Ever felt like your business is calling the shots, and you’re just trying to keep up? Chuck Knabusch, the brains behind “Hope is Not a Business Strategy,” has some game-changing insights on turning things around with process improvement.
Chuck Knabusch is a bona fide authority on process improvement. With a wealth of experience, Chuck has been the trusted advisor for leaders grappling with inefficient meetings, missed targets, bloated budgets, and the perpetual struggle of balancing work and life.
In this blog, we’ll unpack three key takeaways from my insightful conversation with Chuck. Learn about his hands-on involvement with plant workers, where he streamlined processes, reduced stress, and employed visual aids such as Post-it notes and vibrant colors to drive impactful process improvements.
What is process improvement?
Process improvement is about taking a set of steps and making sure the end result is the same every single time. First things first, document those steps. It’s not just paperwork; it’s your training manual, your roadmap for consistency. Whether on the factory floor, in HR, or in dealing with customers, having a clearly documented process makes life smoother.
The checklist is straightforward. Figure out the scope, get the right people on board, and keep an open mind regarding possible changes and improvements along the way. It is also important to manage people’s time wisely during this time to make sure you’re not burning resources but getting accurate information efficiently.
Chuck’s advice is to keep the process mapping simple – start with a flow chart. Stick it on a wall with some Post-its, and watch the magic happen. Before making any changes, understand the current process how it works, and if it is working. Once you have a simple map plot out, you can hit the floor, see the process in action, and take notes of things you missed.
Another important factor is building relationships with your team and other employees. Being proactive, whether you’re a supervisor or any other role, means getting out there, engaging with the workplace, and having real conversations on the ground. Forget the big town hall meetings; keep it small and real. Focus on what’s working, what needs fixing, and what can wait.
Contingency Planning and Basic Measures
Why wait for a fire when you can be the hero preventing it? Things happen all the time and being proactive means your business stays afloat, your employees stay employed, and everything continues to move on despite sudden issues like the pandemic.
Basic process measures are also a must. If you skip this part, how can you tell if you’ve actually improved the process? There’s a risk you might have made things worse after all that hard work and those risks can affect efficiency, effectiveness, and other important things.
Check your process metrics and be cautious about what you’re measuring. Are these metrics telling you what you need to know, and do they matter to the customer? Remember, everything boils down to the customer’s perspective.
The Step-by-Step Process Map
The Process Map is like our roadmap, split into three levels based on how detailed we want to get. The map is there for showing and telling – helping us see a process from the start to the end. It lays out what goes in, what we do, and what comes out, and makes spotting problems easy, like finding keys in your bag.
The big goals are making sure we’re delivering value to customers, playing by the rules, sticking to a standard routine, being visible, and of course, getting better at what we do. Think of it as our cheat sheet for making things smoother.
Step 1: Determine the Boundaries
- Name the Process: Clearly identify what this process is about.
- Process Map Type: What type of process map (standard flow or swim lane?)
- Level of Detail: Figure out how deep you want to dive into the nitty-gritty.
- Starting Point: Where does the process begin?
- Ending Point: Where does the process end?
Step 2: List the Steps
- Use Basic Symbols: Keep it simple with standard symbols.
- Task Description Start: Kick-off task descriptions with an action.
- Post-it Notes: Keep it flexible by jotting down tasks on post-it notes.
- Hold Off on Arrows: Save the arrows for later as we won’t be connecting steps for now.
Step 3: Check for Completeness
- Confirm Process Owner and Measures: Know who’s in charge and what to measure.
- Additional Information: Add extra details like lead time, processing time, or task performers.
- Chart Information: Toss in any necessary chart details.
Step 4: Finalise the ‘Current State’ Map
- Check Process Consistency: See if the process matches what’s on paper.
- Consensus Check: Make sure everyone’s on the same page.
- Spot Deviations: Hunt down any differences between reality and the documented standard.
Step 5: Waste Walk the Process Ensuring It’s Value Added
- Voice of the Customer (VOC): Get clear on what the customer wants.
- Identify Value Added (VA) and Non-Value Added (NVA): Sort out the steps that matter from the ones that don’t.
- Check for Physical Transformation: If it transforms the product or service, it’s value-added.
- Customer Cost Test: It’s value-added when a customer would pay for it.
- Removal Impact Test: Would the customer notice if the step does not exist? If not, it’s non-value added.
- Exceptions for Legal/Regulatory Work: Some non-value added tasks are necessary due to laws or regulations.
Step 6: Make an Implementation Plan
- List Improvement Ideas: Jot down all the ways we can make things better.
- Use Improvement Techniques Wheel: Spin the wheel of improvement techniques.
- Prioritize Actions: Figure out which improvements are urgent.
- Assign Ownership: Make sure someone’s in charge of each improvement.
- Implementation Plan: Lay out the roadmap for putting these improvements into action.
Some real examples of process maps from work I have done previously.
Team Selection Is Critical
Building a solid team for process mapping is one of the most important decisions you can make here. Make sure you’ve got the local crew in the mix, the folks on the receiving end (customers or suppliers), outsiders not directly in the loop, your go-to experts, and, of course, the open-minded thinkers.
Now, when you’re knee-deep in mapping, stick to the basics. Get the facts straight and make no assumptions about your current process. Remember, reality tends to throw curveballs; things don’t always run the way we think, so we keep it real by following golden rules: go where the action is, observe, and jot down what’s happening.
Just focus on documenting, no judgment calls or countermeasure brainstorming. If issues pop up, toss them on a to-do list, then get back to the nitty-gritty of reality documentation.
Process Improvement is for Everyone
Sure, process improvement might not sound as exciting as other business stuff, but confident leaders make it a priority, setting clear standards and a solid foundation. It’s not just to stay on track but also to make sure good changes stick and things genuinely get better. Continuous improvement goes beyond the factory floor and product development. It applies just as effectively in HR, accounting, sales, merchandising, and across the entire service industry. Processes are everywhere, and for them to succeed consistently, we must identify, align, and continually enhance them.
Key Takeaways
In wrapping up the conversation with Chuck, it’s clear that process improvement is one of the most important factors of business success. It quietly determines whether a company thrives or falters, and even influences the time we get to enjoy in our personal lives. Confident leaders understand the importance of having a solid business strategy, steering away from wishful thinking, and embracing deliberate actions for tangible outcomes. These leaders prioritize process improvement, laying a strong foundation, and fostering a shared understanding through visual mapping.
Successful leaders don’t stop at implementation; they measure improvement. This not only ensures progress stays on course but prevents beneficial changes from slipping through the cracks. It’s a way to gauge whether things are genuinely getting better. Measuring improvement becomes the compass, ensuring progress stays on track and continually striving for better results. In essence, confident leaders not only strategize but also prioritize and measure, making process improvement a dynamic force in their success story.
What did you learn from this blog? Share your main takeaway on YouTube or at thecultureofleadership.com.
You can also listen to the full podcast episode Process Improvement with Chuck Knabusch here for more insights and stories around leadership.