One aspect of netlogx is helping our clients think about why they are executing their processes the way they are and what can be done to improve them.
Facilitation of Business Process Mapping is important because it provides clients with a means to understand and document their business processes. It helps bring relevance to the new As-Is business process they are developing or streamlining. I like to get our clients to a point where they can facilitate their own business processes and determine if they would like to become a Six Sigma organization.
Before we begin, I try to understand the client’s goals and objectives which include their vision and mission. This information not only helps me understand the client more, but when reviewing Business Process tasks that don’t appear to fit with the objectives, I can bring that to their attention. Often just by indicating my confusion on how the two relate, we come to the question, “Why do you do that task if it doesn’t fit the core beliefs of your organization?” Clients find this line of questioning eye-opening and usually dig deeper into the need for tasks and processes.
To accomplish facilitation I like to bring all levels of the organization together for a business process workshop so that everyone can understand the “why” for the process they wish to re-engineer. If team members don’t understand the reason behind a process, then why are they doing it? It’s important to have all levels of the organization represented so that there is a common understanding of the “why.”
Through past experiences, I found that it is crucial not to come in as the “expert” or “know-it-all” regarding a process that I’m facilitating. Allowing the client to explain what they do instead of simply assuming helps me dismiss any preconceived notions of their methods. I have learned that not all similar business processes are the same. What might be wrong for one company, could be right for the next.
