Abstract
Faced with a higher-level imperative to improve organizational effectiveness, how do you approach that task at an operational level? What are the specific teams and skills needed to transform processes for the future? This session explored topics related to workflow analysis and redesign based on a Business Process Improvement effort at the University of California, Davis. Working with a consultant, a team composed of key players from acquisitions and accounting units examined ordering processes that were particularly cumbersome, eventually focusing on credit card ordering. The team learned many useful process evaluation tools including cross-functional “swim lane” maps, cause and effect diagrams, and a variety of methods for identifying wastes and assessing customer satisfaction (or lack thereof). While some attention was paid to the particular aspects of the credit card workflow, more weight was given to general principles, tools, and applications to other workflows. Attendees learned about the process analysis tools, with emphasis on the swim lane map, in enough detail to start applying them in their own environments.
Give a Little Bit: Using Lean Tools to Create Efficiencies in Acquisitions and Beyond
Faced with a higher-level imperative to improve organizational effectiveness, how do you approach that task at an operational level? What are the specific teams and skills needed to transform processes for the future? This session explored topics related to workflow analysis and redesign based on a Business Process Improvement effort at the University of California, Davis. Working with a consultant, a team composed of key players from acquisitions and accounting units examined ordering processes that were particularly cumbersome, eventually focusing on credit card ordering. The team learned many useful process evaluation tools including cross-functional “swim lane” maps, cause and effect diagrams, and a variety of methods for identifying wastes and assessing customer satisfaction (or lack thereof). While some attention was paid to the particular aspects of the credit card workflow, more weight was given to general principles, tools, and applications to other workflows. Attendees learned about the process analysis tools, with emphasis on the swim lane map, in enough detail to start applying them in their own environments.