 Look
for triggers and outcomes
 Look at the relationship of one activity to the next. Is it
1:1 or 1:many or many:1 – this will help you understand
where one process might end and another begin
 Follow the “token” through the processes
Let’s Try to Find the Processes
30

Remember to look for 1:1 or 1:many or many:1
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
1:many
1:1
1:1
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Remember to use what you know to validate that you found
a process – challenge assumptions!
Collect the Processes in a Landscape
31

Once you have isolated the processes, take some
time to name them and put them in a “process
landscape”
Process 1
Process 2
Process 3
Process 5
Process 4
This is a great tool for gaining a high level understanding of
what is going on!
Making A Case for Change
32






Before continuing into more detail and
improvements, you need ask yourself: is it worth it?
What will the outcome be? For actors? Clients?
Owners?
What are the goals of further analysis?
Make it measurable and memorable (quantifiable
and real)
Keep it simple and straightforward
List who contributed
Example Charter
33
Goal(s)
Draft Recommendations
•
•
Build triggered communication(s) to process owners once critical stages have
been reached
•
Create standard electronic workflows for critical docs starting with the
report of separation form.
•
Define key process indicators; create total process measurements; define SLA
for process and cascade
Develop an end-to-end process for handling access and services for
employees who are onboarding, transferring or exiting the University
that reduces resource utilization, increases employee satisfaction,
and decreases overall process completion time, error rate, and
rework.
Current Conditions
•
Lack of notice at critical points delaying dependent steps &
requiring a “proactive” person to sustain process; reduced
compliance
•
One-stop digital check-in /check-out list (long term) to allow for simultaneous
requests that can be handled when resources are available rather than in
“open hours”
•
Heavy reliance on forms, walking, and phone calls results in lack of
parallel processing and creates dependence on “open hours” to
complete tasks
•
Define/assign clear process owners responsible for accurate and complete
completion of overall processes within timelines established;
•
Confusion around steps to be taken coupled with multiple
checklists, forms, and contacts creating frustration and lack of
motivation to complete thoroughly.
•
Consolidate delivery and collection point for University services and items as
much as possible
•
Analyze and revise (if needed) communication points and messages
throughout the process(es).
•
No clear guidelines on process owners for onboarding; leading to
variability in process performance, errors, and rework
•
Delivery of University services and items spread throughout
campus causing travel and delays in delivery
•
Little to no measurement of overall process indicators; success
variably determined at functional service levels with some SLAs
defined and others not; but no overall measures
Contributors
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Joyce Lopes
Amber Blakeslee
Teal Sexton
Teri Bronder-Lewis
Jennifer Slye Moore
Jyll Jackson
Monika Newman
Kenna Kay Hyatt
Lorraine Dillon
Alma Zechman
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Joyce Corpuz
Phil Rouse
Val Arizzi
Janice Mueller
Kim Moon
Krista Carroll
Jean Crockett
Angie Petroske
Ronda Stemach
Rosemary Smith
Volga Koval
Rebecca Brown
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Traci Ferdolage
Holly Martel
Kate Stroup
James Harding
Annette Troxel
Nathaniel Roy
Gina Pierce
Linda Rutenback
Mary Ann McCulloch
Sharon Seward
Ken Rocha
Jesse Clark
34
Diving Deeper Into Processes
Zero In On the First Process for Review
35



Sometimes the landscape is enough…really
You’ll often want to go deeper into one or more
process(es)
Use a “productive venting” brainstorming session to
help pinpoint the biggest opportunity areas
 List
issues and opportunities
 Discuss what a future might look like
Swim-lane diagrams allow us to dive deeper
What is a Swim-Lane Diagram?
36


Swim-lane diagrams show activities performed by
actors over time
They are used to tell a more detailed story
A Guide to Using Swim-Lane Diagrams
37







Show ALL actors who touch the work – each lane is
an actor
Show the march of time from left to right
Be careful with parallel work or decision points
Start with a trigger, end with an outcome
Iterate … one pass will not be enough
Make it as wide as it needs to be
Make it only as detailed as it needs to be.
Swim-lane diagrams tell the story of the process
Let’s Go Swimming…
38
Actor 4
Actor 3
Actor 2
Actor 1

Let’s try it with the process that we outlined already
… before we move our activities into lanes, let’s just
follow the work.
Now Fill In What is Happening
39
Actor 4
Actor 3
Actor 2
Actor 1

Now let’s fill in some activities – move over the
activities from your previous work and plot them
here
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Iterate: Who Really Gets the Work Next?
40
Actor 5
Actor 4
Actor 3
Actor 2
Actor 1

Progressive detail … steps are hidden
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Walk the Flow
41


Make sure you have it right by walking the flow
with the core group involved
This is a good point to add in baseline metrics for
this process:
 Time
in each step (minimum, maximum, & most likely)
 Time to actually complete the task (minimum, maximum,
& most likely)
 Rework %s – how often is work sent back for errors?
 Service scores – how do folks feel about it?
Adding metrics gives you a sense of the current state as well as
validating your map
A Note on Metrics
42



Metrics are critical to understanding progress, but
they don’t have to be scary
Sometimes we don’t have firm metrics but the group
has a good idea of how long each step takes, so
ask
As you build processes and improvements, think
about how you’ll measure it
Always good to measure – it helps to tell the story
Remember: Swim Lanes Tell the Story
43





Showing systems
Multiple actors on one stage
Parallel vs. collaborative
Avoid visual clutter
Use of symbols: keep it simple
The swim-lane diagram is meant to tell an accurate story that
can be used to assess a current situation.
44
Assessing the Flow
Looking for Opportunities
45


Now that the process is a swim-lane diagram, we
can ask what works and what doesn’t
Things to look for:
 Transportation
 Over-processing
 Inventory
 Over-production
 Movement
 Defects
 Waiting
 Unreasonableness
These are “lean” concepts that are helpful in focusing attention
on typical issues in processes
The Challenge Question
46


Having a hard time finding opportunities?
Overstate each step and see if it makes sense:
 “This
form MUST go to the Vice President for approval”
 “This form must go to the VICE PRESIDENT for approval”
 “This form must go to the Vice President for
APPROVAL”
Keep challenging yourself and the team!
Exercise: Finding Opportunities
47
Literally walk the process you have outlined and
identify where the “pain points” exist
Actor
5
Actor
4
Actor
3
Actor
2
Actor
1

Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
Activity
A useful approach is to allow each team member to “vote” on
where pain points exist and then look for clusters
Understanding the Enablers
48

There are many things that enable each process –
often we only focus on the technology and
workflow, but these can hide deeper issues
 Information
systems
 Workflow
 Human
resources
 Motivation/Measurement
 Guidelines/Rules
 Facilities/Other
Exercise: Use Enablers
49

Go back to the map and group your pain points by
enabler
Enabler
Issue
Information systems
Issue
Issue
Issue
Workflow
Issue
Issue
Human resources
Motivation/Measurement
Issue
Rules/Guidelines
Issue
Facilities & Other
Issue
If an enabler is left with no pain points, go back and see if
anything was missed
List Out Potential Issues
50

Describe the issues with enough detail and connect
them to the goals, values, and metrics you have
already uncovered
Project
Onboarding, Exiting, and Transfers
Onboarding, Exiting, and Transfers
Onboarding, Exiting, and Transfers
Short Description
Digitize the Report of Separation form (form
109)
Connect PS data to ROS Form based on
search/match function
Replace Chief Admin and HR 'approvals' with
acknowledgements/notices (require submission
+ appropriate administrator approval)
Improvement description
Remove physical movement of documents via campus mail or by
walking - replacing with digital routing
Remove need to look up known data that exists in PS by linking
form fields to PS data via search/match on EE ID while creating
forms
Reduce needed approvals from 3 to 1 requiring only the
appropriate administrator (if ASC/EE initiating) to provide formal
approve. This will help avoid bottlenecks. Currently thre is no
known reason for HR/Admin to "approve" form - simple
acknowledgment should suffice.
Next Steps
Building form with Tech team; validating
with project team and stakeholders
As part of building form will be
incorporated
Verify with project team, as well as
confirm no audit concerns; if unable to
remove then will build 'timers' that notify
at appropriate intervals
Time
improve
ment
(hrs)
8
Time
improve
ment
(hrs)
8
Validate …Validate …. Validate …
51

Now is the time to go back out and talk with
stakeholders, customers, owners, sponsors, and
others to see if what is outlined makes sense
So now what? I have a list of problems …
52
Finding Solutions
Brainstorming Solutions
53

You now have an as-is:
a
process family
 goals/value identified
 workflow mapped
 issues outlined

So now we need to think about solutions
Go Back to the Outcome
54

Start out by asking: “what is this process supposed
be good at?”
 Service?
 Efficiency?
 Product
innovation?
No process can be great at all three of these outcomes
Focus on Value and Goals
55



Remember when you found value and goals? Now
is the time to really put them in play
All solutions should add value and support the goal
Examples of tasks that don’t add value may include:
 Sending
through mail
 Adding more approvals
 Creating more forms
 Removing steps
The walue is defined by the outcome!
Remember Your Enablers
56

Just as not all issues are about workflow or
information systems, neither are most solutions –
think of solutions with all enablers
Enabler
Issue
Improvement
Information System
Issue
Issue
Issue
Improvement
Improvement
Improvement
Workflow
Issue
Issue
Improvement
Improvement
Human Resources
Issue
Motivation/Measurement
Issue
Rules/Guidelines
Issue
Facilities & Other
Issue
Exercise: Finding Solutions
57



Go back to the goals, mapping, issues you have
found. What are some solutions?
Did you include all the enablers?
What metrics can we assign to this improvement?
Project
Onboarding, Exiting, and Transfers
Onboarding, Exiting, and Transfers
Onboarding, Exiting, and Transfers
Short Description
Digitize the Report of Separation form (form
109)
Connect PS data to ROS Form based on
search/match function
Replace Chief Admin and HR 'approvals' with
acknowledgements/notices (require submission
+ appropriate administrator approval)
Improvement description
Remove physical movement of documents via campus mail or by
walking - replacing with digital routing
Remove need to look up known data that exists in PS by linking
form fields to PS data via search/match on EE ID while creating
forms
Reduce needed approvals from 3 to 1 requiring only the
appropriate administrator (if ASC/EE initiating) to provide formal
approve. This will help avoid bottlenecks. Currently thre is no
known reason for HR/Admin to "approve" form - simple
acknowledgment should suffice.
Next Steps
Building form with Tech team; validating
with project team and stakeholders
As part of building form will be
incorporated
Verify with project team, as well as
confirm no audit concerns; if unable to
remove then will build 'timers' that notify
at appropriate intervals
Be courageous, but know that not all improvements are earthshattering changes - and that’s OK!
Time
improve
ment
(hrs)
8
Time
improve
ment
(hrs)
8
Think – Can I Do That? Now? Later?
58


Not all solutions are created equal – you need to
plot effort and benefit
Ask yourself:
 What
impact will this have? (Metrics really help here!)
 How long will it take to make this happen?
 How many resources will I need to make this happen?
Take the easy “low-hanging fruit” when you can
The Sweet Spot…High Reward, Low Effort
21% +
Improvement
Improvement
Improvement
Improvement
Improvement
Improvement
Improvement
<10%
Benefit (reduced time)
59
Improvement
<2 months
2-6 months
Effort (time to implement)
6 months +
Map the New Flow
60



Using the list of improvements, design a new
workflow
Same rules as before apply with swim-lane
diagrams
It’s often helpful to highlight, in some way, where the
process has changed
This is also an iterative process - one pass is often not enough
Document Proposed Changes
61

Spell out the proposed changes showing benefit,
effort, enablers, and owners
Short Description
Digitize the Report of Separation form
Connect PS data to form based on search/match
function
Remove Chart Field String from Form
Remove "date position available for rehire"
Modify digital workflow to allow for parrellel
processing once acknowledgements (approvals)
of form have been gathered
Replace Chief Admin and HR 'approvals' with
acknowledgements/notices (only require next
level of supervision to approve)
Employee initiatied submission of Report of
separation (in "happy use case") - provide other
paths for ASC/Supervisor to initiate form as
well.
Improvement description
Remove physical movement of documents via
campus mail or by walking - replacing with
digital distribution
Remove need to look up known data that
exists in PS by linking form fields to PS data
via search/match on EE ID while creating forms
Remove this field from the form
Remove this field from the form
Notify and make available the separation
notice form to HR, Payroll, UBO, and all others
who are needed once it leaves approval
stage
reduce needed approvals from 3 to 1
requiring only the supervisor (if ASC/EE
initiating) to provide formal approve. This will
help avoid bottlenecks
Standardize guidelines that, when notice is
given, the exiting employee begins process by
starting form; by doing so we can gather more
information up front (e.g. address, final check,
absences) and reduce movement of
information from supervisor to coordinator to
employee back to coordinator; EE's are also
motivated to complete this action as it allows
them get final information in the manner they
wish to.
Next Steps
Building form with tech team; validating
with project team and stakeholders
Will be incorporated as part of building
the form
Build into the form
Build into the form
Need to verify with project team and
leadership all functional areas have
iniatially signed off
Verify with project team, as well as
confirm no audit concerns; if unable to
remove then will build 'timers' that notify
at appropriate intervals
Discuss with project team; scope with tech
team on creating different paths based
on role
Go on Tour!
62




Time to show off your great work and confirm you
didn’t really miss anything!
Show to interested parties – be sure to involve any
sponsors.
Take feedback – doesn’t mean you have to change
everything (or anything), but understand the
feedback
Gain alignment – see if people “buy in”
It’s a nice touch if someone from the team does the touring –
shows the team effort involved
63
Recap
How to Do It – Quick Guide
64











Interviews with sponsor and actors
Project kick-off session
Interviews
Identify frame & assess process
Initial workflow mapping
Further interviews
Confirm the model
Assess the flow
Brainstorm solutions
Map “to be” flow
Go on tour
65
Glossary
Glossary of terms
66




Actor: a participant in the who performs work in a process.
Sponsor: a senior leader who can clear roadblocks (e.g. ensure time is
available to do the project) and approve recommendations if necessary. Has
authority to approve decisions affecting progress of the work being done by
the project team or work group and to refuse approval.
Driver: handles the overall coordination of the project, meeting, or business
area. The driver usually has responsibility for communicating with other team
members and ensuring that roles and responsibilities are clear. Usually the
project manager is the driver for a project, though at times this is not the case
and a project may even have more than one driver.
Work session: a meeting designed to deliver a specific outcome and requiring
input, interaction (work) from all participants to achieve that outcome.
Glossary of terms
67



Swim-lane diagram: is a visual element used in process flow diagrams or
flowcharts that visually distinguishes responsibilities for the subprocesses of a
business process. Swim lanes may be arranged either horizontally or vertically.
Core group: a small group of usually no more than 10 actors who do the
majority of the critical work and/or oversight related to an identified process.
The core group drives the project by providing expertise and acting on
approved recommendations as needed.
Extended group: actors beyond the core group who also do work in the
process under analysis but do not perform a majority of the tasks.