What’s Involved in Process Management and Improvement?
When it comes to project management, you want to ensure that you have the right workflow in place for the long-term success of your project. You need to give your team members the right tools and methods to achieve the goals and milestones. So how do you figure out what the right tools and methods are? Or how do you get your workflow right? This article will explore what is involved in process management and improvement.
What is process management and improvement?
Within project management, there should be processes in place for the workflow management. Process management and improvement is the method of looking at those existing processes in place and analysing them to see what is working well, and what should be improved. When you are reviewing your processes, do so with your business strategy in mind and also how you can improve customer experience.
Why should you regularly look into your process management and improvement?
Having a method of continuous review in place ensures that those overseeing the project at a high level can feel confident in the processes. By then improving existing systems, you can also feel confident that your project experiences continuous improvement. This will essentially result in excellent customer satisfaction.
What is the method of process management and improvement?
The PDCA Method, (Plan, Do, Check, Act) is a great method of continually reflecting, analysing and improving processes. According to Mindtools.com this method can also be known as the “Deming Wheel” or the “Shewhart Cycle”.
Used in business control, this four-step method helps you to improve business processes easily. First, the people involved in the processes should sit down and plan.
Think about what your project objectives are and what processes will be needed to get you to your business goal.
The next step is the ‘Do’ stage. This is when you carry out the project objectives from the planning stage for your product or service.
The next step involved in the process is to check. Use data and any results from where you have implemented the processes in your project.
Look at how the results compare to what you may have predicted or wanted to achieve and see how these results can be analysed and evaluated to then be improved on further.
For example, if you used process automation this time around, then compare this with when you were manually doing the tasks. You can use charts to evaluate and compare results if you are conducting the PDCA cycle multiple times.
The final stage of the method for process management and improvement is to act. This is also, according to MindTools.com known as “Adjust”. Using the last two stages, you can find ways in which to improve and then improve on the business process.
By the end of this stage of the business process management, you will be able to implement better standards, goals and methods. This means that you can then plan ahead for the next cycle of the PDCA.
By using the PDCA cycle in your business process management, you are able to improve customer journeys through the project development too. You are able to achieve total quality management through the methods of analysing, reflecting and growing through what you have learnt.
What are process maps?
When you are conducting business process improvement, (BPI) you can use process maps as a method to improve on your processes. Process maps involve you identifying what your hurdles or problems are, brainstorming activities and methods in which you can overcome them, determine the steps and then create a flowchart with symbols for you to follow.
By following process maps, you are able to implement process management and improvement which will help to advance the customer experience.
Process management and improvement allows you to take full control over your project management, by continually improving the processes involved in your project so that the workflow becomes easier for team members.
This also results in improved customer experience and better success rates for your project.
If you would like to find out how Execview can further improve your project management and process management, please do get in touch today.
