Purpose

A Process Redesign Blitz guides a project team through a rapid recreation of a critical business process design for breakthrough performance improvements.  It's focused on meeting customer requirements, exceeding key quality expectations, reducing cycle times and eliminating waste.

"Speed" is a key feature of this methodology.  In less than two days it produces a high-level "To Be" process design that meets key business process improvement goals, and defines process elements on the critical paths of related projects (e.g. ERP system installation, process improvement to service new customers, etc.).

Methods

• Collaborative work sessions with team-based methods that cut through departmental boundaries, save time and result in much richer solutions than with conventional one-person process redesign assignments.
  
• Comprehensive process redesign methods, including both technical and human dimensions.  The latter, are essential to smooth implementation and new-process sustainability.
  

Objectives

• To agree on key process improvement goals, especially from customer, business and employee perspectives.
  
• To begin to describe the “real” process ("As Is").
  
• To understand and learn to use the methodology for (re)creating or improving a business process.
  
• To understand the purpose, scope and methods of a Critical Process Redesign Team, structured for successful follow-through implementation of the redesigned process.
  

Deliverables and Results

• Creates a "To Be" process design that exceeds the goals, and provides information needed for ERP configuration.
  
• Develops an implementation work plan for use by a Critical Process Team during follow-through work.
  
• Focuses high-level attention on a critical business process.
  
• Sends an important signal to the organization that management is committed to change.
  
  

Content

Project Scope Development With Project Sponsor/Owner

• Critical process scope and boundaries
  
• Preliminary process improvement goals
  
• Team membership criteria and selection
  
• Logistics for project team work session
  

Project Team Work Session (12 to 16 hours)

• Process management and improvement methodology
  
• Process flowcharting or value-stream mapping
  
• Improvement goals and indicators (measures)
  
• Process data collection and analysis; benchmarking methods *
  
• Team development; interactive, practical exercises *
  
• Analysis of team effectiveness; Strengths Deployment Inventory *
  
• Team roles, norms, conflict, and decision-making styles *
  
• Facilitated interaction with process owner and management
  
• Sustainability planning; Support Systems design and mgt.
  
• Action planning, time line; neutralization of restrainers
  
• Effective meeting methods and next meeting agenda *
  

          * Options, if time available

Format

•  Project scope and set-up with sponsor; week or more prior to work session; telephone and e-mail communications, possible on-site meeting if subject process has unique features that might affect the work session structure.
  
•  Two-day (12 to 16 hours) project team work session
  
•  Facilitated discussion; participant involvement; process owner involvement
  
•  Process Analysis Kit (option)
  
•  Optional resources available to guide the follow-on project work and bring added expertise on leading-edge techniques (kaizen, lean manufacturing, 6-sigma, activity-based costing, MIS technologies, etc.).

For additional information contact rainmakers at 847/251-3327