Simply put, if a process doesn’t achieve the right results (the results you expect), it definitely needs improvement. So if you expect it to take 25 minutes and it takes 30 minutes it needs improvement.

Here are some other signs that your processes may need improvement:

• The results of the process vary depending on who is undertaking it.
• The process requires data to be re-keyed from another process.
• A senior member of staff needs to oversee all the outputs of that process to ensure they are correct.
• It’s not possible to tell who undertook the process.
• It’s not easy to replicate the results of the process.
• It’s difficult to locate where in the process a failure occurred.
• You have no idea how long the process takes or how long it should take.
• Only one person understands the process.
• Nobody has ownership of the process.
• You don’t know exactly what skills and competence people undertaking the process need.
• The process requires specialist inputs (tools, equipment, materials, data, knowledge, etc) and there is no documented information about those requirements.

Occasionally business processes fail. There are really only three reasons why. These are the reasons with some examples:

• Incorrect inputs (data, resources, materials, tools, equipment, supplier quality, environment)
• Inadequate control (no clear workflow, no instructions, no competence requirements, poor clarity of requirements, no checks prior to output)

If you control the inputs and the process, then the results should always be correct and in line with your expectations.

This is impossible to answer, but typically solutions range from less than one day to up to 6 weeks work. A project is often spread over a longer period of time as the output of each stage is offered to the client for review and approval. This ensures we know we are heading in the right direction and the final solution meets the client’s requirements.

All you pay for is our time which includes our overheads. We have a standard day rates and they are applied to all our projects. The only variable would be the resources we need to use and any expenses (such as for travelling and accommodation). We are based in Sydney so any site visits more than an hour outside Sydney will incur travel expenses charged at cost.

We use everything from advanced office applications, process mapping software, webforms, web apps, phone apps, database applications, cloud hosting, etc.

We use a 7-stage process when working through an improvement project and would suggest you do the same.

1. Learning – gain a deep understanding of the process, its inputs and outputs, the tools and resources used.
2. Analysis – a process can be analysed to identify efficiency or quality gains, reduce risks or other opportunities.
3. Proposal – a proposal has a fixed budget, a time schedule, details of the solution, the stages of delivery, responsiblities and identifies the benefits and risks.
4. Design – determine what you want the finished solution to look like. This will become the blueprint for the design
5. Build – the build is undertaken against the design. Any variations to the build must be agreed and the design updated accordingly.
6. Testing – A thorough test regime should be written which aims to give confidence in the solution and its abilities.
7. Implementation – consists of deployment, documentation, change management, training and more depending on organisational needs.