Basic Methodology Outline

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Overview

Describes the basic steps of Business Process Redesign methodology.

Details

The BPR Methodology is simple to follow and deals with basic Q&A that participants familiar with the existing workflow will find comfortable to work with. Steps are to be performed by all Participants collaboratively with the Facilitator helping to draw out questions and details.

1. Situation Statement

Develop a statement to describe the current situation.
Why are we here?

2. Symptoms, Problems, and Causes

Discover symptoms, problems, and causes by making a list of all of them.

Symptoms

A feeling or sense that problems exist within the current process.

Could be something you have heard from others.
Could be a process impact that you have recognized as a potential issue, but the issue is difficult to pin down.

Problems

Identification of specific problem(s) that can be validated and addressed.

Causes

In some cases there are several problems that can be traced to a root cause.

Early identification of a Root Cause can expedite the BPR process.
In most cases, the As-Is modeling step will result in the identification and clear understanding of the root cause.

3. As-Is Model

Develop the As-Is model. In detail, what do we do today?
Start to finish, what steps are taken and who takes them?

Identify the major process steps.
Document workflows between major process steps.
Identify process "hand-offs" between people and/or groups.

4. Strengths and Weaknesses

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the As-Is model?
Identify and list them.

5. To-Be Model

Develop the To-Be model.
Think about the way the process would work if there were no barriers to creating the ideal business process.
What is the ultimate dream?

Identify MAJOR process steps
Document WORKFLOWS between major process steps

6. Gaps

Identify and list gaps between As-Is and To-Be.
What challenges must be overcome to reach the To-Be model?

Identify workflow steps that need to be REMOVED from the current process.
Identify workflow steps that need to be ADDED to the current process.

7. Recommended Actions

Develop Recommended Actions.
What will be done to get from As-Is to To-Be?
Who needs to be involved?

Brainstorm and document actions that must be taken to implement the new design.
Lay out a high-level project timeline

8. Roles and Responsibilities

Identify key Roles and Responsibilities.
Who will own and monitor the new process?
Who will perform the Recommended Actions?
Who will present the BPR results to executive management/BPR sponsors?

Process Measures

Process Measures are critical to Continuous Improvement must be developed in order to test the design of the new process and to ensure it performs as intended on an ongoing basis. Good Process Measures will measure things like time, errors, complaints, productivity, quality, customer satisfaction, etc.

9. Report Findings

All information generated during the BPR should have been captured digitally or on paper.

Prepare the information into a more formal report format using a university-wide BPR result template. Using a standard template for all BPR results creates a common look and feel for BPR initiatives and greatly enhances learning and support by key internal customers and sponsors. Be sure to include information on benefits, cost, key milestones, and target deliverables.
Timing is important. When participants return to their daily routine, it is very easy to begin to forget the discussions and ideas that occurred during the BPR. Recommendation is one week MAXIMUM from the end of the BPR to delivery of the final report to the BPR sponsors.
Present the new process design to executive management to ensure support is in place to implement.

Next step

Work with a Project Management team to implement the new process. Contact PMO@indwes.edu if you need assistance!