Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the Critical Success Factors in Improving Business Processes?

• Determine the value of the project: cost, customer and employee satisfaction, simplification of process, strategic alignment
• Manage the improvement process as a project: develop a project charter, define roles and responsibilities, communicate progress, manage change, implement contingencies, evaluate benefits and celebrate successes
• Know the customer’s (internal and external) wants, needs and desires
• Map the business process and understand its type of variation
• Measure process performance
• Define the operational defect and the waste in the process
• Identify root cause and fix the problem, not the symptom
• Test the solutions and refine the process
• Monitor the business process to sustain the gains and continually improve

How Long Does an Improvement Project Take?

 The process takes between 8 weeks to six months depending on the amount of time the employees and managers can commit to the project.

What is the Sterling/Baldrige Criteria and how can senior leaders use it?

 The Sterling/Baldrige criteria describe management practices that deliver excellence and achieve sustainability during the current economic environment. It is used to create a culture that focuses on the customer, manages with facts and addresses strategic challenges.