Keys to making your process improvement project a success

Like any project, a process optimization project requires the usual basic ingredients if it is to be successful: executive sponsorship, scope, and assigned resources (people).

First, sponsorship

Executive sponsors set priorities, provide investment, and will make process optimization one of the company’s top initiatives, which is it should be.

Second, scope

Defining a clear scope, a well-formulated set of deliveries early in the project is paramount. There should be no debate that SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bond) objectives should be clearly stated.

- Is the objective rework reduction, duration reduction, or working capital improvement?
- How success will be measured?
- What KPI (Key Performance Indicators) should be implemented?

Third, assigned resources

Define who is accountable for delivering the results. If you want the process optimization project to deliver phenomenal benefits to your company, your best resources should be allocated to the initiative. At a minimum, the project team should include the business process owner. Other team members will contribute to identifying the issues, the root causes, and to formulating possible improvements. Adding regular check-in sessions, a laser focus on the objectives to achieve, and frequent short project updates will make process optimization a key competitive differentiator for your company.