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OE Tools - How To
     Understanding LEAN
     Facilitating Kaizens
     5S
     SMED
     Situational Simulation
     Using Process Maps
     Tying OE to Bottom LIne

Workforce Engagement
     Engaging the Workforce
     Praise Effort, Reward Results
     Empower Direct Reports

Process Modeling
     Process Modeling
     Simulation and Optimization

OE Strategy
     Rubberband Effect
     Facilitating Process Mapping
     Metrics Drive Gaming
     NO OE Programs on PDR
     Process Driven
     Continuous Improvement

Our Critical Processes are Mapped. NOW WHAT!!!

Once you have mapped a critical process, what should you do? Let's face it, it takes a lot of effort to develop a process map. So how do you make sure that you optimize your payback on this effort. Start with the following five activities, in the order provided, and you will do that.

The initial use of process maps should be as:

1. A tool for educating people on how the process really works.
   Put the process map up on the wall next to where people sit who drive the process, have a big impact on the process, or are significantly impacted by the process.
   These three groups are the people who care the most about the process, and will benefit the most from understanding the whole process and how they interact with it. At a minimum, you will improve communication and coordination between these three groups
2. A tool for identifying quick hit process improvement opportunities. The three groups, mentioned above, should be given many opportunities to provide feedback on how to improve the process.
   One way to gather their feedback is to provide a mechanism for individuals to highlight where process failure points and bottlenecks exist. An example of this type of mechanism is to provide "stick on dots" next to the process map for people to stick on the process map next to the "challenging" process steps.
   Another way to gather feedback on improving the process is to organize mini-kaizens. In these mini-kaizens, 6-10 people are facilitated through the process of identifying quick hit ideas for improving the process, and of making these ideas happen. These ideas will include elimination of rework, elimination of duplicate activities, improved coordination around handoffs, etc.

From there, the process maps should be utilized to identify opportunities for improving the process (also called failure points). To execute the following three activities, you will have to develop an effective and efficient game plan for collecting the data needed. To identify failure points in the process:

3. Determine what are the percentages that each branch is executed coming out of the decision points in the process. Use this data to identify which decision points have a highly utilized "undesired" branch. Given that this is at a critical point in the process, focus your operational improvement efforts on reducing the use of this "undesired" branch.
4. Determine what the "wait" and "work" times are for individual process steps. Use this data to identify which process steps have the largest "wait" times. Given that this is at a critical point in the process, focus your operational improvement efforts on reducing this "wait" time.
5. Determine which process step(s) are the bottleneck(s) for the process. After you add the data to the process map, the bottleneck(s) in the process will jump out at you. These bottleneck(s) are a critical place to focus your operational improvement efforts. Reducing the impact of the bottleneck process(es) will increase your organization's throughput capability.

Bottom line: First, use the process map to educate people on the process and to gather ideas for "quick hit" improvements to the process. Second, collect numeric data to use with the process map to drive focus for your operational improvement efforts.