Assess Culture:
RCS begins a process improvement project with an assessment of the organization's tolerance for process change. Often, an organization may have difficulty embracing and following changed processes. While many process improvement projects succeed in designing new or improved processes, not all succeed in the implementation stage of the project. Therefore, prior to investing significant resources into a process improvement project, RCS conducts a Cultural Assessment to discern the organization's:

• appetite/tolerance for change
• level of project sponsorship
• experience with past process improvement initiatives
• willingness to measure processes
• intended implementation strategy

The highest degree of implementation success for process improvement projects requires one of two approaches: 1) clearly defined and applied consequences, both positive and negative, for following the new processes, or 2) workflow automation. Prior to designing improved processes, it is important for the client management team to evaluate the pros and cons of both approaches. RCS facilitates this discussion, presenting the management team with perspective on the cost/benefit of each.

As a first deliverable, the Cultural Assessment is offered to the management team, enabling them to make an informed choice on if and how to proceed in pursuing process improvement. Furthermore, this deliverable gives the organization the opportunity to begin preparing for the implementation phase, should the project proceed. Barriers to acceptance, identified in the assessment, can be targeted and addressed in anticipation of adopting new processes.

 
Analyze Process(es):
The foundation for any successful business process improvement project is to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes. Therefore, RCS typically begins a project by working with its client to identify a cross-functional team of staff members who own, participate in, or are customers of the process(es). Using a disciplined methodology, RCS first trains, then works with the team to document in detail the existing business process(es). The resulting deliverable delineates:

• process gaps and redundancies
• dependencies and inter-dependencies
• information capture, purpose and usage
• metrics for the existing process(es), such as cycle times, number of process steps and quality measures
• short term opportunities for low cost improvement
• high level concepts for significant process re-design

 
Summarize Discovery Findings:
RCS presents management with an analysis summarizing the findings of the Discovery Phase. The report documents:

• opportunities for incremental improvement and/or full scale process re-engineering
• organizational impact of potential change
• recommended implementation strategy - automated workflow v. applied consequences
• high level benefit projection
• cost estimates for design phase

 
Design/Redesign Process(es):
RCS interviews the owners and customers of the business process(es) to ascertain tacit and overt expectations, identify the anticipated implementation cost and time boundaries for the project, and to gage the level of management support for the endeavor. Having established clear and tangible support, RCS skillfully facilitates team meetings to:

• articulate optimal future state vision/outcomes
• capture creative thinking, blue-sky, no-limits process design
• temper design with reality and current system limitations
• identify process measures/metrics in new design
• evaluate potential workflow automation tools (if automation is the intended implementation strategy)

 
Plan Implementation:
Using the information documented during the Discovery and Design phases of the project, RCS documents a full scale project proposal for management evaluation. Alternatively, RCS can guide members of the team in developing the project proposal. Sound cost/benefit analysis provides management with the data necessary to make an informed investment decision. The project proposal articulates:

• a statement of the current business problem and environment
• the desired outcome for the new or improved process(es)
• stakeholder expectations, including the vision for the improved process(es) and surrounding business environment
• the design of the improved or new process(es), including the application of technology
• alternative solutions which were considered and evaluated
• benefit analysis, delineating opportunities for cost savings, increased revenue, cost avoidance or regulatory compliance
• risk assessment
• required resources
• cost projections for the implementation phase
• proposed timeline for delivery
• metrics for a post-implementation review of the newly implemented process(es)

 
Implement New or Improved Process(es):
RCS facilitates the implementation of the improved process(e)s, serving as the business project manager if desired. If appropriate, RCS may solicit the participation of other consultants or associates with specialized skills, such as technical project management, systems programming or integration. In managing the business project, RCS focuses its energy on guiding the team towards successful implementation by engaging the team in:

• the construction of the automated workflow (if automation is the chosen implementation strategy)
• resolving business issues which arise
• honing the design accordingly
• designing and delivering training for the new processes and/or automated system
• establishing the routine collection of process measures/metrics

Upon completion of the implementation, the collected measures/metrics serve as the basis for a post-implementation audit of the improved processes.

 
Manage Process(es):
As part of the implementation phase, a Process Management Team is formed to ensure the newly designed and implemented process(es) are successfully institutionalized, e.g. embraced and followed by the organization. If the implementation approach was based on consequences v. automation, this team is accountable for applying the consequences. Periodic process measures are gathered to identify if the desired improvements are consistently realized. If not, the team uses measurement data to determine where performance issues exist. Additionally, the team is responsible for ensuring new staff are fully trained to utilize the processes as intended. Finally, as the business evolves over time, the team supervises ongoing adjustments to the processes as warranted.