A brief refresher on processes

contents

Definition
Synonyms and alternative words used for process
Upsides and downsides of business processes
What describes a process?

Definition

A process is a set of actions that change, transform, develop, create and/or output products, materials, services, or information. "Change" can be substituted by 'repair', 'modify', 'alter', 'adjust', and similar terms.

Synonyms and alternative words used for process

Procedure

Task

Method

System

Methodology

Technique

Routine

Way

Approach

Action

Exercise

Job

Undertaking

......and no doubt there are more!

Business process upsides and downsides

Upsides of business processes

• They enable business strategies and plans to be converted into actions.

• They are repeatable, so that anyone with suitable skills and training can deliver the same results, again and again.

• They can link all of the elements in a business together to ensure that everyone is "going in the same direction".

• Whatever may be happening, they provide continuity.

• Processes act as safety nets, preventing or containing mistakes from damaging the business.

Downsides of business processes

• They are not always kept in step with changes in the business and its marketplace, resulting in "workarounds" being developed by staff to cope with process inadequacies.

• The design of a process can blind people to noticing and reporting on anything unusual happening outside of the process scope.

• Processes can deteriorate, for example by small changes in how they are being used. These changes in performance can go unnoticed for some considerable time.

• The IT (computer system) component of processes can impose inflexibility on them.

Optimise the upsides, and avoid or mitigate the downsides - a goal for any process design.

What describes a process?

In some businesses, all processes will be documented. In others, the details may be sketchy, or in someone's memory.

This list is useful as an aid to finding out how any processes functions.  If documents are not available, it serves as the basis for a question and answer session.

• An owner

• A specification. This will contain many of the parameters listed below. Other phrases used instead of specification include: statement, definition, description, guidelines, details, proposal (originally submitted for business approval).

• A purpose or goal.

• Requirements. These are the original requirements that the process was designed to satisfy.

• A logical sequence. The logical sequence of actions describes the essentials that must happen in a process. It often differs from the physical or actual sequence. For example, delays or waiting times that are part of a physical 'real life' sequence of actions do not figure in the logical set of actions.

• A known or physical sequence.. This is the actual or 'real life' sequence of actions needed to complete the process. It may be mapped and have rules described.

• Process maps or diagrams These can be at different levels, for example an overview will show less details that a map of the step by step procedures.  Context maps are helpful, showing where the process fits in the business, the start and end points, and how it interfaces with other processes.

• Business rules used by the process.

• Start and end points. Some processes have multiple start and end points.

• Inputs and outputs.

• Interfaces. These can be with other processes, or external to the business, for example with customers, suppliers, and government agencies.

• Description of the procedures within a process. These include step by step procedures used by staff.

• A catalogue of users.

• Timing, quality, resource or other performance standards.

• Failure recovery procedure. This covers what has to be done if the process fails by, for example, providing incorrect  or delayed outputs.

• Performance feedback. The owner, users, and perhaps the process itself need feedback on its performance.

• RAID-C. This is an acronym for assessing Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies, and Constraints. In a complex process or group of processes, it is useful to gather these items together so that the owner and users know what to do to mitigate or avoid their effects.

• Integration. Description of either higher-level processes of which this process is a part, or of any sub-processes.