Process Improvement
"Lean" Process Improvement
K2CP can support projects and programmes across most sectors (see Sectors section) and have the ability to provide consultants with deep relevant sector experience. These consultants can support your process improvement initiatives whether they are part of a stand-alone process improvement programme or part of a wider transformation, often incorporating an ERP
We have helped clients across virtually every industry sector to achieve profound and sustainable business benefits, from “front line” applications such as high-volume manufacturing assembly lines and low-volume shipbuilding, to “back office” applications such as service management and recruitment processes.
Our focus is often to help our clients understand the art of the possible by sharing experiences and improvements other clients have made. This usually makes the targets real and less daunting and helps stop closed minds and the classic “not invented here” syndrome.
In all scenarios we use a proven, three-stage process, after an initial Discovery phase:
Our
Three
Stages
Stage 1: Map the ‘As-Is’ process to an appropriate level of detail:
-
This focuses on how the processes are actually executed, as opposed to how they should be executed
-
We also incorporate the current ‘offline’ processes, and how each step is supported by IT including standalone databases and spreadsheets
-
Key process issues, bottlenecks and constraints will be identified. In our experience an iterative approach is the best approach to achieve the optimum outcome.
​
Stage 2: Assess the value-add of each step:
-
Each process step must be assessed according to Lean principles, i.e. is it value-adding, non-value adding but necessary, or not necessary and could be eliminated?
-
We also asses the IT systems for Fitness-for-purpose
-
This stage requires robust challenge, particularly in assessing whether a process step is ‘necessary’. Experienced external facilitation is essential.
​
Stage 3: Develop the ‘To-Be’ process:
-
Once the unnecessary (‘waste’) process steps have been eliminated, the ‘To-Be’ process is developed
-
This addresses the issues and removes the bottlenecks and constraints identified in the ‘As-Is’ mapping; typically using problem-solving workshops
-
Demonstrations of any planned new IT systems will help to ensure these are the basis of ‘To-Be’ support instead of a proliferation of standalone applications.
-
The To-Be process map should clearly reflect the ‘ownership’ of each process step by organisational unit as well as the IT system supporting it.
​
Our teams will usually share the levels of improvement that can be achieved during the initial Discovery phase the starts any of our programmes. During Discovery we start the Voyage of Discovery for the client team, which often involves the first hands on demonstration of any chosen ERP, and also the art of the possible in terms of what level of improvements can really be achieved, sharing previous client examples. We and clients find this invaluable in terms of gaining buy in from process owners.
Realising and tracking benefits is key to the success of such programmes where we focus on the 5 key areas of:
Inventory
Lead Time
Cost
Service
Quality
The diagram below is an example of how we track and focus on benefits realisation:
