The Power of Business Process Improvement, 2nd Edition

The Power of Business Process Improvement, 2nd Edition

by Susan Page
Released November 2015
Publisher(s): AMACOM
ISBN: 9780814436622

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Book description

Baffled by repeated mistakes in your department? Want to focus your employees’ limited time on more valuable work? The answer to these challenges and more is business process improvement (BPI). Every process in every organization can be made more effective, cost-efficient, and adaptable to changing business needs.

The good news is you don’t need to be a BPM expert to get great results. Written by an experienced process analyst, this how-to guide presents a simple, bottom-line approach to process improvement work. With its proven 10-step method you can:

    • Identify and prioritize the processes that need fixing
    • Eliminate duplication and bureaucracy
    • Control costs
    • Establish internal controls to reduce human error
    • Test and rework the process before introducing it
    • Implement the changes

    Now in its second edition, The Power of Business Process Improvement is even more user-friendly with new software suggestions, quizzes, a comparison of industry improvement methods, and examples to help you apply the ideas. Whether you are new to BPI or a seasoned pro, you will have business running better in no time.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Contents
  4. Chapter 1: The Roadmap: Learning How to Navigate
    1. Can You Do It?
    2. The Journey
    3. The Ten Simple Steps to Business Process Improvement
    4. Step 1: Develop the Process Inventory
    5. Step 2: Establish the Foundation
    6. Step 3: Draw the Process Map
    7. Step 4: Estimate Time and Cost
    8. Step 5: Verify the Process Map
    9. Step 6: Apply Improvement Techniques
    10. Step 7: Create Internal Controls, Tools, and Metrics
    11. Step 8: Test and Rework
    12. Step 9: Implement the Change
    13. Step 10: Drive Continuous Improvement
    14. The Executive Summary
    15. Business Process Management
    16. Case Study 1: Training and Development
    17. Case Study 2: Recruitment Process in Hong Kong
    18. Chapter Summary
  5. Chapter 2: Step 1: Develop the Process Inventory: Identifying and Prioritizing the Process List
    1. The Process Inventory
    2. Process Prioritization
    3. Developing Criteria
    4. Determining Scale
    5. Applying Weighting
    6. Chapter Summary: Step 1
    7. Time Estimate
    8. Build the Business Process Inventory
    9. Sponsor Meeting
    10. Establish Categories, Criteria, Scale, Weighting
    11. Complete the Process Prioritization Table
    12. A Second Sponsor Meeting
    13. What You Have Achieved
    14. Knowledge Check
  6. Chapter 3: Step 2: Establish the Foundation: Avoiding Scope Creep
    1. The Eight Sections of the Scope Definition Document
    2. Section 1: Process Name
    3. Section 2: Process Owner
    4. Section 3: Description
    5. Section 4: Scope
    6. Section 5: Process Responsibilities
    7. Section 6: Client and Client Needs
    8. Section 7: Key Stakeholders and Interests
    9. Section 8: Measurements of Success
    10. Chapter Summary: Step 2
    11. Time Estimate
    12. First Project Team Meeting
    13. Sponsor Meeting
    14. What You Have Achieved
    15. Knowledge Check
  7. Chapter 4: Step 3: Draw the Process Map: Flowcharting and Documenting
    1. Process Map Overview
    2. Drawing the Process Map
    3. Box1
    4. Box 2
    5. Box 3
    6. Boxes 4–8
    7. The Cross-Functional Process Map
    8. Continuing the Work from Meeting to Meeting
    9. Documenting the Process
    10. Process Mapping Tools
    11. Microsoft Visio
    12. SmartDraw
    13. Chapter Summary: Step 3
    14. Time Estimate
    15. Second Project Team Meeting
    16. Postmeeting Work
    17. Follow-on Project Team Meetings
    18. What You Have Achieved
    19. Knowledge Check
  8. Chapter 5: Steps 4–5: Estimate Time and Cost and Verify the Process Map: Introducing Process and Cycle Time and Gaining Buy-In
    1. Business Process Timing
    2. Process Time
    3. Cycle Time
    4. Process Cost
    5. People Costs
    6. Tool Costs
    7. Overhead Costs
    8. Putting It All Together
    9. Alternative Cuts of the Data
    10. Analyzing the Cost Estimate Columns
    11. Verify the Process Map
    12. Process Workers
    13. Stakeholders
    14. Sponsor
    15. Chapter Summary: Steps 4–5
    16. Time Estimate
    17. Project Team Meeting
    18. Postmeeting Work
    19. Sponsor Meeting
    20. Verify the Process Map
    21. Postvalidation Work
    22. What You Have Achieved
    23. Knowledge Check
  9. Chapter 6: Step 6: Apply Improvement Techniques: Challenging Everything
    1. Eliminate Bureaucracy
    2. Value Added
    3. Eliminate Duplication
    4. Simplification
    5. Reduce Cycle Time
    6. Automation
    7. Impact Analysis
    8. Chapter Summary: Step 6
    9. Time Estimate
    10. Project Team Meeting
    11. Postmeeting Work
    12. What You Have Achieved
    13. Knowledge Check
  10. Chapter 7: Step 7: Create Internal Controls, Tools, and Metrics: Making It Real
    1. Internal Controls
    2. Tools
    3. Job Aids
    4. Custom Email Forms
    5. Excel Tools
    6. Metrics
    7. Chapter Summary: Step 7
    8. Time Estimate
    9. Project Team Meeting
    10. Postmeeting Work
    11. Project Team Meeting
    12. What You Have Achieved
    13. Knowledge Check
  11. Chapter 8: Step 8: Test and Rework: Making Sure It Works
    1. The Five Steps in Testing the Business Process
    2. Step 1: Create the Test Plan
    3. Step 2: Develop Test Sets
    4. Step 3: Implement the Test Plan
    5. Step 4: Summarize Feedback and Rework
    6. Step 5: Retest
    7. Chapter Summary: Step 8
    8. Time Estimate
    9. Create the Test Plan
    10. Create Test Sets, Gain Resource Approval, Develop Feedback Tool
    11. Implement the Test Plan and Rework
    12. What You Have Achieved
    13. Knowledge Check
  12. Chapter 9: Step 9: Implement the Change: Preparing the Organization
    1. The Implementation Plan
    2. Overview of the Three Phases of the Implementation Plan
    3. The Design Phase
    4. The Development Phase
    5. The Implementation Phase
    6. The Four Tracks in the Implementation Phase
    7. Change Management Track
    8. Testing Track
    9. Communications Track (Communication Plan)
    10. Training Track (Training Plan)
    11. Chapter Summary: Step 9
    12. Time Estimate
    13. Develop the Implementation Plan
    14. Refine the Impact Analysis
    15. Develop the Communication Plan
    16. Develop the Training Plan
    17. Gain Sponsor Buy-In
    18. What You Have Achieved
    19. Knowledge Check
  13. Chapter 10: Step 10: Drive Continuous Improvement: Embracing the New Mindset
    1. The Continuous Improvement Cycle
    2. Evaluate
    3. Test
    4. Assess
    5. Execute
    6. Continuous Improvement Plan
    7. Chapter Summary: Step 10
    8. Time Estimate
    9. Develop the Continuous Improvement Plan and Schedule
    10. Gain Sponsor Buy-in
    11. Test, Assess, Execute
    12. What You Have Achieved
    13. Knowledge Check
  14. Chapter 11: Create the Executive Summary: Getting the Recognition
    1. The Six Sections of the Executive Summary
    2. Section 1: Project Focus
    3. Section 2: Goals
    4. Section 3: Summary
    5. Section 4: Key Findings
    6. Section 5: Deliverables
    7. Section 6: Appendix
    8. Chapter Summary
    9. Time Estimate
    10. Create Analytical Tables
    11. Write the Executive Summary
    12. What You Have Achieved
  15. Chapter 12: Business Process Management: BPM and Other Improvement Techniques
    1. Business Process Management
    2. Business Process Modeling (BPM)
    3. Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)
    4. Gateways
    5. Pools
    6. Swim Lanes
    7. Events
    8. Activity
    9. Loops
    10. Flow Lines
    11. Software Products
    12. IBM Blueworks Live
    13. iGrafx Flowcharter
    14. Promapp
    15. Other Process Improvement Techniques
    16. TQM (Total Quality Management), Continuous Improvement, and Kaizen
    17. Hoshin Kanri
    18. Reengineering
    19. Six Sigma
    20. Lean
    21. Lean Six Sigma
    22. Chapter Summary
    23. What You Have Achieved
  16. Chapter 13: Case Study 1: Training and Development
    1. Background
    2. Step 1: Develop the Process Inventory
    3. Step 2: Establish the Foundation
    4. Step 3: Draw the Process Map
    5. Step 4: Estimate Time and Cost
    6. Part 1: List Process Activities and Process Time
    7. Part 2: Identify Annual Volume
    8. Part 3: Determine the FTE Formula
    9. Part 4: Determine Employee Costs
    10. Step 5: Verify the Process Map
    11. Step 6: Apply Improvement Techniques
    12. Benchmarking
    13. A New Approach
    14. Step 7: Create Internal Controls, Tools, and Metrics
    15. Internal Controls
    16. Tools
    17. Metrics
    18. Step 8: Test and Rework
    19. Step 9: Implement Change
    20. Communication Track
    21. Training Track
    22. Change Management Track
    23. Step 10: Drive Continuous Improvement
    24. Chapter Summary
    25. What You Have Achieved
  17. Chapter 14: Case Study 2: Recruitment Process in Hong Kong
    1. Background
    2. Step 2: Establish the Foundation
    3. Step 3: Draw the Process Map
    4. Step 4: Estimate Time and Cost
    5. 1. List Process Activities and Process Time
    6. 2. Identify Volume
    7. 3. Determine FTE Formula
    8. 4. Determine Employee Costs
    9. Step 5: Verify the Process Map
    10. Step 6: Apply Improvement Techniques
    11. Step 7: Create Internal Controls, Tools, and Metrics
    12. Step 8: Test and Rework
    13. Step 9: Implement Change
    14. Step 10: Drive Continuous Improvement
    15. Chapter Summary
    16. What You Have Achieved
  18. Index
  19. Why Project Risk Management?
  20. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  21. FREE SAMPLE CHAPTER FROM IDENTIFYING AND MANAGING PROJECT RISK, THIRD EDITION BY TOM KENDRICK
  22. COPYRIGHT

Product information

  • Title: The Power of Business Process Improvement, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Susan Page
  • Release date: November 2015
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: 9780814436622