Processes that make Business Easy
I believe that there should be a process for everything.
And if we think about it everything around us in nature has a “process”.
There’s a beginning, a middle and an end.
For every business we have inputs — we do something —- then there’s the output.
As an Industrial Engineer it is very hard for me to function without processes.
I was probably born to be an engineer.
I remember when I was going to high school – I had figured out exactly the amount of time it took to do everything I need to get out of the door.
Bathing – 5 mins
Dressing – 11 mins
Eating – 10 mins
Brushing teeth – 3 mins
Packing bag – 3 mins
And I also knew the strategic order that each of these activities should take place.
I actually packed my bag before jumping the shower etc.
In business you have to know all the activities you need to get the job done.
I hate to go into a business and they tell me the process, and then two weeks later I observe other aspects of the process.
Now my role is to improve the process.
But it never ceases to amaze me how businesses run without really knowing their processes.
When I was in Memphis, my sole job was to watch people do work.
You’re probably wondering what kind of job that was.
Well I was a Process Improvement Analyst.
And I watched everything they did.
Then I looked at their documented processes.
You see most businesses don’t take into consideration the HUMAN BEING that needs to execute the process.
They believe that if they define the process the human being will follow it.
Because my job is to study processes I often see the flaw right away.
90% of the time processes are written as if machines were going to execute it.
The way I write processes is so that a three year old perform the task.
A Process is simple a set of instructions to get a job done.
So what are the steps needed for your process.
You have to sit and figure this out.
OR you can tell someone – go and do this and watch them doing and then document that as the process.
Doing is the BEST way to get a process down.
Even in my own business
The process I will take a client through is continually being optimized because I am continually working with clients taking them through the same process!
If you manufacturing plant, or paper mill has a way of doing something – get someone to sit and observe.
Observe each action for a few days, a few weeks, may even a few months!
Then document the process!
Process Optimization comes now with other people follow this new process and you seeing how it can be done better.
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