| Over the years many methods
for improving and designing business processes have emerged. These
have different strengths and weaknesses and are often quite prescriptive.
Our experienced consultants choose the best approach to achieve your objectives from a variety of improvement methods. This approach:
- Reduces the time needed to achieve your results.
- Minimises bureaucracy and administrative overheads that are part of
many formal methods.
- Keeps your process design and process improvement projects focussed and
practical.
- Reduces the cost of your assignments maximising your return from
process improvements.
Methods we draw on Include:
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a rigorous, disciplined method that uses data and
statistical analysis to measure and improve a company's operational
performance. It does this by focusing on identifying and eliminating
"defects (or errors)" in manufacturing and service-related processes.
Six Sigma performance is commonly defined as 3.4 defects per million
opportunities,
More information about the Six Sigma method is available from
http://www.iSixSigma.com.
The Theory of Constraints (Dr Eli Goldratt)
The Theory of Constraints provides tools and techniques that seek to
improve the throughput (output) performance of an organisation.
The method has at its core, the idea that each organisational system has
only one constraint at any given time. Effort focussed on improving
the performance of the constraint increases the performance of the entire
organisation by unlocking hidden capacity, reducing costs and improving
customer satisfaction.
Prosys consultants often use the TOC 'Thinking Process' tools when
working on assignments. The Thinking Processes:
- Are easy to understand and learn.
- Help teams to develop a clear and unambiguous understanding of the
things constraining organisational performance.
- Help create a consensus of opinion about the real causes of problems.
- Assist with resolving conflict and decision making.
More information about the Theory of Constraints is available from
http://www.eligoldratt.com
Total Quality Management
Total Quality Management is a management approach that originated in the
1950's and steadily became more popular during the early 1980's. The term
'Total Quality' describes the culture, attitude and structure of an
organisaton that strives to provide customers with products and services
that meet their requirements. The Total Quality Management approach demands
that quality exist in all aspects of a company's operations.,
Though less popular now, TQM offers some concepts, tools and
techniques that are relevant and useful today.
More information about TQM is available from
http://www.asq.org
Business Process Reengineering
Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is a process improvement method that
was extremely popular throughout the 1990's and remains popular today.
BPR focuses on the complete redesign of business processes and
organisations rather than seeking to improve them in an incremental fashion.
It is often referred to as 'clean sheet' process redesign though in reality,
most reengineering initiatives are constrained by existing processes.
As a result, it is not uncommon for new business processes to incorporate
aspects or features of the current business process.
More information about Business Process Reengineering is available from
http://www.prosci.com/intro.htm
Baldridge Criteria
The term 'Baldridge Criteria' refers to the assessment framework used to
select winners of Baldridge Quality Awards.
Malcolm Baldridge was the US Secretary of Commerce between 1981 and 1987.
He was a strong advocate of the quality movement. After his death in
1987, congress changed the name of the National Quality award in his honour.
Baldridge awards are also assessed and issued in New Zealand.
Recent winners include New Zealand Post and the Hutt City Council.
More information about Baldridge Quality Awards and Assessment Criteria
is available from
http://www.baldridge.org |
