Every company has processes. They may be variable based on a number of factors, but they exist; that’s how a business achieves replicable success-- by finding a process and sticking with it. Unfortunately, what works for one project within a company may not work well with other projects. It may encounter bottlenecks that reduce performance or profits, which is something no one wants. So, what happens when a company realizes their approach may not be ideal and looks for new ways to improve? Business analysts are often tasked with reviewing current systems and recommending improvements based off of that analysis. There are 5 basic stages to identifying and implementing successful and cost-efficient business processes: Document current processes, identify bottlenecks current processes, Brainstorm and document the proposed updated processes, implement the process within the iteration of a project, and finally, perform a retrospective analysis of the process performance to improve the process as necessary.
Often the most daunting task may seem to be thoroughly documenting any current processes executed by a company. If nothing is documented prior to your intervention, it is likely that one of two scenarios has occurred: one individual holds all of the knowledge you need and want to document or many people hold “piece-meal” versions of the knowledge based on the area of the systems and processes that they deal with on a day-to-day basis. Both of these scenarios put the company at a disadvantage. One person holding all the knowledge causes a bottleneck anytime another team member needs information because that person becomes dependent on the knowledge resource’s availability, and that resource may become stretched thin. It also puts the company in a position where they are very dependent on a specific resource; if that resource is out sick or decides to switch companies, the company is at a severe disadvantage. When multiple people hold a “piece-meal” version of the systems and processes used, different problems arise. If many people hold small views of the systems and processes, they may not be as efficient as they could be with the appropriate knowledge and no one holds an overall top-level view of the systems and processes, which would minimize confusion. Often, when a resource with all the information leaves a company, the knowledge base switches to the “piece-meal” scenario. Documenting current system dependencies, charting current process flows, defining a glossary of terms used by the company, clearly mapping data, and documenting credentials for testing purposes are just some of the documents that should be produced during this stage of the process.
Once processes and overall knowledge of the company have been documented and distributed to the team, it is time to begin analyzing these processes to identify bottlenecks within the processes. Where does progress in the project lag the most and what can be done to prevent that? Is it a matter of outdated or difficult processes that can be updated in some way? Do additional resources need to be added to the process in some way? These potential issues and solutions need to be identified and proposed to the team. Once everyone is in agreement, documentation of the new processes can begin.
Documentation of all knowledge regarding processes is important, whether it’s new or old. Any processes that have been identified to have bottlenecks should be updated and documented to indicate these updates. If a new resource or position is added to the company process, their role within that process must be defined and all existing process charts must be updated to reflect this responsibility. This will also allow business and marketing employees to better understand the proposed changes and updates. All updates should have a clearly defined goal and a way to measure if that goal has been met. Is the goal to reduce time required per iteration of the project? Is it to increase quality or sales lead numbers? Before proceeding with process updates, ensure that the progress related to these updates can be clearly measured or evaluated in some way.
Once the documentation and visual representations of the new proposed processes have been completed, they can be presented to the team for approval. In order to implement a new system or process, everyone on the team must be on board. If someone has concerns, discuss them with the team and address them to the best of your abilities. As soon as the team is in agreement about the process updates, define a date to have the process fully implemented into the project cycle and focus to have all dependencies in place prior to this date. Once that date is hit, run through a project iteration using these newly defined processes. Ensure that any unexpected issues or problems are documented along the way.
No system is perfect, and there is always room for improvement. At the end of each project iteration, meet with the team to reflect on the last run-through. Discuss any issues encountered and what can be done to resolve them. Processes are a constantly evolving project of their own that need constant tweaking based on company growth and presented projects. Be sure to update any documents related to decisions that come from this retrospection.
Implementing and updating processes for companies that are disorganized or inefficient can be quite an intimidating task. However, the process becomes a lot less daunting when broken down into 5 stages: Document current processes, identify bottlenecks current processes, Brainstorm and document the proposed updated processes, implement the process within the iteration of a project, and finally, perform a retrospective analysis of the process performance to improve the process as necessary. If a BSA follows these stages when implementing a new process, they are sure to assist the company with profitability-- that’s something everyone can get behind!
